The less sophisticated cars came in handy for racer Chet Miller. Although it wasn't intended as a response to the stock market crash of 1929, the changing nature of the race did open the field to more potential competitors and not just the super wealthy. Rules changes eliminate the super-charged monsters of the 1920s and replaced them with cars that had more in common with vehicles fans might find in manufacturer's showrooms.
#Indy 500 race gear driver#
A driver who led every lap could double the winner's purse of $20,000. The monetary incentive led to furious competition throughout the 500 miles, as there was suddenly a compelling reason to risk a delicate car's well-being in the early stages of the race. It took authorities more than five minutes to extinguish the blaze, and the two men, according to The New York Times, were burned beyond recognition.Ĭhange was brewing as race organizers offered a $100 payout for every lap led, according to the book The Indianapolis 500: A Century of Excitement by Ralph Kramer. Louis Lecocq and his millionaire mechanic Robert Bandini were killed later in the race when their car caught fire after flipping over. Arthur Thurman was killed instantly when his car turned over halfway through the race. Three men died during the running of the race, the first fatalities in Indianapolis 500 history. While they may have consumed some of the content the first time, the later bottles probably served as little more than an expensive form of mouthwash, with the pair following up a small sip by swilling some around in the their mouths and then spitting it out.Īfter shutting down for two years while the track served as an airfield during World War I, the race returned with tragic results. On four of their six stops, Goux and his riding mechanic, Emile Begin, were handed a chilled “half-bottle,” containing about four-fifths of one pint.
Historian Donald Davidson insists that Goux, while admittedly drinking some alcohol during the race, was not three sheets to the wind: It's rumored that he drank six bottles of champagne during pit stops and told the press, "Without the good wine, I could not have won." The Europeans arrived in force, and Frenchman Jules Goux won the race in his first appearance. "May I have some water, and perhaps a sandwich, please?” "I’m tired," he is reported to have said. Ray Harroun won the race with an average speed of 74.602 miles per hour.Īfter the race, the winner, whose car may have featured the first rear-view mirror in automobile history, didn't have much to say, but did have a favor to ask.
#Indy 500 race gear drivers#
More than 80,000 turned out to see 37 drivers compete for a record-setting purse of $27,500. Indianapolis all but shut down as legions of fans descended on the city, filling hotels for miles around. The Indianapolis 500 was held for the first time and was a smashing success. It was rebuilt that same year with 3.2 million bricks to create a safer environment for drivers and fans alike. The track, made of crushed rock held together by tar, broke apart, killing two drivers and a spectator in the course of a race that lasted just two laps. The inaugural race at the newly built Indianapolis Motor Speedway turned out to be a huge disaster. He and actress wife Ashley Judd spent more than £1million renovating the 200-year-old property.1909: The Brickyard Is Born in the Wake of Tragedy Jim was one of the best drivers in the world ever.”įranchitti, 38, is an avid collector of motorsports memorabilia and has several rare pieces on display at his £3million home, Rednock House, in Port of Menteith, Stirlingshire. Steve Shunck, who works with IMS, said: “Dario was like a kid in a candy store – if it had to do with Jim Clark he got it.”įranchitti, who was born in Bathgate, West Lothian, credits Clark for inspiring him to win the prestigious race.Ĭlark, from Duns, Berwickshire, was killed during a Formula Two race at the Hockenheim circuit in Germany in 1968.įranchitti has said of Clark: “Winning means different things to different people, but emulating Clark was a real motivation for me, an inspiration.
#Indy 500 race gear full size#
Lots of photos I hadn’t seen before, some lotus models and a 65 pace car model to go along with the full size one in the garage.” Speaking on his Twitter page he said: “Great fun at the memorabilia show last night, I got lots of new Jim Clark things. The driver has always said Formula One hero Clark, the only other Scot apart from Franchitti to win the famous Indy 500 race in the US, was his inspiration.Īnd at the sale at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway he snapped up unseen photographs and rare models of cars used by Clark.įranchitti is such a fan of Clark that he has a room in his Stirlingshire home dedicated to his hero. RACING driver Dario Franchitti was “like a kid in a candy store” at a sale of Jim Clark memorabilia.
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