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.

Excellent Summary of Motorcycle Races

These attachments have some overlap with the main article which was originally published in the August 15, 1909, Indianapolis Star.
 
Attachment Star81509 is described in the following paragraph.
 
Bosch Magneto Motorcycle Trophy

This very brief article was originally published in the August 3, 1909 Indianapolis Sun. This is a brief, single paragraph article describing a cup or trophy that the Bosch Magneto Company offered to the rider making the best showing with a bike equiped with their product at the August 14, 1909 motorcycle meet at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Merkel Team Tops Points Score

These two articles were originally published in the August 11, 1909 Indianapolis Sun. Both are short items that provide summaries of the Cleveland-to-Indianapolis endurance run. Substance is lacking, so don't expect a lot. One of the articles provides an overview of the agenda for the week with the parade through the city, the Federation of American Motorcyclists (FAM) convention and the first motorized races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The Status of Amateur Riders

This article was originally posted in the August 14, 1909 Indianapolis Sun. It is a brief item that reports on the ongoing debate within the Federation of American Motorcyclists (FAM), the governing body of the sport, about the status of amateurs.
Gibney Accident Attributed to Hand Pump

Here are two brief articles. The first originally appeared in the August 15, 1909, Indianapolis Sun. The subject is the accident of motocycle patrolman Albert Gibney, who took vacation to compete in the first motorized competition at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

This package of material comes from the Wayne Petersen collection. It is a combination of certificates acknowledging awards Barney Oldfield received and correspondence between him and others of the era. An interesting item is an article authored by Oldfield's nemesis Ralph De Palma, who describes a huge risk Barney took to edge out the 1915 Indianapolis 500 winner in a match race.

Chrysler Executive's Letter to Oldfield

This is a 1934 letter written to Barney Oldfield by an Chrysler executive. This was during the period Oldfield was teaming with Billy Arnold in Chrysler "hell driver" exhibitions.
 
Golden Jubilee Near Oldfield's Death

This is a copy of a letter that was sent to Barney Oldfield asking him to attend a "Golden Jubilee" celebration as the automobile industry turned 50 years old. The letter is dated April 2, 1946 - almost exactly six months before Barney Oldfield would pass away quietly in his home on October 4, 1946.
Oldfield in Automobile Hall of Fame - June 1946

This is a letter congratulating Barney Oldfield on being selected for membership in the Automobile Hall of Fame in June 1946. Oldfield would pass away quietly in his home less than four months latter on October 4, 1946.
Oldfield in Helms Hall of Fame

This is a digital copy of the certificate presented to Barney Oldfield upon his election to the Helms Hall of Fame.

This collection of articles is a good research source for anyone interested in learning more about the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's project to pave the track with bricks during the autumn of 1909. This action was triggered by the tragic events of the Speedway's first auto race in August 1909. This collection focuses on the December time trial events that yielded new records and demonstrated the speed and improved safety of the facility. The weather was brutally cold, sinking to as low as 9 degrees. The track was covered in snow earlier in the week and Director of Contests Ernest Moross announced that he would pour gasoline on the bricks and set them afire if necessary to clear the Speedway for the trials. Temperatures were so biting that the drivers created homemade chamois balaclavas to protect their skin.

Ambitious Speedway Plans - Fall 1909

This article from October discusses ambitious plans by Indianapolis Motor Speedway management to stage races in the autumn of 1909. The races never materialized, but the Speedway did stage a time trial event during some unusually frigid weather in December.