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 On this day in engineering history, Ray Harroun defeated 39 other drivers to win the first Indianapolis 500, one of America's oldest and most famous automobile races. Traveling at an average speed of 74.602 mph, the native of Spartansburg, Pennsylvania completed the 500-mile event in 6 hours and 42 minutes. Harroun's car, the Wasp, was lighter than the competition's and featured a pointed tail, stabilizer, and streamlined design. Yet Ray Harroun had one other important advantage. As chief engineer at the Marmon Car Company of Indianapolis, Indiana, he had designed his own car.
 Unlike most race cars of the early twentieth century, Harroun's yellow Wasp had one seat instead of two. According to race rules, these larger, heavier, two-seat models were supposed to carry both the race-car driver and a mechanic who would check the oil pressure and keep the driver informed about what was happening behind him. To replace the mechanic, Harroun installed a revolutionary device – the rearview mirror. Although several other drivers complained about Harroun's modification, #32 was allowed to compete at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in an event which later became known as "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing".
 On May 30, 1911, over 80,000 racing fans paid $1 apiece to watch the first Indy 500. After a smoky start, 40 cars covered the 2 1/2-mile track and its four 1/4-mile turns, two 5/8-mile straightaways and two 1/8-mile chutes. Although Ray Harroun led for only 88 laps, he crossed the finished line when it counted – in first place at the end of 200 laps. Later, other drivers complained that the one-seat vehicle had been a hazard during the race since it was the only car without a mechanic. Critics also howled when what some say was a scorecard error deprived racer Ralph Mulford of his rightful victory.
The first Indy 500 was Ray Harroun's last race. Later, he invented a carburetor that was a forerunner of modern fuel-injection systems. He also developed a kerosene-burning race car that ran on tracks for nearly 15 years. Today, Ray Harroun's Marmon Wasp is on display at the Indianapolis Speedway museum. His memory and historic victory are enshrined at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.
Resources:
http://www2.indystar.com/library/factfiles/sports/autoracing/indy500.html
http://msn.foxsports.com/motor/story/6855254
http://www.hickoksports.com/biograph/harrounray.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Harroun
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marmon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indianapolis_500
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