Notes on this painting from the artist:

The original car (with some notable changes) is in residence and owned by the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. The museum car was most certainly the focus of reference for this painting. During months of research in preparation for the execution of this painting, numerous historic photographs of the Marmon as it appeared on Race Day 1911 were also referenced.

The photographs from 1911 indicated that the Marmon Wasp as it sits in the IMS Museum today has had some alterations.

The car in the museum currently has its “wasp-like” tail almost level with the forward portion of the body. In the photos from 1911, the tail section has a distinct descending slope.

The numbering on the car in the museum is far different when compared to the reference photos in 1911.

The tires used on race day appear to be the type of tires developed by Firestone and Dunlop. By the 1910s, tire engineering and manufacturing had evolved to use sheets of cotton cord material, cut at an angle (“on the bias”), layered, and molded into sheet rubber. So was born the “bias ply tire,” which remained the industry standard, at least in the U.S., until the 1960s. Tires were handmade at this time. It is possible that the Marmon was using this new form of tire. The erratic coloration on the sidewalls of the tire might have been due to the mastic used to bond the cotton cord to the face of the tire.

The placement of the steering wheel in 1911 appears to be much closer to the cowling when compared to the Marmon as seen today. An additional difference is seen in the front suspension. The Marmon in 1911 had two types of suspension dampers on each wheel at the front, whereas the museum car shows only the single suspension.

Finally, there is the controversial issue of the color or hue of the car. All photos in 1911 show a darker tint to the color, and the finish appears to be a matte-type finish as apposed to the reflective, polished look as seen today. I have chosen to paint the car with a slightly darker yellow-orange tint, and the matte finish.