True IMS Leadership

This collection of photos was published in the June 27, 1909 Indianapolis Star and served to familiarize the local citizens with the bold, innovative and visionary leadership the new Indianapolis Motor Speedway was blessed with in those early days. The track was under construction at that time. The five men pictured here are: President Carl G. Fisher; Secretary and Treasurer James Allison; First Vice President Arthur C. Newby; Second Vice President Frank Wheeler and Director of Contests Ernest Moross.
 
All but Moross were founders of the Speedway investing financially to make the facility a reality. Moross' inclusion in this cluster of photos illustrates his level of influence in these early days. While his tenure at the Speedway was short-lived he was certainly a driving force in planning its earliest events. While the founders had a variety of business interests and any one of them would have busied-out a normal person, Moross was primarily focused on the Speedway. He parted ways with the great Speedway by the end of summer 1910. There is no clear reason but it is safe to assume the Speedway's decision to stage one giant race a year did not suit Moross' active Barnum & Bailey style of promotion.