The Harvest Auto Racing Classic was a series of three automobile races, held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....

 on one day in 1916.

Race history

The Harvest Classic was a unique event in the history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....

. During 1909 and 1910, the track had held auto race weekends which consisted of from 16 to 24 races, involving several different classes of cars. Starting with 1911, a totally different marketing strategy was initiated, and the track held only one epic race, the Indianapolis 500

Indianapolis 500

The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...

, each year. The track adhered to this plan of one race per year from 1911 to 1993, with one exception. In 1916, with the United States on the verge of entering World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

, track management foresaw the possibility that the track may have to shut down the following year. In an effort to generate some additional profits, to get through the down time, the track held an additional event in September. This consisted of three races, all for the same class of cars (the same cars as were used in the Indianapolis 500). The event was sanctioned by the American Automobile Association (AAA)

American Automobile Association

AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...

, and the 100-mile feature race counted toward the 1916 AAA National Championship. Each race earned its own prize money, and none served as a "heat" race, or qualifying race, for the longer, 100-mile feature.

Race results

Year	Date	Race	Winning Driver	Car	Race Distance		Time of Race	Winning Speed	Starting Cars
					Miles	Laps
1916 1916 AAA Championship Car season The 1916 AAA Championship Car season consisted of 15 races, beginning in Brooklyn, New York on May 13 and concluding in Los Angeles, California on November 30. There were also 12 non-championship race. The AAA National Champion and Indianapolis 500 winner was Dario Resta.-Schedule and...	Sept 9	1	Johnny Aitken Johnny Aitken Johnny Aitken was a racecar driver from Indianapolis, who was active in the years prior to World War I.Aitken competed in the Indianapolis 500 three times. He started the race twice, in 1911 and 1916. He led the first lap of the first race . Aitken captured the pole position in 1916, but ended...	Peugeot Peugeot Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...	20	8	00:12:37.35	95.068 mph	10
	Sept 9	2	Johnny Aitken Johnny Aitken Johnny Aitken was a racecar driver from Indianapolis, who was active in the years prior to World War I.Aitken competed in the Indianapolis 500 three times. He started the race twice, in 1911 and 1916. He led the first lap of the first race . Aitken captured the pole position in 1916, but ended...	Peugeot Peugeot Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...	50	20	00:32:40.33	91.821 mph	9
	Sept 9	3	Johnny Aitken Johnny Aitken Johnny Aitken was a racecar driver from Indianapolis, who was active in the years prior to World War I.Aitken competed in the Indianapolis 500 three times. He started the race twice, in 1911 and 1916. He led the first lap of the first race . Aitken captured the pole position in 1916, but ended...	Peugeot Peugeot Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...	100	40	01:07:05.04	89.440 mph	12

Sources

• Dill, Mark; "A Forgotten Classic;" 2006 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard Official Program; Indianapolis Motor Speedway; 2006.
• 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.
• Champ Car Stats (http://www.champcarstats.com/year/1916.htm)