December 18, 1909
First races held on the newly repaved Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "The Brickyard" was born on December 14, 1909, as workers placed the last of the 3.2 million, 10-pound bricks that pave the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, replacing crushed stone and tar.
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On December, 18, 1909, eleven drivers and a few motorcyclists returned for speed trials. Drivers soon reached speeds of up to 112 mph on the new surface. Racing returned in 1910, with a total of 66 automobile races held during three holiday weekends (Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day). Each weekend featured two or three races of 100 to 200 miles, with several shorter contests. Each race stood on its own and earned its own trophy.
A change in marketing focus led to only one race per year beginning in 1911. An estimated 80,000 spectators attended the first 500-mile race on Memorial Day May 30, 1911. 40 cars competed with Ray Harroun winning at the brisk average speed of 74.602 miles per hour. While all the other drivers in the race had a riding mechanic in their car, Harroun figured he could save weight and go faster if he drove solo. So, to be able to see what was happening behind his #32 Marmon "Wasp", he installed a rear-view mirror. It was the first time such a device was used in an automobile. "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" was born.
On December, 18, 1909, eleven drivers and a few motorcyclists returned for speed trials. Drivers soon reached speeds of up to 112 mph on the new surface. Racing returned in 1910, with a total of 66 automobile races held during three holiday weekends (Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day). Each weekend featured two or three races of 100 to 200 miles, with several shorter contests. Each race stood on its own and earned its own trophy.
A change in marketing focus led to only one race per year beginning in 1911. An estimated 80,000 spectators attended the first 500-mile race on Memorial Day May 30, 1911. 40 cars competed with Ray Harroun winning at the brisk average speed of 74.602 miles per hour. While all the other drivers in the race had a riding mechanic in their car, Harroun figured he could save weight and go faster if he drove solo. So, to be able to see what was happening behind his #32 Marmon "Wasp", he installed a rear-view mirror. It was the first time such a device was used in an automobile. "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" was born.
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