This is a large collection of articles concerning the 1911 Indianapolis 500. This content covers practice and preparation for the event, many featuring the star drivers such as eventual winner Ray Harroun, Ralph Mulford, Bob Burman and Ralph DePlama. Barney Oldfield, who was banned by the AAA during this period and missed the first Indianapolis 500, wrote a racing column and several of his contributions are contained in this folder. Complete race day coverage is yet to be added, but will be included them in the future.

Bruce-Brown Leads at 90 Miles

This article was published race day, May 30, 1911 in the Indianapolis Sun. It is a mid-race report and the speed to press compromised its accuracy. The glaring error is that it reports that Amplex driver Art Greiner was killed in his lap 12 accident that claimed the life of his riding mechanic, Sam Dickson.
Aristocracy of Race Drivers

This article was originally published in the May 30, 1911 Indianapolis Sun. This is a nice article that provides a quick overview of star drivers competeing in the first Indianapolis 500. I noted that Cole Team cars of "Farmer" Bill Endicott and Johnny Jenkins were green, a color that would eventually become the subject of superstition.
Promise of Speed, Prospect of Blood

These articles were originally published in the May 30, 1911 Indianapolis Sun. As I have noted elsewhere, the sensationalism of newspaper coverage dwelling on the potential of injuries and fatal accidents was prevelant and would be considered in poor taste today. There are three articles in this package, all focusing on the throngs of people swarming the race.
Front Page - Harroun Wins!

This item was originally published in the May 31, 1911 Indianapolis Sun. This is really just an image, but I wanted to show it in the context of the front page in which it appeared. It shows winner Ray Harroun and his Marmon Wasp crossing the finish line in the first Indianapolis 500.
Drivers in the Money

This article was published in the May 31, 1911 Indianapolis Sun. This is a fine race report that discusses much of the detail of the first Indianapolis 500. It also presents a nice summary of the winnings of the top ten finishers. However, these were the unofficial standings. After a review of records on May 31, Marmon driver Joe Dawson was inserted among the top ten finishers in fifth place.
Wonderful Driver Interviews

This article was originally published in the May 31, 1911 Indianapolis Sun. This is an absolutely wonderful article that interveiws the first four finishers of the first Indianapolis 500. Great snapshots of their mood at the time and their personalities in general. Events of the race are discussed. Also, winner Ray Harroun officially announced his retirement from racing. He had retired the year prior, but this time the 29-year-old champion kept his word.
Concessions at First Indy 500

This article was originally published in the May 31, 1911 Indianapolis Sun. This brief article provides interesting insights into the concessions that were offered at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the first Indianapolis 500. Ham sandwiches, fruit, pies, well water and lemonade were standard fare. The large crowd consumed more than anticipated and courriers were sent to Indianapolis for more supplies. Prices soared as box lunches that normally sold for 15 cents went for 75 cents.
Official Results - First Indy 500

This article was publishcd June 1, 1911 in the Indianapolis Sun. This is an important article that provides the official results of the first Indianapolis 500 after the timing and scoring confusion produced by the lap 87 home stretch wreck. Juxtapose this with the report from the day earlier to reconcile the unofficial with the official.

This is a wonderful collection of Indianapolis News, Indianapolis Sun and Indianapolis Star newspaper articles covering the August 14, 1909 Federation of American Motorcyclists (FAM) national championship race meet at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This was the first motorized competition at the Speedway and delivered mixed results at best. The track was simply not ready, its rough macadam and tar surface broke up during the events. Further, the nature of the surface and length of the giant track was such that the riders could attain speeds in excess of 70 miles per hour but the lightweight bikes bounced dangerously over the loose stones. Many observers called a fiasco as numerous planned events were canceled when riders refused to take any more risks. Champion rider Jake DeRosier suffered serious injuries in a spectacular fall in a match race conceived on the fly. Also see my story of this event from the 2008 Moto GP Program.

Note: I will update this section with a synopsis of each article as time permits.

A 17-Year-Old Marvel

This item was originally published in the August 4, 1909 Indianapolis News . Los Angeles youngster Raymond Seymour was one of the hottest motorcycle riders of the day and the 17-year-old prodigy was one of dozens of competitors to announce he would race in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's first motorized contest.
Prest-O-Lite Illuminates 24-Hour Speedway Shifts

This article originally appeared in the August 12, 1909 Indianapolis News. This is a precious article that provides a primary reference on Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Carl Fisher's decision to work around-the-clock shifts in order to prepare the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for its first motorized competition, an August 14 motorcycle race meet.