Gentlemen - Start Your Engines!
Two years before the first Indianapolis 500, there was the Prest-O-Lite Trophy Race, sponsored by Prest-O-Lite, the maker of automotive lighting systems.
The track itself may be to blame. The materials used in building it were crushed rock and tar, which didn't hold up well. The track's owners had it entirely repaved for events held the following day.
Photos: Bourque and Holcomb and their wrecked machine.
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| Billy and Harry |
Nationally known racing chauffeur Wilfred "Billy" Bourque (26) of Springfield, and his mechanic, Harry Holcomb (23) of Granville, were killed almost instantly during the August 19, 1909, inaugural 250-mile race of the newly built Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
There are different theories regarding the cause of the crash, but as they came down the homestretch, it appeared that a loose rear wheel or a broken or faulty axle caused their car to swerve and crash into a fence near the grandstands. The vehicle flipped over three times before pinning the men inside. At the time of the fatal accident, they were in second place.
Had Bourque and Holcomb won the race, they would have walked away with $1,000.
