Pace Lap, 1911 Indianapolis 500

THF228687 / Pace Lap, 1911 Indianapolis 500
01

Artifact Overview

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 the yellow #32 Marmon Wasp, and the Indianapolis 500 became an American institution.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Photographic print

Subject Date

30 May 1911

Collection Title

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

2009.103.P.1733.2

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 8.00 in
Width: 10.00 in

02

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