Marmon Wasp History
Catalog record
This is a brief catalog introduction with limited source documentation. A licensed, identity-checked lead photograph has not yet been added for this page. Detailed year, configuration and ownership coverage must be identified separately; this page is not a complete vehicle catalog.
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The Marmon Wasp was developed from the Model 32 and is one of the most historically significant American race cars. On May 30, 1911, driven by Marmon engineer Ray Harroun (with Cyrus Patschke taking a relief stint), it won the inaugural Indianapolis 500, completing the 500 miles in 6 hours 42 minutes 8 seconds at an average speed of 74.602 mph.
The Wasp was the first car in the field built as a single-seat 'monoposto' — every rival ran a two-seat car carrying a riding mechanic, whose job included watching for traffic behind. To compensate for racing alone, Harroun is famously credited with fitting a rear-view mirror, often cited as the first known use of one on an automobile (though the claim is disputed by some historians).
The Wasp was powered by a large 477-cubic-inch (≈7.8-liter) six-cylinder engine and finished in Marmon's distinctive yellow-and-black 'wasp' livery with a tapered tail. The original car survives and is preserved at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.
Body styles
- Single-seat racer
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