Wheeler-Schebler Trophy

This collection provides background on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's original great trophy, the Wheeler-Schebler Trophy. Commissioned by Frank Wheeler and George Schebler, founders of the Wheeler-Schebler Carburetor Company, the seven foot sterling silver trophy was designed by the Tiffany Company for $10,000. It is on exhibit at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum today.


This was an excellent find. It is a copy of Frank Wheeler and George Schebler's original deed for the Wheeler-Schebler Trophy. The $10,000 trophy was commissioned by Wheeler-Schebler Carbeurator Company and designed by Tiffany. The seven-foot tall sterling silver masterpiece was the traveling trophy for winning the premiere events of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's race meets in 1909 and 1910.

This is a poor negative image of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's Wheeler-Schebler Trophy shortly after it was commissioned by Frank Wheeler and George Schebler for $10,000. Designed by the Tiffany Company, the seven foot sterling silver trophy can now be seen at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. The cutline to this article documents information about was the Speedway originally called "the world's greatest trophy."

This is a copy of the original letter from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway officially awarding the Wheeler-Schebler Trophy to Harry Hartz, whose entries led the Indianapolis 500 at the 400-mile mark for three consecutive years beginning in 1930. Commissioned in 1910 by Frank Wheeler and George Schebler, founders of the Wheeler-Schebler Carburetor Company, the sterling silver masterpiece was originally a traveling trophy for the biggest events at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during 1909 and 1910.

This image with cutline is in really rough shape. It's a small item, but any reference to George Schebler I thought was worth capturing. In order to read the cutline, I include a negative image to give a reverse out look at the text. The image is limited in the information it captures. This material was originally published on July 3, 1909.