National Ad - August 1909

This image artifact of a National Motor Vehicle Company advertisement was published in the August 21, 1909, Indianapolis News. The Indianapolis-based company was touting its success on August 20, the second day of three during the first auto races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Note that this was a co-op ad by both National and one of its most important dealer sales channels, the Fisher Automobile Company. Speedway Co-Founder Art Newby was a founder at National, and Carl Fisher not only owned Fisher Automobile but also was the driving force behind the founding and construction of the Speedway.
 
This ad is not as handy a race report as one Michelin ran the same day, but it still tells readers an interesting story. Aside from highlighting the success of both the National "60" and National "40" models for 1910, it tells that the cars driven by Tom Kincaid and Charlie Merz were the first issues of the new "40" product line. The ad goes further to say the company planned to produce a total of 500 cars of that model for the year. That speaks to not just National's share, but overall market production volume for the industry in total. Johnny Aitken drove the National "60" entry.
 
While the Michelin ad told us the top three of each event, this ad focuses exclusively on the success of the National entries. Let's review this ad.
August 20th results.

• Ten miles stripped chassis race for cars of 301 to 450 cubic inches, Charlie Merz, first. National "40," time: 9:16.3.
• Ten miles for Wheeler-Schebler Trophy competitors, Johnny Aitken, first. National "60," time 9:26.6. Tom Kincaid finished fourth in his National "40."
• Ten miles free-for-all, Johnny Aitken, first. National "60," time 8:33.6.
• Five miles free-for-all handicap, Johnny Aitken, first. National "60," time 4:24. (A world standing-start record.) Charlie Merz, second, National "40," time 4:45.1.

The ad also calls out a couple of races from Friday, August 19.

• Ten miles free-for-all handicap, Johnny Aitken, third. National "60," time 8:36.2.
• 250-mile Prest-O-Lite Trophy, Charlie Merz, National "40," time 4:57:09.7. Tom Kincaid, fourth, National "40."

Finally, please note the addresses of both the manufacturer and the dealership. National's factory, still in existence, is at 22nd Street and Monon Railroad, now a park trail. Fisher Automobile Company was at 400 N. Capitol Avenue.