It’s one of those facts, or you could say it’s “racing trivia”, that surprise even historians when they learn about it. Few are aware of it; but the first racing competition at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was a motorcycle race. It was August 14, 1909, and racing at the Speedway was the pinnacle event of a week of motorcycle-themed celebration with motorcyclists such as Walter Davidson and Erwin “Cannon Ball” Baker. For this final race the Kokomo Rubber Company donated a trophy, but it was never awarded because the event at the Speedway was canceled due to rain. The artifact still exists and is owned by a private collector who, one day, would like to go full circle and pay tribute to those racing pioneers.
