🏍️ On This Day: Motorcycles Made History at The Brickyard

🏁 Every year, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosts the world’s most famous motor race — but did you know its origins began 🏍️ with motorcycles? On August 14, 1909, the roar of engines first echoed through what would become a legendary venue! 🔥

💡 The Vision of Carl G. Fisher

Carl G. Fisher — an Indianapolis entrepreneur with a grand vision — along with partners James Allison, Frank Wheeler, and Arthur Newby, dreamed of a massive, permanent racing facility to develop America’s automotive industry. 🚗💨 They bought a 320-acre farm and built a track that would change motorsports forever.

Carl G. Fisher, the visionary behind the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

🏍️ The Inaugural Event: A Motorcycle Meet

Before the iconic Indianapolis 500, the first motorized event was a series of motorcycle races organized by the Federation of American Motorcyclists. The crowd watched lightweight machines speed around the brand-new 2.5-mile oval — pure early motorsport magic! ✨

Motorcycles on the original track surface during the inaugural event in 1909.

📜 1909 Motorcycle Race Results

🧱 The Problem with the Surface & Birth of “The Brickyard”

The original crushed stone & tar surface wasn’t up to the task 😬 — tires blew, crashes happened, and champion rider Jake DeRosier had a severe fall. A week later, car races suffered fatal accidents. The founders acted fast 💪 — repaving the entire track with 3.2 million bricks! This bold move made the track the safest and most advanced racing facility in the world. 🌍

The treacherous original surface of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

🏆 A Legacy Forged in Brick

Today, drivers kiss the bricks to honor those bold visionaries who started it all. The yard-long strip of original bricks at the start/finish line is a living monument to perseverance, innovation, and motorsport history. ❤️🏁