View at the 1911 Indianapolis 500 Race Taken by Henry Ford

Summary

Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened in 1909 with multiple races each season. In 1911, track promoters decided instead to host just one spectacular event each Memorial Day. The inaugural Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, with $27,500 in prizes, drew 40 qualifying cars and 80,000 spectators. Ray Harroun won with his yellow #32 Marmon Wasp, and the Indianapolis 500 became an American institution.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway opened in 1909 with multiple races each season. In 1911, track promoters decided instead to host just one spectacular event each Memorial Day. The inaugural Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, with $27,500 in prizes, drew 40 qualifying cars and 80,000 spectators. Ray Harroun won with his yellow #32 Marmon Wasp, and the Indianapolis 500 became an American institution.

Artifact

Photographic print

Subject Date

1911

 On Exhibit

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

84.1.1660.28

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Gelatin silver process

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 3.50 in

Width: 5.50 in

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