Billy Knipper

On May 11, 1913, Indianapolis citizens woke up to their morning paper - the Indianapolis Star - to find a fun story about noted veteran race driver Billy Knipper and his mascot, a dog named "Peppers." Knipper, his dog, and his Henderson racer appear in a picture. Knipper raced in the 1913 Indianapolis 500 starting 20th and finishing 16th. He raced in three Indianapolis 500 Mile Races in 1911, 1913 and 1914. His best finish was 13th in 1914.
 
Early in his career Knipper served as riding mechanic for Herb Lytle, including that great driver's attempt for glory in a Pope-Toledo in the 1905 Gordon Bennett Trophy. Knipper was a noted Chalmers-Detroit driver and nearly won the 1909 Vanderbilt Cup. Just prior to that he competed for them in the first automobile races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in August 1909. Earlier that year he completed an endurance run for Chalmers-Detroit from Denver to Mexico City. He raced a Benz (managed by the famous motorsport promoter Ernie Moross) as a teammate to "Speed King" Bob Burman in the first Indianapolis 500.