Perk's Posts: Home to Moline, IA Sept 10-13

On Sept 10, we left home and stayed that night at Hidden Springs Campground (which is actually in PA), because it was after hours for Rocky Gap State Park. (MD). Friday night we stayed at Buckeye Lake KOA near Columbus, OH. Saturday (9/12), we stopped at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Hall of Fame Museum. Around the turn of the 20th century, the area was home to many automobile builders. In the early days, there were dozens of car manufactories in Indiana. Paved roads were few, and builders need a way to test and show off their offerings. The brick track was built. Annually, there was a big 500 mile race to demonstrate durability and speed. We took a narrated bus ride around the modern paved track. We had to sit in the back and discovered the back windows give unobstructed for picture taking. In the photo below, we have entered Victory Lane and are looking back toward the Pagoda and start/finish line. The finish line is the only strip of brick surface still visible today.

Then we enjoyed the Indy 500 Hall of Fame Museum.

Here is the winner's trophy with winning cars in the background. Winner's likenesses go n the trophy. Look closely and see the likenesses of some early two-man teams

The first winner (1911) was a Marmon (local manufacturer which introduced innovations including aluminum body and electric starter. The car here carried no second person to be rear lookout, so other drivers protested the hazard. Consequently, a mirror (visible over steering wheel) was installed. First known use of rear view mirror. Winning speed = 75mph.

One hundred years later, 2011

Many other Indy winners

Many other race cars, including this pre-Indy racer that was 300 pounds over limit, So they drilled 300lb of metal out of th frame and drove to a win. Most early racers were also two-seater road cars which builders were showing off