Motsinger in Empire @ Speed

This image orginally appeared in the May 27, 1910 Indianapolis Sun. It complemented articles previewing the first day of racing at the May 1910 race meet at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. These contests were part of the May 1910 weekend that included "national championships," a newly-announced distinction by the American Automobile Association (AAA) for select race meets. Car manufacturers were keen to make a great showing.
 
The driver of the car seen here is Newell Motsinger. His entry was one of the smaller cars at the event. The manufacturer was Empire, of which the Speedway's ownership, primarily President Carl Fisher, had a sizable stake. Not a lot is know about Motsinger but among his lifetime accomplishments was a patent for development work he did on rotary engine design. Motsinger is the at the wheel and the riding mechanic is unidentified.