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INDY 500 MEMORIAL - 1911
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The Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Fatalities - May 1911
S.P. Dickson - riding mechanic
In the first official 500-Mile Race at Indy, seven cars
crashed, several persons were injured and Sam P.
Dickson of Chicago was killed.  

Dickson was the riding mechanic in the #44 Amplex and
the driver was Arthur Greiner.

On the 12th lap of the race, while going down the
backstretch, when one of the front wheels flew off.  

The car gyrated down the track and bucked both men out
of their seats.  

Dickson hit a fence 20 feet from the car and was killed
instantly.  Greiner was knocked unconscious, but only
suffered a fractured arm.

The crowd was too big to be controlled by the company
of militia and the hundreds of special policemen posted
at the grounds.  Spectators swarmed the infield when
Dickson was killed and soldiers had to use their guns
and clubs to clear a space for the surgeons..
Sam Dickson
Others injured in the first 500-mile race on a speedway:

Dave Lewis, mechanic for Teddy Tetzlaff (Lozier),
right leg broken near hip.

Harry Knight, driver of Westcott, breast bruised and
possibly internal injuries.

John T Glover, Knight's mechanic, body bruised.

Bob Evans, mechanic for Jack Tower (Jackson), body
bruised when he leaped from car.

John Wood, mechanic for Joe Jagersburger (Case)
run over and bruised after leaping from car.
Arthur Greiner and Sam DIckson in Amplex car.