1911
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May 31, 2016The Indy 500--no other automobile racing event has been more prestigious, or more treacherous. The evolution of automobile racing, and the automobile itself can be credited to the buzz that surrounds the Indy 500 and the drive to win the biggest race of them all. And to think, 40 teams entered the race in 1911, all driving cars that you may have never heard of--National, Knox, Westcott and many others. The Marmon Wasp and its driver, Ray Harroun claimed the first Indy 500 victory, and this car still resides in Speedway, Indiana. Several years ago, Corky Coker and his crew at Honest Charley built a replica of the famed Indy racer, so it has been quite a popular display piece since it was finished and debuted at the 2011 Indy 500. And though the 2011 event was technically the 100th anniversary of the Indy 500, we had to wait until 2016 to see the 100th running, due to the pause in racing caused by the World Wars (two year pause for
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May 03, 2016On 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
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June 21, 2011We had an amazing time on the Hemmings Motor News Great Race this year, and it came down to the wire to determine the Grand Champion. All week it was a tight battle between the Knowles/Gentry team and the team of Howard and Douglas Sharp. Knowles/Gentry piloted a '32 Ford Cabriolet, which was formerly piloted by Joe Knowles, who unfortunately passed away in 2010. The Sharps piloted the oldest car in the Great Race--a 1911 Velie Racetype. Knowles/Gentry led the field for several days, but the Sharps came from behind on the final two days to take home the infamous BIRD and a check for $20,000! [caption id="attachment_1836" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Corky Coker with Great Race Grand Champions, Howard and Douglas Sharp!"][/caption]
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May 28, 2011Around here, there's no better way to celebrate the Indianapolis 500 than to show off some of our tires, built specifically for vintage Indy cars. In fact, we're up here in Indy right now, showing off our Marmon Wasp replica, along with our Firestone Indy tire selection, which are all built from either original Firestone molds or new molds built from the original drawings. We'll post up some pictures from the event later, but for now, check out a finished photo of the Marmon Wasp, and our line of Firestone Indy tires in the spirit of the 100th anniversary of the Indy 500! [caption id="attachment_1522" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="Group shot of the Honest Charley Garage crew with the finished Marmon Wasp!"][/caption]
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May 25, 2011With the Marmon Wasp mostly complete, we snuck it out of the shop for a few minutes and snapped some pictures of it. We're just gonna let those pictures do the talkin'... [caption id="attachment_1503" align="alignleft" width="500" caption="The Marmon Wasp, hand built by Honest Charley Garage"][/caption]