Barney Oldfield - 1927

Here's another image from the Paul Sheedy collection. In it we see Barney Oldfield, almost 10 years into retirement at Legion Ascot Park in late November 1927. Oldfield was a skilled race driver, but he also was a born promoter. Among his career highlights was becoming the first driver to cover a mile in less than 60 seconds on a closed circuit course. Other accomplishments include two fifth-place finishes in the Indianapolis 500, the world land speed record in 1910, victories at the Remy Brassard at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the 1914 Los Angeles to Phoenix Cactus Derby, the American Automobile Association's first points national championship in 1905, and important road racing victories in the Venice 300 and the Tucson 100. 
 
He also knew how to leverage his personal brand after he retired from wheel-to-wheel competition. This included work with Chrysler as a "Hell Driver" and a collaboration with Firestone to brand Oldfield Tires as product - which won the 1920 Indianapolis 500. He even appeared in motion pictures, most notably "The First Auto," from the same year as this photograph - 1927.