Ray Harroun won the inaugural Indianapolis 500, held during Memorial Day weekend in 1911.
The first race took place on May 30, 1911, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Harroun completed the 500-mile event in a Marmon Wasp, averaging about 74.602 miles per hour. His victory established a race that became one of the best-known events associated with the U.S. holiday weekend.
Harroun’s car was notable for having a rear-view mirror, an unusual feature at a time when drivers commonly relied on riding mechanics to watch traffic behind them. Harroun drove without a riding mechanic, helping reduce the car’s weight and contributing to the design’s historical importance.
The Indianapolis 500 was not originally called simply the Indy 500. Its formal early name was the International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race. Although the event’s date has varied over the years, it remains traditionally scheduled around Memorial Day weekend.