The trophy on display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum

The Wheeler-Schebler Trophy Race was an automobile race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in each of the two years prior to the first Indianapolis 500. The trophy was sponsored by the Wheeler-Schebler Carburetor Company. Frank Wheeler, one of the four co-founders of the Speedway, was also the president and co-founder of Wheeler-Schebler. The 1909 race was originally scheduled for 300 miles, but was ended at 235 miles due to deteriorating track conditions.

Race results

Year	Date	Winning Driver	Car	Race Distance		Time of Race	Winning Speed	Starting Cars
				Miles	Laps
1909	Aug 21	Leigh Lynch	Jackson	235	94	04:13:31.40	57.907 mph	19
1910	May 28	Ray Harroun	Marmon	200	80	02:46:31.00	72.065 mph	19

Wheeler-Schebler Trophy in later years

In 1911, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway management ceased holding multiple racing events per year, in favor of a single major race annually – the Indianapolis 500. As a result, the Wheeler-Schebler Trophy race was discontinued.

In 1914 the trophy reappeared, now as an award given to the owner of the car leading the Indianapolis 500 at the 400-mile mark (lap 160). On numerous occasions, the leader at lap 160 went on to win the race. For the 1916 race only, the trophy was presented to the leader at lap 100 (250 miles) since the race was scheduled for only 300 miles.

The trophy was retired and given permanently to car owner Harry Hartz after his cars claimed the trophy in three consecutive years (1930, 1931, 1932).^[1] The original rules in 1909 stipulated that the trophy became the permanent possession of the individual to win it three times. Many years later, in 1956, the trophy was re-acquired by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.

References

• Scott, D. Bruce; INDY: Racing Before the 500; Indiana Reflections; 2005; ISBN 0-9766149-0-1.
• Galpin, Darren; A Record of Motorsport Racing Before World War I.
• 1909 AAA National Championship Trail
• 1910 AAA National Championship Trail