Alonzo Webb in 1905 Premier

Alonzo Webb is seen here in a myth-busting photo of Carl Fisher's 1905 Premier racer. This image originally appeared in the October 18, 1906 Indianapolis Star.
 
The picture calls to attention a very interesting First Super Speedway finding - that the big Premier racer developed to Carl Fisher's specifications to drive in the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup competed in other races and even driven by someone other than Carl. The Premier was disqualified from the Vanderbilt Cup for failure to comply with car construction rules pertaining to weight. The driver in this instance was Alonzo Webb. Indeed, not only did it race but it also shattered a track record held previously by Barney Oldfield. This is significant because historians have believed for decades that the car was raced only once - by Fisher during a handicap event that supported a 100-mile feature at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in November 1905.
 
From First Super Speedway analysis this widely held belief is simply wrong. The car is in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum and this finding proves it was driven in at least two other competitive auto race events, both by a well-known driver of the day, A.C. (Alonzo) Webb. Webb drove in the 1904 Vanderbilt Cup and won the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Trophy - using other cars.
 
For more information please see First Super Speedway's extensive analysis:

• Alonzo Webb, the Premier Racer and the Russell Family Benefit.
• 1906 Russell Family Benefit Race.

 
The caption to the original picture read:
"Among the automobiles that will be entered in the automobile racing meet at the State Fairgrounds afternoon Saturday for the benefit of the family the late Patrolman Charles J. Russell will be the 100-horsepower Premier racing car. The big car which is one of the fastest of the country will be driven by A.C. Webb who drove the car a mile in 58.25 seconds at Detroit some time ago. It was built by the Premier Motor Manufacturing Company of this city for the Vanderbilt Cup Race in 1905 but because of a slight technicality failed to qualify."