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.

National On Stock Cars & Racing

This article shares the views of an unnamed officer of the National Motor Vehicle Company on auto racing, the definition of a competition stock car and racing during the first auto meet at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The article was originally published in the Indianapolis Star on September 5, 1909.
 
Bourque's Wedding Plans

This post offers a pair of attachments containing brief articles discussing the canceled wedding plans of driver William Bourque who was killed in a fatal accident during the first day of racing at the first auto race meet on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Marmon Rejoices

This article is about the Marmon automobile business and their declaration of success during the first auto meet at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The article was originally published in the August 29, 1909, Indianapolis Star. These races were conducted from Thursday, August 19 to Saturday, August 21, 1909.
 
Jackson Automobile Co. Protest

This attached article (attachment jackson082209), published in the Indianapolis Star on August 22, 1909, concerns the protest Jackson Automobile Company over the decision of American Automobile Association (AAA) and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to call off the Wheeler S
August 1909 Weather

Meticulous as I am I thought it would be interesting to understand what the weather was like in Indianapolis during the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's tragic  first auto racing event.
 
Tire Wars 1909

Attached are two ads that were originally published in the August 22, 1909, Indianapolis Star. Both were purchased by tire companies, one by Michelin and the other Firestone.

This is a collection of articles published during the Fall of 1909 concerning the work to pave the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with 3.2 million bricks. The great speed facility was tagged with the name, "The Brickyard" before the work was done.

IMS Garage Area - 1909

This article about the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's plans to expand and improve its garage facilities in the wake of their controversial first auto meet August 19-21 1909. This article was originally published in the September 5, 1909 Indianapolis Star.

This collection of articles reviews the plans of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to stage an air show during the autumn of 1909. The effort came in the wake of the tragic first automobile race where five lives were lost including two spectators. This forced the founders to pave the track in effort to advance safety. This probably had something to do with the eventual cancellation of the air show but also it is likely Speedway management simply did not plan far enough in advance. The logistics of staging the event may have overwhelmed them and the availability of top pilots and airplanes may have been tight.

IMS Aero Meet & Track Plans

This article is about the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's plans to expand and improve its facilities in the wake of their controversial first auto meet August 19-21 1909. It was originally published in the September 3, 1909, Indianapolis Star. Check out a September 5 article that focuses more on plans for a new garage area which are barely mentioned in this one.
Planned IMS Aviation Meet - 1909

This article is about the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's plans to stage a fall aviation meet in the wake of their controversial first auto meet August 19-21 1909. It was originally published in the September 5, 1909 Indianapolis Star.
Air Show Plans, Jackson Protest

The attached article, published September 4, 1909 was published in the Indianapolis Star shortly after the first auto race meet at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Despite the tragedies endured in that event where five people lost their lives, the Speedway forged ahead with plans to stage an air show and additional auto races in the weeks following the August 19 - 21 races.