The Indianapolis 500 is much more than merely the best-known
automobile race in the world. It is a cherished, time-honored institution with
a glorious history dating back over one hundred years. Known to most as, quite
simply, ‘The 500,’ it has been held every year
since 1911, the only exceptions being 1917-18
and 1942-45, during the
periods when America was involved in the two world wars.
Steeped in tradition, it has meant many things to many
people and has played an enormous role in the lives of human beings, perhaps
even more so for the spectators and devotees than for the participants themselves.
For over half a century, Memorial Day meant either trekking to the track or
else ensuring that whatever other activity was planned for the day, a radio
would always be within earshot. In more recent decades, settling down in front
of the television has been added to the equation, while it is now the Sunday of
Memorial Day weekend on which the extravaganza takes place, rather than on
Memorial Day itself. But the feeling remains the same. For the participants, it
has been a 100-yearsplus saga of dreams, innovation, ingenuity, bravery,
triumph, and tragedy. Paupers became millionaires, young men from small towns
and broken homes became international celebrities, and regrettably, some of
them gave their lives.
The ‘500’ has endured world wars,
depressions, recessions, political strife, and negative journalism, and yet it
continues to draw massive passionate and emotional crowds, whose loyalty is
rewarded with never-to-be-forgotten moments such as many of the final laps of
recent years.
This, then, is the story of the Indianapolis 500 and how it
came to be. This is the story of the first 97 editions of the race,
interspersed with a look at some of the compelling personalities and some
little-known facts, as an attempt to document the origins of some of the traditions,
and perhaps even to dispel a few myths.From Harroun to Kanaan, it’s all here.