The first Indianapolis 500 motor race is run
On this day · 30 May 1911
On May 30, 1911, Ray Harroun won America's inaugural 500-mile race in a single-seater fitted with what may be the first rear-view mirror.
On May 30, 1911, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway held its first 500-mile race, the event that became the Indianapolis 500. Ray Harroun won it, averaging about 74.6 mph across the 200 laps of brick track.
Harroun’s car, the Marmon “Wasp,” stood out for two reasons. It was a sleek single-seater at a time when rivals carried a second crewman—a riding mechanic—whose job included watching for cars coming up behind. When other teams complained that a lone driver was a hazard, Harroun fitted his cockpit with a mirror so he could see the track behind him.
It is widely credited as the first rear-view mirror used on an automobile.
Harroun, an engineer by temperament, retired from racing soon after his victory. The race he won has run nearly every year since, growing into one of the most-watched single-day sporting events in the world.
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