United States Auto Club First Race
IRMA Marker In Fort Wayne, Indiana
Located at
Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, 4000 Parnell Ave., Fort Wayne, IN 46805-1414 (marker near main entrance and box office)
Unveiled November 11th, 2017
Unveiling followed the Veterans Day Parade, which concluded at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Carolyn Hartley John, whose first husband drove in the first race, unveiled the marker. IMS Historian Donald Davidson facilitated a round table discussion in Memorial Hall afterwards.
Event Summary
The United States Auto Club (USAC) held its first-ever race on January 6, 1956, at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Thirty-six cars entered the event, and local driver Gene Hartley won the feature race. The successful event, which drew a record crowd for the Coliseum, marked the beginning of USAC’s long history as a major American racing sanctioning body.
