May 30, 1912 was a newsworthy day. The president giving a speech at Gettysburg, Wilbur Wright passing in Dayton, oh and a man who probably passes as a racing unknown winning the Indy 500. Joe Dawson, a native of Odin, Indiana set a speed record of 78 mph in his win - today that's a speed that will get you run down on the freeway. Dawson was the youngest winner of the 500, a record he'd hold onto until Tony Ruttman unseated him in 1952. His career was a short one, spanning only three races between 1911 and 1914. He retired after a crash in the 45th lap of the 1914 race and I wonder if the horror of high-speed fatality turned him away from racing.
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