I just uploaded an article on the first driver's meeting ever conducted for the Indianapolis 500. It was held on the evening of May 27, 1911. Legendary officials such as Starter Fred Wagner (you can read his book on this site), Referee A.R.

I just uploaded a neat article complete with decent image concerning driver Joe Horan's May 24, 1911 practice wreck at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The car he drove was the Amplex #12, the same machine replacement driver Art Greiner would also crash early in the first Indianapolis 500. That accident produced the race's only fatal injury, which involved riding mechanic Samuel Dickson (pictured).
 

I was deeply saddened to hear the news of the death of Henry Surtees, the son of 1964 Formula One World Champion, John Surtees, OBE. I interviewed John for an article in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's 2008 MotoGP program one year ago. John was most helpful and pleasant to speak with. He encouraged me to call on him in the future if he could be of service to me. That interaction somehow makes the tragedy of his 18-year-old son's death all the more real for me.

Recently I have been doing research on the old days of motorcycle racing on board tracks. This history is not nearly as well documented as auto racing history, and what is on the Internet is pretty shaky. Bottom line, my advice is not to trust anything. The one exception is an excellent site created by Daniel Statnekov called, "American Vintage Motorcycles." Excellent, well-researched information. Daniel is a very pleasant and knowledgeable fellow who encourages and shares with other historians.