Lozier & Mulford @ IMS

One of the exciting entrants for the first auto races at the new Indianapolis Motor Speedway in August 1909 was Ralph Mulford for the Lozier Motor Company. At the time Mulford was best known for his abilities to excel at what they called "the grinders," or 24-hour endurance races at dirt horse tracks. He is best remembered as the second place finisher in the first Indianapolis 500. This image appeared in the July 25, 1909, Indianapolis Star.
 
Ralph Mulford drove the second-place finishing Lozier racer in the 1911 Indianapolis 500. The race was controversial as accidents created scoring confusion. While the historians that have studied the situation with the greatest scrutiny believe the awarding of the victory to Ray Harroun was just, there is a shadow of doubt as mistakes were made and reconstructing events proved virtually impossible. To eliminate interminable reviews Indianapolis Motor Speedway President and Founder Carl Fisher conferred with American Automobile Association (AAA) officials to render a prompt final decision. He then destroyed all records pertaining to the event.

 
Mulford, who passed away in 1973, was reportedly a gentleman about the outcome but believed until his dying day he was the true victor. Check out other content elsewhere on First Super Speedway about Ralph Mulford:
 

• Mulford Drives Race Car From Detroit to Indianapolis
• Mulford Wins Brighton Beach
• Mulford is "Gumdrop Kid."
• Dolly Mulford