Did Ray Harroun REALLY win the first Indianapolis 500?

If you're a fan of the Indianapolis 500, then there's a good chance you know who won the first race back in 1911: It was Ray Harroun behind the wheel of a Marmon Wasp, the only driver in the field to opt against using a riding mechanic and running solo — albeit with a little help from a relief driver.

What if I told you that might not be true? What if I told you that we don't actually know with 100% certainty who won the inaugural Indy 500?

Today on “Deadly Passions, Terrible Joys,” we're going to continue our discussion from last week concerning the founding of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the chaotic first races held at the track in its first three years of existence. This week, it's all about the inaugural Indy 500 — and about trying to track down who it was that really won the first edition of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

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Episode Bibliography: 

• Blood and Smoke: A True Tale of Mystery, Mayhem, and the Birth of the Indy 500 by Charles Leerhsen

• https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/one-hundred-years-of-the-indy-500-158836397/

• https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-collections/expert-sets/105790/#:~:text=The%20first%20Indianapolis%20500%2DMile,Indy%20500%20from%20the%20grandstand.