Johnny Aitken
Encyclopedia
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, who was active in the years prior to 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...
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Aitken competed in 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...
three times. He started the race twice, in 1911
1911 Indianapolis 500
The 1911 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, or International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, May 30, 1911...
and 1916
1916 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1916 300-Mile International Sweepstakes Race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Tuesday, May 30, 1916.The race is notable because it covered because of World War I, and it was the only Indianapolis 500 scheduled for less than ....
. He led the first lap of the first race (1911). Aitken captured the pole position in 1916, but ended up in 15th place (his best finish) that year. In the 1915 Indianapolis 500
1915 Indianapolis 500
Results of the 1915 Indianapolis 500 held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Monday, May 31, 1915.-Notes:1 - Louis Chevrolet is usually shown as American but his application for a US passport reveals that he did not become a US citizen until June 1915...
, Aitken drove relief for two drivers, Gil Anderson and Earl Cooper
Earl Cooper
Earl Cooper was an American racecar driver.-Racing career:...
(who ultimately finished 3rd and 4th).
While Aitken never won the Indianapolis 500 as a driver, he did serve as team manager for two winning efforts, Joe Dawson
Joe Dawson (racecar driver)
Joe Dawson was an American race car driver.-Biography:Born in Odon, Indiana, Dawson competed in the Indianapolis 500 race three times, beginning in 1911 when he drove a Marmon to a fifth place finish. The following year, Dawson won after Ralph DePalma, who had led for 196 laps of the 200 lap race,...
’s victory in 1912
1912 Indianapolis 500
The 1912 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, or International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race, the second such race in history, was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday, May 30, 1912....
, and Jules Goux
Jules Goux
Jules Goux, born Valentigney 6 April 1885 - died Valentigney 6 March 1965, was a Grand Prix motor racing champion and the first Frenchman, and the first European, to win the Indianapolis 500.-Biography:...
’s win in 1913
1913 Indianapolis 500
The 1913 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, or International 500-Mile Sweepstakes Race, the third such race in history, was held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Friday, May 30, 1913.-Qualification results:...
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Aitken’s activity 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....
was not limited to the Indianapolis 500. He won a total of 15 races at IMS, the most of any driver in the 100-year history of the track. Aitken was the only driver to win races in each of the four automobile race weekends that were held during the track’s “pre-500” years of 1909-1910. He also won all three races which comprised the Harvest Auto Racing Classic
Harvest Auto Racing Classic
The Harvest Auto Racing Classic was a series of three automobile races, held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on one day in 1916.-Race history:...
, in September of 1916. (The driver with the second-greatest number of wins at IMS is Ray Harroun
Ray Harroun
Ray Harroun was an American racecar driver, born in Spartansburg, Pennsylvania.-Early driving:As noted in the Columbia Car webpages, Harroun participated in the original setting of the record from Chicago to New York in 1903, and the re-taking of that record in 1904...
, with 8 wins in 1909-1911.)
Aitken started a total of 41 races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which is, again, the most of any driver in the track’s history. (The driver with the second-greatest number of starts at IMS is A. J. Foyt
A. J. Foyt
Anthony Joseph Foyt, Jr., or as he is universally known as in motorsports circles, A. J. Foyt , is a retired American automobile racing driver. He raced in numerous genres of motorsports. His open wheel racing includes USAC Champ cars and midget cars. He raced stock cars in NASCAR and USAC. He won...
, who started a total of 36 races from 1958 to 1994.)
Outside of his participation at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Aitken is known to have started at least 33 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,...
-sanctioned races, from 1907 to 1916, and to have driven relief in at least three others. He won seven of these races, including the 1916 1st International Sweepstakes race (300 miles, Sept 14, at the Cincinnati Motor Speedway), the 1916 Astor Cup Race (250 miles, Sept 30, at the Sheepshead Bay Speedway
Sheepshead Bay Race Track
Sheepshead Bay Race Track was an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility built on the site of the Coney Island Jockey Club at Sheepshead Bay, New York...
), and the 1916 Harkness Trophy Race
Harkness Trophy Race
The Harkness Trophy Race was an American auto racing event, first run in 1915 at the Sheepshead Bay Speedway at Sheepshead Bay, New York. The winner's trophy was named for Harry Harkness, one of the principal investors who purchased the Sheepshead Bay Race Track horse racing facility, and converted...
(100 miles, Oct 28, also at Sheepshead Bay).
Aitken is credited as co-winner of the American Grand Prize race, which was held at the Santa Monica
Santa Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
Road Race Course on Nov 18, 1916. He started the race, but was the first driver to drop out, when his car suffered a broken piston after one lap. On Lap 21, he took over the car which had started the race being driven by Howdy Wilcox
Howdy Wilcox
Howard Samuel Wilcox was an American racecar driver active in formative years of auto racing.Born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, Howdy Wilcox led the last 98 laps of the 1919 Indianapolis 500 after starting in the 2nd position. He died in a wreck in 1923 at the Altoona Speedway board track in Tyrone,...
. Aitken drove that car for the remainder of the race, completing 28 of the total 48 laps, finishing first. Aitken, therefore, was credited with both first and last place.
Aitken died of bronchial pneumonia, brought on by the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 (also known as the Spanish Flu)
Spanish flu
The 1918 flu pandemic was an influenza pandemic, and the first of the two pandemics involving H1N1 influenza virus . It was an unusually severe and deadly pandemic that spread across the world. Historical and epidemiological data are inadequate to identify the geographic origin...
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Indianapolis 500 results
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Sources
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.
http://www.motorsport.com/stats
http://www.champcarstats.com
Dill, Mark; "A Forgotten Classic;" 2006 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard Official Program; Indianapolis Motor Speedway.