Chryslers on Indianapolis 500
The idea of the rolling, pace car-led start didn’t originate at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), but it was enthusiastically adopted there. Carl Fisher, one of the Speedways founders, thought it would be a safe, fair way to start the world’s first 500-mille motor race in 1911. It served that very utilitarian purpose well, but it did not take long for auto manufacturers to realize there was great publicity value in having one of their vehicles at the front of the world’s most famous race. For 80 years the Indianapolis 500 has been called "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." A significant part of its history centers on the one magnificent moment when 33 cars come charging down the front stretch for the green flag. Since the first race in 1911, a pace car has led that charge. This link tells the story of each Chrysler pace car and each race. lt’s packed with colorful stories, rarely seen photographs and all of the lore that has made the Indianapolis 500 the most famous race in the world.
Thanks to: © PUBLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL, LTD.
