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.

Drama Over De Palma Entry

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway management scrambled to scare up a ride for Ralph De Palma in the September 9, 1916 Harvest Classic. De Palma, whose own car was damaged, first was assigned to Peugeot previously driven by Ralph Mulford. But the day before the race he was assigned to a different Peugeot originally planned for Charlie Merz. Ticket sales were slow for the race and attracting a big name like De Palma into the entry list was deemed paramount.
Speedway Announces Return to 500 Miles

In the wake of the September 9, 1916 Harvest Classic the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced that it would return to the 500 mile race format for its Memorial Day Classic after shortening it to 300 miles the previous May. This article, published September 10, also summarized the Brickyard's September 9 running of the Harvest Classic race meet. This content also includes the image of Johnny Aitken, who swept the three race card, pouring water over his hot tires during a break in the competition.
Speedway Changes Race Time

Because ticket sales were so poor for the Harvest Classic, management at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway changed the time of the races. Originally scheduled for 1:30, they were bumped back to 2 o'clock. In this package you will find two ads, one, which ran earlier in September, that indicates the start time is 1:30. The second ad, which ran the day before the race on September 8, reflects the later start time. Running beside the September 8 ad is an article reporting the Speedway's decision to push the start time back.
 
"Pop" Myers Announces De Palma Entry

This article reports that Ralph De Palma would be one of the drivers in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's September 9, 1916 Harvest Classic race meet. The announcement was made by T.E. "Pop" Meyers, the Speedway's general manager for many years after the departure of Ernie Moross in 1910.
 
Entry List of 20 Cars

This package includes another copy of the story about De Palma's entry, but scrolling further on will reward you with a nice piece that paints an overview of the field of entries as well as a table of those entries where 20 cars and drivers are detailed. This was the anticipated field for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's September 9, 1916 Harvest Classic at the Brickyard.
Speculation on De Palma Entry

Interest in Ralph De Palma's choice of equipment for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's September 9, 1916 Harvest Classic race meet ran high. This article speculates that he might be taking on the Peugeot previously driven by Ralph Mulford. Even at this late date - September 7 - the issue was not resolved.
 
Harvest Classic Race Day Morning

This article was printed the morning of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's September 9, 1916 Harvest Classic. It reports on the events of practice and summarizes the entry list. Interesting to note that the 20 cars originally entered had dwindled to 16.
Silvertown Cord Tires Ad

This is an ad for Silvertown Cord tires ran after the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's September 9, 1916 Harvest Classic race meet. It focuses on the finishing results of 50 mile contest by summarizing the first seven finishers.

One of the most unique chapters of Indianapolis Motor Speedway history was the June 1910 aviation show. Speedway President Carl Fisher loved leading edge technology, and he was almost as fascinated with aviation as race cars. This folder is packed with articles about that six day event which featured appearances by the Wright brothers and their star pilot, 21 year old Walter Brookins, who set a world altitude record at the meet. Carl Fisher got into the act, riding with Orville Wright in one of his pipe and stretched silk biplanes at dusk on one of the evenings. Fisher and Wright, fully exposed to the elements, laid on their stomachs, the Speedway president white-knuckling the metal pipe structure.

Wright Aviators Welsh & Coffin

Two photos of Wright Brothers aviators, A.L. Welsh and Frank Coffin. You can see the control levers of their planes and get a sense of how they sat in them.
Wright Planes Arrive at Speedway

This package includes an article on the arrival of Wight airplanes at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in preparation for the June aviation meet. There is another photo of a Wright aviator: Ralph Johnson. Finally, there is an interesting article on the juxtaposition of the dangers of driving automobiles and flying.