Balloon racing returned to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1910. Again, Speedway President Carl Fisher partnered with his friend and ballooning mentor, George Bumbaugh in their craft, "The Indiana."

Fisher's Balloon Caught in Gale - and Electric Wires!

This article reports on an exhibition flight of Carl Fisher's balloon, "Indiana." The flight took place a little over a week prior to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's national championship balloon races. At the helm was the balloon's creator, George Bumbaugh, who was also Fisher's mentor in this craft. Fisher was not aboard for what proved to be a harrowing flight when the vessel was caught up in heavy winds and briefly became entangled in electric wiresstrung on poles near the Speedway. Good read.
 
Balloon Race Preparations

This is a nice collection of articles on various preparations leading up to the September 1910 national championship balloon races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

This collection of articles chronicles the Labor Day race meet held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in September 1910. This was the final meet of its kind at the Speedway as management, unhappy with paid attendance at their July and September events, devised a new type of spectacle that immediately became a classic: the Indianapolis 500.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Announces Indianapolis 500

At the close of their September 1910 race meet the Indianapolis Motor Speedway track management announced their plan to stage the "greatest race in history." They were right.

This race meet was run in September 1916, never to be repeated. The collection contains the best assortment of articles on this event you’ll find anywhere, with coverage from Indianapolis newspapers and the automobile trade press. The biggest star of the meet was Johnny Aitken, who won all three races in his Peugeot. Eddie Rickenbacker in his Maxwell was a threat, as well as Howdy Wilcox (Premier) and Hughie Hughes (Hoskins Special) gave Aitken stiff competition. Aitken battled with Dario Resta all season long the AAA's first major points championship. Resta finally took the championship late in the year at the American Grand Prize road race in Santa Monica.

"Motor World" Harvest Classic Coverage

This is a brief article from the September 13, 1916 edition of Motor World that provides a concise, tidy summary of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's Harvest Classic. This is good reference to get to the bottom line facts.

This folder has numerous articles on the inaugural auto races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. These races occurred only days after the Speedway hosted the Federation of American Motorcycles (FAM) race meet. The auto races were a blend of success and tragedy. Most of the major American drivers entered – Barney Oldfield, Ray Harroun, Bob Burman, Tom Kincaid, Lewis Strang, Louis Chevrolet, Jap Clemens, Charlie Merz, Eddie Hearne, Ralph De Palma and Tobin DeHymel among them. With the exception of a Fiat and a Benz, the entries were American, including: Marmon, Marion, Stearns, National, Jackson, Stoddard-Dayton, Buick and Apperson. Tragedy came in the loss of several lives, including Willfred Bourque, who became the first driver to die in a racing accident at the Speedway.

The Death of Cliff Literall

A harbinger of tragedy, perhaps, but a Stoddard-Dayton mechanic by the name of Cliff Literall was killed on Capitol Avenue in downtown Indianapolis when he fell off the gas tank of a race car and spilled onto the street to be crushed by a company truck following closely behind.

This folder contains accounts of the races that occurred at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway over the Memorial Day weekend in 1910. All the stars of the day attended, including Ray Harroun, Joe Dawson, Bob Burman and Barney Oldfield. Harroun won events for Marmon and Oldfield set a new track mile record in his world land speed racer, the “Lightning Benz,” otherwise known as the “Blitzen Benz.” This race also offered an obstacle course promoted by the Overland Motors Company. This entailed wooden ramps and a route that took cars off the Speedway’s course, into the infield and through the drainage ditch in the southwest turn. Ernie Moross was the Director of Contests and was responsible for developing the program of events.

Practice for May 1910 Meet

These articles are well worth the read. They report on Tuesday, May 24 practice leading up to the May 27, 28 and 30 1910 race meet at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This is another collection of briefs that spotlight developments of interest surrounding the organization and events leading up to the first full-fledged auto race meet since the track was paved with brick. Yes, it was already known as "the Brickyard."
Race Day Morning at the Brickyard - May 1910

This is a nice package that describes practice leading up to the first day of the May 1910 race meet at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It also includes a column of "pit pass-like" shorts that give you a nice briefing about what was going on among the drivers and teams. Keep in mind that, aside from the December 1909 time tirals, this was the very first day that races were conducted on the newly paved brick surface of the Speedway.
Oldfield, Dawson Wreck in Wheeler-Schebler

This collection was published the morning of the final day of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's important May 1910 race meet.
Oldfield Sets Records on Final Day of May 1910 Meet

These attachments contain articles that originally appeared in Indianapolis newspapers on May 31, 1910. Even though the first attachment's name (star053110) refers to the Indianapolis Star, I am embarrassed to admit I am not certain this is true. It may well have appeared in the Indianapolis News. The second attachment (IMSrecordsSun053110) is from the May 31 Indianapolis Sun.
 

Called the "Western Vanderbilt" the initial Ira Cobe Trophy Race was run on a 23.27-mile road course completing a circuit between Crown Point and Lowell Indiana on June 19, 1909. It was commissioned by Ira Cobe, who founded the Chicago Automobile Club. Low attendance and the brutal punishment inflicted by the under-developed roadways contributed to the decision to move the contest for this classic trophy to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1910.

Excellent Coverage of Cobe Trophy

This is terrific coverage of the Ira Cobe Trophy from June 19, 1909. Dubbed the "Vanderbilt of the West" by the press, the trophy was commissioned by Ira M. Cobe, president of Chicago Automobile Association. The American Automobile Association (AAA) was founded in Chicago in 1902. Like many early American road races, this event was more akin to an off-road contest by today's standards.