Brickyard Entries - May 1910

The article in this attachment was first published in the May 11, 1910 Indianapolis Star.
 
This is a peculiar article that discusses the swelling enthusiasm for the then-upcoming "national championship" races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 27-30 1910. What we can glean from the article is that in those days there was a spirit of kinsmanship among members of Indianapolis' nascent auto industry who understood that despite their inevitable competitive posture all ships rose - or sank - with the tide. There was a sense of "Team Indianapolis" as they jointly took on the world or at least the country for the right to proclaim their home town the industry nexus. One important connecting thread was their city's "Brickyard," rapidly asserting itself as America's premier race track.
 
At the heart of the oddness of this report is a sense of hospitality real or feigned that members of the home team showed invading interests.  They ostenisbly witheld their entries to the pending Speedway battles as a gesture of courtesy so that teams from other cities or countries could apply first and be allowed preferred choice of pits and car numbers. It was as if the outsiders were guests in the home of Indianapolis factories. This is almost certainly an example of the expected customs of the time whether it was for show or sincere.
 
Home team members called out are: Marmon, National, Marion, Cole, Empire, Prescott and American. Among those of lands far flung were Eddie Hearne (his name is misspelled in the article) a Chicagoan who entered his own Fiat as well as a Hupmobile. Coca-Cola kingpin Asa Candler (this name is also misspelled in the article) who served as Atlanta speedway president was expected to enter both a Fiat and an S.P.O. with Ralph DePalma driving.
 
Sam Butler, chair of the American Automobile Association (AAA) contest board, was reported to be busy setting up his officiating team for the Speedway race meet. Two essential positions were filled with Fred Wagner as starter and Charles J. Warner with his electric timing system.
 
Despite the statement early in the article that the Indianapolis-based teams were holding their entries the article shares that Art Newby (a co-founder of the Speedway) had entered seven cars from his manufacturing company - National. All were National "40's" with six in stock car races and one in something called the Wilson Trophy Cup Touring Car contest. National's crosstown rival, Marmon, also entered seven machines.
 
This article also notes that track management planned to rope off an area near the entrance to the grounds to display airplanes that had been entered in the much anticipated June aviation show. The Wright Brothers were expected to show off two of their planes. Others expected to be on display was a French Farman as well as a plane from Speedway President Carl Fisher's airplane business. Interestingly a plane designed by driver Ray Harroun was anticipated as well.
 
The article closes with a note that National drivers Tom Kincaid and Johnny Aitken had returned to Indianapolis from the Atlanta speedway race meet earlier in the month. Kincaid had enjoyed success while Aitken escaped serious injury after his flew off the track and down an embankment.