
The First Indianapolis 500 and the Man Who Invented the Rearview Mirror
Ray Harroun pushed the margins of innovation, which made him stand out among the 40 drivers. Epitomizing both the progress and potential of racing, he rolled onto the brick-paved oval in something he had designed himself. It was bright yellow and black, emblazoned with the number 32, and nicknamed the Marmon Wasp as a nod to its color combination and manufacturer.

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Epoch Times
19 hours ago
- Epoch Times
The First Indianapolis 500 and the Man Who Invented the Rearview Mirror
The inaugural Indianapolis 500-Mile Race was unprecedented. Some 90,000 spectators packed the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 30, 1911, to catch a glimpse of a high-speed, groundbreaking, dangerous, and hair-raising event. Ray Harroun pushed the margins of innovation, which made him stand out among the 40 drivers. Epitomizing both the progress and potential of racing, he rolled onto the brick-paved oval in something he had designed himself. It was bright yellow and black, emblazoned with the number 32, and nicknamed the Marmon Wasp as a nod to its color combination and manufacturer.


Fox Sports
4 days ago
- Fox Sports
Notes: Nashville Winner Can Rock Out with Unique Trophy
INDYCAR While there's no doubt the Borg-Warner Trophy awarded to the winner of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is one of the most beautiful awards in global sport, the winner of the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by WillScot also will take home a unique prize. NTT INDYCAR SERIES star Colton Herta helped to unveil July 31 the latest design of the winner's trophy for the race Sunday, Aug. 31 at Nashville Superspeedway – a custom-made Gibson electric guitar. Andretti Global w/ Curb-Agajanian driver Herta won last year's race on the 1.33-mile concrete oval. Gibson, the world's most famous guitar manufacturer and a staple of Nashville's music scene for generations, created the coveted Victory Lane hardware. Herta, Big Machine Label Group and Borchetta Bourbon Founder Scott Borchetta, Gibson Chief Financial Officer Mark Taylor and Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix President Anne Fischgrund unveiled the iconic trophy at the Gibson Garage Nashville global flagship store in downtown Nashville. The trophy unveiling marks the second consecutive year that Gibson Guitars has partnered with the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by WillScot to create the special race winner's trophy. Unlike any other stop on the INDYCAR circuit, Nashville offers a prize that is as soulful as it is symbolic in a handcrafted, custom-painted Gibson guitar that embodies the spirit of Music City and the precision of NTT INDYCAR SERIES racing. 'Gibson is honored to partner for our second year with Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by WillScot and to deliver the instantly recognizable guitar trophy to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race winner,' Taylor said. 'The skill of drivers fused with competition and engineering technology create an infectious energy on the ground that has produced some of the most passionate fans in the racing industry for this ever-growing motorsport.' The INDYCAR Championship Weekend on Aug. 30-31 at Nashville Superspeedway will feature the season finale for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone. Visit Sam's Club To Sponsor Kirkwood at Nashville Kyle Kirkwood will finish his breakthrough season in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES with primary sponsorship from Sam's Club, a leading membership retail club, at the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix presented by WillScot on Aug. 30-31 at Nashville Superspeedway. Kirkwood, who has won a career-high three races this season, will drive the No. 27 Sam's Club Honda for Andretti Global on the 1.33-mile concrete oval. Entering the high-energy world of INDYCAR racing with Andretti Global is a natural fit for Sam's Club, as it is pioneering the future of retail by creating seamless, connected experiences, whether in the club or online. This sponsorship arrangement also underscores the mission of Sam's Club's Member Access Platform (MAP) to lead as the first retail experience network, providing members and advertisers with unique experiences they won't find anywhere else. recommended Item 1 of 1


Forbes
5 days ago
- Forbes
Penske-Fox Deal May Address Succession Issues At Indianapolis 500
Fox Corp. said Thursday it is acquiring one-third of Penske Entertainment, including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the IndyCar series. The announcement deepens the business ties between Roger Penske, 88, and Rupert Murdoch, 94, the overseer of the Fox empire. The transaction may address looming succession issues at one of the most storied racing revenues in the United States. Fox Sports this year began televising Penske's IndyCar series, including the Indianapolis 500. Terms of the new deal were not disclosed. Penske Entertainment said the deal included 'a multiyear extension' of Fox Sports' media rights with IndyCar. 'This partnership is built on long-standing trust and a shared vision for the future,' Roger Penske said in a statement. Fox 'sees the incredible potential across our sport and wants to play an active role in building our growth trajectory,' he said. The deal comes at a critical time for the Indianapolis speedway and the IndyCar series. Roger Penske agreed in 2019 to acquire the speedway and the IndyCar series from the Hulman-George family, which bought the speedway in 1945. That transaction became final in early 2020. IndyCar and Championship Auto Racing Teams battled for supremacy of U.S. open-wheel racing in the 1990s and 2000s. Eventually, the Hulman-George family won the fight. During that era, the European-based Formula One series raced at the Indianapolis speedway, beginning in 2000. After several years, F1 moved on from Indy but later came back to the U.S. in a bigger way. F1 now has three U.S. races. IndyCar, meanwhile, has struggled to demonstrate it's more than the Indianapolis 500, held annually during Memorial Day weekend. In its first year on Fox, the 500 averaged 7.01 million viewers in 2025, its best showing since 2008. That was better than the almost 6.8 million viewers for the Daytona 500 in February, NASCAR's biggest race, also televised by Fox. But things weren't all joy in Penske land. Two cars owned by Penske, were forced to start from the back of this year's Indy 500 because of a cheating scandal. Penske has used racing to promote his transportation businesses. He's won a lot a lot at the Indianapolis 500 races as a team owner (20, actually). He has also been a winner in NASCAR. Still, given Penske's age, there the question of succession at Indy, both the speedway and the race series. The speedway is close to downtown Indianapolis and comprises valuable real estate. The question is whether the new deal with Fox begins to answer those succession questions. 'We're thrilled to join the IndyCar ownership group at such a pivotal time for the sport,' Eric Shanks, CEO and executive producer of Fox Sports, said in the statement. 'IndyCar represents everything we value in live sports — passionate fans, iconic venues, elite competition and year-round storytelling potential.'