Oldfield & Blitzen Benz @ Brickyard

This image orginally appeared as a photo in the May 29, 1910 Indianapolis Star. It ran in support of the May 1910 race meet at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The May 1910 race meet weekend included "national championships," a newly-announced distinction by the American Automobile Association (AAA) for select race meets. Car manufacturers were keen to make a great showing. Check out other articles that provide additional summaries on the results of the races staged May 27 and May 28 elsewhere on First Super Speedway.
 
Indianapolis Motor Speedway fans who frequent main street in the town of Speedway will recognize this image as the subject of an art mural on the side of a blue building there. The car is white and black. Go check it out. Let me know what your think.
 
This image supported an article concerning the plans of Barney Oldfield to set new track records with the famous Blitzen Benz racer he had startled the world with by setting new world speed records at Daytona Beach in March. There he exceeded 131 MPH in the measured mile. Oldfield had acquired the Blitzen Benz, renaming it the "Lightning Benz" with the goal of reviving his career. 
 
Oldfield's appearance at the Brickyard had been in doubt up to just days prior to the Memorial Day Weekend race meet. The bone of contention was the amount of money Speedway management was putting up for his time trial record runs which were planned for the mile, half and quarter. The issue was resolved and Oldfield earned yet another opportunity to write auto racing history.