No political commentary from First Super Speedway here. But I came across this video excerpt from political commentator Glenn Beck of Fox News. He gives a little history lesson - with a heaping dose of his perspective on the wisdom of corporate bailouts - on America's early automobile industry. Agree or not, I always like it when people apply history to current challenges - far too rare an occurrence.

Auto racing enthusiast Jameson Champaigne flagged this interesting - and very unusual - silent video. Allegedly it is a film of Henry Ford demonstrating a pretty amazing mechanical wonder - a snow tractor! Growing up in Indianapolis, I can think of many a winter day this contraption would have come in handy. I would most surely been king of the road.

Belgian motor sports historian and event production manager Ivo Braeken contacted me earlier this week to share plans for his team's upcoming rally for pre-1930s automobiles, motor cycles and steam vehicles. The event is staged in the mountainous  Ardennes region of Belgium, an area with tons of motor racing history.

Just 136 years ago today Carl Graham Fisher, the leader of the founding team at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was born in Greensburg, Indiana. The son of an alcoholic father who essentially left his wife to raise their three sons with little means, there was nothing about Carl's upbringing that portended the influential role he would have in shaping America during the first quarter of the 20th century.