{"id":9955,"date":"2014-07-01T00:19:39","date_gmt":"2014-07-01T00:19:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportscardigest.com\/\/?p=9955"},"modified":"2025-01-06T00:22:46","modified_gmt":"2025-01-06T00:22:46","slug":"to-finish-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.supercars.net\/blog\/to-finish-first\/","title":{"rendered":"International Sweepstakes Race (1912) – To Finish First\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Joe \u201cThe Kid\u201d Dawson headed for victory in the 1912 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race in his National.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Each May, I am reminded of one of the most exciting races ever seen at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Unfortunately, none of us were around to see it. It was the second running of the 500-mile race in 1912, known as the \u201cInternational Sweepstakes Race\u201d when Joe \u201cThe Kid\u201d Dawson won in a National, at the age of 22, over \u201cSpeed King\u201d Ralph DePalma who had led the race for the first 198 laps. As the owner of a couple of National racecars, I have always been a bit offended by the repeated portrayal of Joe Dawson\u2019s win in the 1912 race as dumb luck. The facts show otherwise, and illustrate the old adage: to finish first, first you have to finish.<\/p>\n

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At the conclusion of the race, winner Joe Dawson was covered in oil and dirt, and too tired for a victory dance after six long hours behind the wheel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I find myself continually surprised at what our racing forefathers were able to accomplish with the limited resources they had at their disposal. It is hard to imagine some of the technical advances that were found on racecars prior to WWI\u2014yes the first World War. They included \u201cmodern innovations\u201d such as dry sump oiling systems, hemispherical four-valve heads, dual overhead cams, multi-disc clutches, dual-spark ignitions and even superchargers. All of this was accomplished at a time when most automobiles were repaired (and occasionally built) in the local blacksmith shop. It is also humorous to read of some of the \u201cnew\u201d innovations advertised in sports car magazines of the \u201950s and \u201960s that were not new, just forgotten.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n