100 Races Later -- The Indianapolis 500
INDIANAPOLIS, June 1, 2016 -- The Historic Vehicle Association (HVA) announced today that the Marmon Wasp joins other automotive icons on the HVA's National Historic Vehicle Register. The first Indy 500 winner is currently being exhaustively measured and documented by the HVA using the guidelines set by the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Heritage Documentation and the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER). Once complete, the material will permanently reside in the Library of Congress, joining such iconic cars as the Shelby Cobra Daytona prototype, the first Meyers Manx dune buggy and one of the last surviving Futurliners. This is being done to preserve an important chapter in America's automotive heritage.
"The yellow #32 Marmon Wasp is arguably one of the best known race cars in America," said Mark Gessler, President of the Historic Vehicle Association. "The 1911 race was the inauguration of a single, large-scale event designed to attract widespread attention from both American and European racing teams and manufacturers. It proved to be a successful event, immediately establishing itself both as the premier motorsports competition in the nation, and one of the most prestigious in the world."
Organization and Funding:
The documentation of the Marmon Wasp on the National Historic Vehicle Register is being organized by the Historic Vehicle Association and underwritten by Hagerty & Shell (including their Pennzoil and Quaker State brands).
"Pennzoil has a long and storied history in Verizon IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500 dating back to the 1930s with Russell Snowberger. Fast forward to the 1980s, Pennzoil was the oil used by the team of Johnny Rutherford and Rick Mears, the same oil you could buy right off the shelf even then," said Shell Lubricants Don Moser. "As the Indianapolis 500 celebrates its 100 year anniversary, we are proud to continue to honor the history of this storied series and celebrate the first win with the Marmon Wasp."
5 Facts You Will Want to Know About the First Winner, the Marmon Wasp
https://centigrade.egnyte.com/dl/xr9HwiBmU6
(Photo
courtesy of HVA - Photo Credit: Chris
Graythen, gettyimages – May 29,
2016)
5. Luxury Performance –
Initially avoiding the trend set by Ford for low-priced, high-volume
cars, Marmon focused squarely on the high-end market with an eye on speed.
Early marketing included hiring Helen Keller
as a spokeswoman, fielding cars in races around the country - where Ray Harroun won over forty-one races in 1910, and
sending a 1916 Model 34 across country in six days breaking the previous
record held by Cannon Ball Baker. Their production cars gained a
reputation as reliable and fast upscale automobiles. Marmon, like its
luxury competitors, couldn't survive the Great Depression, however.
Despite introducing a lower cost car in the late 1920s, the company built
its last automobile – the sixteen cylinder Series 16 - in 1933.
https://centigrade.egnyte.com/dl/v2WcKpVIR0
(Photo
courtesy of HVA - Photo Credit: Chris
Graythen, gettyimages – May 29, 2016)
4. Factory Hot Rod –
Ray Harroun, an engineer for the
Marmon Motor Car Company, designed the six-cylinder Marmon Wasp from stock
Marmon engine components, adding two cylinders to the production Model 32
engine on which it was based. The Marmon, originally dubbed "Yellow
Jacket" by the media and later shortened to "Wasp," was built with a cowled
cockpit and a long pointed tail to reduce air drag, and adorned with a
yellow and black paint scheme. The car also featured another important
innovation – the rear view mirror. Ray Harroun was the first driver to
race without a riding mechanic to watch for cars from behind and it is
believed that the Marmon was the first car equipped with this vital piece
of equipment.
https://centigrade.egnyte.com/dl/Q3dtahCiRn
(Photo
courtesy of HVA - Photo Credit: Chris
Graythen, gettyimages – May 29,
2016)
3. Must Drive 75 - The
1911 International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race Grid
Out of the 46
entries, only 40 were able to achieve the 75 mph along the quarter-mile
straight required in order to qualify. Cars started based on their entry
date (also their car number) rather than qualifying time. Joining Harroun
for the historic rolling start were racing legends such as Ralph de Palma in a Simplex, Bob Burman in a Benz and runner up Ralph Mulford in a Lozier.
https://centigrade.egnyte.com/dl/3GBDwcvdGn
(Photo
Credit: Courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum)
2. One and Done -
Ray Harroun and the Marmon Wasp started in row 6
in the 28th position. He completed the 500-mile race in 6
hours, 42 minutes and 8 seconds with an average speed of 74.49 mph.
Harroun, preferring his engineering career over that of a motorsports
celebrity risking life and limb never raced again. Marmon likewise retired
from official competition, content with the boost in sales provided by the
1911 victory.
https://centigrade.egnyte.com/dl/v3Us4oBHhV
(Photo
courtesy of HVA - Photo Credit: Chris
Graythen, gettyimages – May 29,
2016)
1. Birth of a Legend –
The inaugural Indy 500 made an indelible mark on international motor
racing, quickly becoming one of the premier motorsports competitions in the
world. Despite a few off years due to WWI and WWII, the race has been run
continuously since 1911. This year marked the 100th running of
what has become the largest single day motorsports spectator event in the
world.
Click here for Marmon Wasp video: HVA Marmon Wasp Video
Click here for Marmon Wasp Photos: HVA Marmon Wasp Photos
About the Historic Vehicle Association
The HVA is dedicated
to preserving and sharing America's automotive heritage. In 2014, the HVA
established the National Historic Vehicle Register. Working with the U.S.
Dept. of the Interior, Heritage Documentation Programs and Library of
Congress, their aim is to document historically significant automobiles in
America's past. The HVA is supported by over 400,000 individual historic
vehicle owners, key stakeholders and corporations such as Shell (including
their Pennzoil and Quaker State brands), Hagerty, American Fuel and
Petrochemical Manufacturers, as well as individual benefactors. Please
visit: historicvehicle.org
About Shell Lubricants
The term 'Shell Lubricants'
collectively refers to the companies of Royal Dutch
Shell plc that are engaged in the lubricants business. Shell
Lubricants companies lead the lubricants industry, supplying more than 12
percent of global lubricants volume. * The companies manufacture and blend
products for use in consumer, heavy industrial and commercial transport
applications. The Shell Lubricants portfolio of top-quality brands includes
Pennzoil®, Quaker State®, FormulaShell®, Shell TELLUS®, Shell RIMULA®,
Shell ROTELLA® T, Shell SPIRAX® and Jiffy Lube®.
*Kline & Company, "Global Lubricants Industry July 2015: Market Analysis and Assessment."
SOURCE Historic Vehicle Association
CONTACT: Steve Keyes, Communications Director, T +1 (248) 952-7022, E steve.keyes@centigrade.com
RELATED LINKShttp://historicvehicle.org
