http://digitalcollections.detroitpubliclibrary.org/
Barney Oldfield was America's first auto racing star. His persona expanded beyond racing or even automobile circles to become a household name. His appeal was more than the fact that he was a winner. He thumbed his nose at authority, at elite society and was never afraid to tell you what was on his mind. That produced great copy so he was a favorite among the "newspapermen" of the day. The average Joe and Jane loved it. He struck a blow for them.
His talents are disputed today but that's because people don't take the time to read about him and think of his motivations. He sought to control his own destiny and if he ever got truly angry it was at people he felt exploited racers risking their lives so they could promote their races - and take the lion's share of the receipts. Barney's barnstorming adventures were about making the money he felt entitled to and making sure the environment was safe for himself and his team.
Oldfield knew his worth and wasn't afraid to negotiate. In May 1910 when the Indianapolis Motor Speedway threw open its doors for its first-ever Memorial Day weekend competition events as the Brickyard, Oldfield had held out for special consideration - and he got it.
One of the investors was the Conduitt Automobile Company, an Indianapolis dealership selling Knox automobiles. They supplied the cigar-chomping grassroots hero with a race car for a number of events.
On the first day of the meet the car broke a steering knuckle - a tough deal given that this was not a factory entry and spare parts were not readily available.
In the spirit of old school auto racing ethic Indianapolis manufacturer National Motor Vehicle Company stepped in to lend a helping hand. They fabricated a replacement part so the crowd favorite could return to competition on Saturday.
The decision may have been somewhat self-serving though. The top officer at National was Arthur C. Newby who was also one of the founders of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and its First Vice President. Newby was no dummy. He knew having Oldfield on the track meant more people in his grandstands.
Still, he probably wasn't thrilled with the results of the important five-mile stock car sprint race that matched Barney with two of Newby's drivers: Johnny Aitken and Don Herr. Barney, in his Knox with a "National" steering knuckle smoked the field to take the win.
http://www.firstsuperspeedway.com/articles/national-rescues-oldfields-knox
This article originally appeared in the May 29, 1910 Indianapolis Star.
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This is such a cool car and what better driver!
ReplyDeleteIf I find a time machine I'm going back to see this happen live... it must have been what people now go to Nitro Circus for
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