Jim still has his sprint car.
Who could ever forget driving their sprint car on the world-famous track at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway!
Jim and his wife, Sandra.
I recently had the pleasure to interview Jim McIntosh, an original spectator of the first race at the Salem Speedway in 1947.
McIntosh now 86 years old, and he was nine years when he saw his first race at the Speedway. He attended with his grandfather, James McIntosh.
The speedway opened in June 22, 1947. It was a banked .555-mile oiled dirt track in ’47. His grandfather was an uncle to Jim Summer, who started the speedway on the outskirts of Salem. Jim said Summers didn’t have a lot of money so he partnered with Everett “Foxy“ Roberts, a lumber buyer who helped build the grandstands. He can remember the metal roof over the grandstand and how it amplified the roar of the cars.
On the first lap of the first race, sadly two driver went over the wall. Jim said one driver, Clay Corbett, was killed and one was paralyzed. This was very dramatic for a nine-year-old to observe, and he still remembers that.
He remembers the large crowd. The parking lot was full and cars lined the highway. People came from all over to see this race. The price to attend the infield was fifty cents, general admission was two dollars, and box seats went for two dollars and fifty cents.
The infield was Jim’s hang out. At that time the races were sanctioned by AAA. That’s right—the American Automobile Association. They ran races from 1904 to 1955, then USAC took over. USAC stands for “United States Auto Club.”
AAA pulled out in 1955, citing the Le Mans disaster and the death of Bill Vukovich at Indianapolis.
Ted Horn was the AAA champion in 1947. Tommy Hinnershiz was the winner of the twenty-five-lap feature. Besides the main race, there was a 20-car semi feature. Jim remembers the trophy dash for the fastest qualifiers, several heat races and the semi feature.
Mcintosh made his living with a different horse power, training real horses all his life. He also has a stable in Fortville, which is now run by his daughter.
Originally from Hardinsburg, he now lives in Fortville, Indiana. He said he was “Lucky enough to go to Indianapolis and drive my old sprint car.” He drove around the 2 ½ mile track. Jim is now in poor health but would love to see the Joe James/Pat O’Connor race coming to the track on Saturday, September 7. At that time the 500 Sprint car series will take to the track.
USAC no longer has a sprint car division that runs on asphalt. The Silver Crown division is the only group that does.
If you have fond memories of local stories like this or at any track in Indiana, please email me at