Sigur Whitaker Articles

Sigur Whitaker is an acclaimed auto racing history book author. First Super Speedway and Sigur are collaborating with this platform for her articles. You can receive her articles directly by subscribing to her e-mail newsletter. If you would like to be added to my subscriber list, please let her know at sigurwhitakerbooks881@gmail.com.


By Sigur Whitaker
 
The story of the short-lived Rickenbacker automobile centers on three men—Eddie Rickenbacker, Barney Everitt, and William Flanders.
 

By Sigur Whitaker.
 

By Sigur Whitaker
The opening weekend of racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was disastrous with five dying. It was enough to cause race officials to stop the 300-mile feature race at 235 miles. The future of the Speedway hung in the balance and the owners decided to pave the crushed stone and oil track with brick. The next year racing returned and while there was an occasional death, it was accepted as part of the risk in the sport.
 

By Sigur Whitaker
 

By Sigur Whitaker
 
Carl Fisher, Jim Allison and Arthur Newby enjoyed racing their Purdy Boat Company cruisers on the Great Lakes and while wintering in Miami Beach. To get a competitive advantage, they wanted a very powerful engine. The solution was just down the street from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at Allison Engineering owned by Jim Allison.
 

By Sigur Whitaker
 
The success of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway had many other groups wanting to build a speedway. Carl Fisher headed a group to convert the old Sheepshead Bay horse racing facility in Brooklyn, New York. Others were building speedways in Chicago, Detroit and Cincinnati.
 

By Sigur Whitaker.
(Book by Ian Wagstaff)
When you think of the British at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, what or who comes to mind? Perhaps Dan Wheldon, Jim Clark, or Graham Hill? Or the British invasion of racing cars including Lola, Lotus, McLaren or Penske? What about engine manufacturers including Ilmor and Cosworth? All of these and more have left their mark on the Indianapolis 500 and other races held at the fabled track.
 

By Sigur Whitaker

By Sigur Whitaker

By Sigur Whitaker
 
Janet Guthrie was the first woman to drive in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500. The year was 1977.