Indy 500 Pace Car

            Jack and Nancy Dunning of Cambridge, OH stood in the bright sunlight, looking even sunnier in their bright yellow outfits. It was obvious why they were wearing them, though, the clothes matched the car they were showing at the Ault Park Concourse d’Elegance: a 1921 Marmon 34B Speedster. This was the actual pace car for the 1920 Indianapolis 500.

            The car was driven by raconteur Barny Oldfield who bought the car after the race and drove it around promoting himself and the tires that bore his name.

            Twenty-five years ago Jack and Nancy bought the car and restored it “from the ground up.” In response to why he went after the car, Jack explained, “It’s an old speedster; my kind of car.”

             The Marmon was built specifically for the task of setting the pace at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It sports a six cylinder 352 cubic inch engine with dual carbs that were modified by the factory. In order to qualify as the pace car, Jack explained, that the car had to make four trips around the track and maintain a certain speed.

            “It took four laps,” Jack said, “and never got below 80. Remember, this was 1920, not many cars were going that fast back then.”

            Though this isn’t their only classic car, Jack and Nancy do enjoy driving this one around and Jack admitted, “It doesn’t like to go slow.”

            Likewise, they enjoy showing this car. It just recently won Best of Show at the commemorative event for the 100^th anniversary of the Indy 500.

            Having this pace car at the Concourse to help celebrate that 100^th was a coup for the selection committee but sitting just beside this beauty was the official pace car from the 1921 race. Those two together carry some amazing automotive history.