INDY DIARIES: Footage from the first running of the Indy 500

Over 99 runnings, the Indianapolis 500 has become the most famous event in motorsport. That iconic status is built on a bedrock of hundreds of small stories, and to celebrate the centennial race, RACER.com has asked some of the people who are part of Indy's fabric to share a few of those stories with us. Check back every day between now and race day for a new 'Indy Diary' entry.

Indianapolis, 1911: The prospect of a $27,550 purse drew well almost 50 entries for the new 500 mile race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That was whittled down to an eventual field of 40, and a grid set by the order in which entry forms were posted. There was tragedy: Sam Dickson, riding mechanic for Arthur Greiner, was killed in a crash at Turn 2 on the 12th lap. There was controversy: some reports suggest that the results were initially protested at the end of the race: And when it was all over, Ray Harroun, an engineer with the Marmon Motor Company, was declared the winner and set into motion the beginnings of a legacy that 33 drivers will be looking to carry on when they take the green flag later today.