The Troubled Champion & A Speedway Dream

Lewis Strang, the first "pole sitter" of the Indianapolis 500 (determined by entry date, not time trial), was America's most successful driver in 1908. He won major road races at Savannah, Lowell and Briarcliff as well as dirt tracks throughout the year. E.R. Thomas prevailed upon him to challenge international competition as America's great hope for that year's French Grand Prix.
 
Born into privilege but wrecked by circumstance when left an orphan, teenager Strang grabbed a rung on the metaphorical ladder of the American dream and started climbing. Part of the first generation born into the automobile age he held a fascination for things mechanical and soon a passion for cars.
 
He became a chauffeur for "Sugar King" Henry Osbourne Havemeyer and soaked up all the knowledge he could. Before long he was racing and all along he cared for and nurtured his younger siblings. Experienced European racer Emil Stricker saw his potential as did his uncle, John Walter Christie. They helped him launch a career in auto racing which soon led to prosperity.
 
Circumstances again got in the way as a marriage to the incredibly beautiful Louise Alexander burned brightly with passion, and soon burned out as she yielded to the temptations of handsome leading men in stage productions. Strang spent much of 1910 struggling to save his marriage - largely stepping away from his racing to appease Louise who insisted his Russian Roulette with the dangerous machines drove her to the brink of a nervous breakdown.
 
The marriage was unfixable. Fresh from divorce, Strang returned to the battleground of racing venues including the Brickyard where he had set new speed records in December 1909.
 
What you see here is a rare photo, an outtake of sorts, from a shoot that produced a more famous one people have marveled over for years. Many times those seeing it assume it is of Carl Fisher but not so fast.
 
The man in the photo is Strang. Could he have known he was destined to drive a Buick to victory in the August 20, 1909 G&J Trophy race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway? The very track illustrated in the model he was studying.
 
This model of the track was created at the direction of IMS Director of Contests Ernie Moross. It was placed just off Crawfordsville Road at the boundary of the Speedway grounds. That was in a time before 16th Street and Crawfordsville Road extended beyond the south end of the track. The house in the background was shelter for destitute people operating a cooperative farm. I believe that had some State support and it was referred to as a "poor farm" or "poor house."
 
But all of that is just a sample of the amazing stuff you can learn of if you just click thru. Think of how great your life can be if you just step into the time machine that is First Super Speedway and escape the world's nonsense...but you have to click thru. It's free and you can't beat that for value, can you? I do it because you love it and this story must be told...