Remembering Ray Harroun, Winner of the First Indy 500

On May 1, 2016, Corky Coker visited Anderson, Indiana to pay tribute to a racing legend, Ray Harroun. The town of Anderson debuted a memorial marker for Ray Harroun, and Corky Coker was invited to the event to be a part of the festivities. Corky has a great love for vintage racing, and owns the most authentic Marmon Wasp replica in the world. The Marmon Wasp is typically on display in our showroom here in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but it made a special trip to honor Mr. Ray Harroun for his achievements. Corky dressed in period correct attire, and drove the Marmon Wasp replica around the area, spreading smiles all around. Enjoy some of our pictures, and continue reading to learn more about the man who took Indy by storm in 1911. [products] Although Ray Harroun was born in Pennsylvania, his legacy is in Indiana, where he later lived, and made history as the first winner of the Indy 500, way back in 1911. Ray Harroun was a pioneer, and there is no doubt he left his mark as a champion racecar driver, even though he competed in less than 100 races throughout his entire career. He went out on top, retiring from racing after winning the first Indy 500, behind the wheel of the famous Marmon Wasp racecar. Ray's claim to fame was the invention of the rear view mirror, which allowed him to race by himself, instead of having a mechanic/spotter on board the car. This saved weight and also offered better aerodynamics. He also consulted with Firestone engineers to determine the appropriate tires for the car. The engineers warned that 75 miles per hour was the top speed for the tires, so Ray kept that in mind throughout the race, and only had to replace the right rear tire...pit stops weren't quite as fast back then, so tire wear was extremely important. The original car is still around, and it's a permanent fixture in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, but Corky's replica lives on to tell the story of this famous racecar, and ultimately, the man who made it famous.