Markers To Honor Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Racing History
Posted
Staff Report-
The Indiana Racing Memorial Association will unveil two historic markers honoring the racing successes of Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg automobiles.
The unveiling will be at 4 p.m. Sept. 2 in the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum Education Plaza, 1600 Wayne St., Auburn.
The Duesenberg-powered Mormon Meteor land speed record car will make a rare public appearance.
Purpose-built Auburn Indy cars debuted at the Indianapolis 500 in 1930 but it was in speed trials that Auburns found their greatest acclaim, a news release from IRMA states. Record runs at the Bonneville Salt Flats, the Muroc Dry Lake and on the board tracks of the Atlantic City Speedway placed the marque firmly in the public eye in the 1920s and 1930s.
Ab Jenkins drove a Cord 812 to victory at the 1937 Stevens Trophy Challenge, which was awarded to the American car that maintained the highest 24-hour average speed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
But the greatest accolades were reserved for Duesenberg, which won at both LeMans and Indianapolis and held the world’s land speed record. Drivers loyal to the brand included Indy 500 winning drivers Pete DePaolo, Fred Frame, Tommy Milton, Jimmy Murphy, Lafayette native George Souders and three-time Indy 500 champion Wilbur Shaw.
Popular Indianapolis 500 historian Donald Davidson will attend to discuss the contributions of the marques to the state’s motorsport history.
IRMA is a non-profit organization whose mission is to recognize the historically significant individuals, events, businesses and race tracks that have made Indiana “The Racing Capital of the World.” Based in Indianapolis, the organization has installed more than 30 markers throughout the state.
