What car did Ray Harroun drive to win the 1911 Indianapolis 500?

Ray Harroun drove a Marmon Wasp to win the 1911 Indianapolis 500.

The Marmon Wasp was a six-cylinder racing car built by Marmon-Nordyke, the Indianapolis manufacturer for which Harroun worked as an engineer. Its pointed tail helped inspire the “Wasp” name. Harroun’s victory made the car the first winner of the newly established 500-mile race.

Harroun’s entry was unusual because he competed without a riding mechanic. Instead, he used a cowl-mounted rear-view mirror, an early racing innovation that let him monitor traffic behind the car. Cyrus Patschke relieved him for 35 laps, so Harroun did not drive every lap personally, but the victory is officially credited to him and the Marmon Wasp.

He led 88 of the race’s 200 laps and finished the 500 miles in 6 hours, 42 minutes, and 8 seconds, averaging 74.602 mph. The event was far slower than later 500s because the track, cars, tires, and pit work were all primitive by modern standards.