Carl Fisher

Carl Fisher and his Bicycle Promotions

January 6, 2024 by Leave a comment

By all accounts, Carl Fisher was a promotional genius. Sit back and enjoy some of the tales of Carl Fisher. Some of these will probably have you scratching your head wondering if they are indeed true. Most of the stories are from secondary sources and in some cases appear to stretch ...

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The Astor Cup

January 6, 2024 by Leave a comment

The winner of the IndyCar drivers' championship has been presented with the Astor Cup since 2011. This cup has ties to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway through Carl Fisher, one of the cofounders.

William Vincent Astor, the son of John Jacob Astor IV, donated the silver Astor Challenge Cup for the ...

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The Zoline Caper

January 6, 2024 by Leave a comment

In the early summer of 1914, John Andrus, a Portuguese inventor, was working as a mechanic in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. He told Dr. W. B. Chambers, a prominent auto racing enthusiast living in McKeesport, about the compound he had developed which was not only cheaper than gasoline but also could make ...

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Prest-O-Lite

January 6, 2024 by Leave a comment

Prest-O-Lite was the primary factor which made the Indianapolis Motor Speedway a reality. While both Carl Fisher and James Allison might have had the financial wherewithal to build the Speedway, the success of Prest-O-Lite made it easily achievable.

In the early twentieth century, Percy (“Fred”) Avery obtained the French patent ...

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“The Little Aristocrat”

January 5, 2024 by Leave a comment

While the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was being constructed, founders Carl Fisher, Jim Allison, Arthur Newby, along with Charles E. Test and Robert Hassler decided to start the Empire Motor Company. Test was the business partner of Newby at Indianapolis Chain and Stamping as well as at National Motor Vehicle Company. ...

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