Many people have never heard of the MARMON automobile but it was one of the premier vehicles of its time.  It was in the class of the Pierce Arrow, Peerless and Packard. 

The Marmon Wasp won the first Indianapolis 500 Race in 1911 with Ray Harroun as the driver who accomplished this feat.  It was widely speculated he won because of the weight of his car.  At that time all race cars held two men, a driver and a mechanic.   Harroun's racer was built for only one man, the driver, so that not only streamlined the car but also reduced the weight by one person.  He also devised the first rear view mirror ever used on a race car (or a passenger car as well).  This combination enabled him to win the race with an average speed of 74.602 MPH.  Harroun was an Indiana native and still holds an Indy 500 record.  No one has ever come from the 28th (or worse) starting position and end up winning the race. 

Many do not realize that the Marmon automobile was built in Indianapolis.   Between the years of 1903 and 1933 Marmon Motor Cars (previously Nordyke and Marmon), made approximately 250,000 cars...fewer than approximately 350 exist today.