Eddie Rickenbacker
 

I was sitting in history class today and was amazed when the teacher said something about the indy 500. since we were talking about world war 1. I've read alot about him online today, but i cant seem to find anything about how he did in a race car. All i have read is he raced in the 1st indy 500 and bought the track later in life for $700,000. so my question is

What do some of you know about this Hero?

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

Gotta say. In US History we just learned about him. My teacher had mentioned the name Eddie Rickenbacker and that he was in the first Indy 500 and stuff. ha

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

War hero, racer, owned the Speedway, and was president of an airline.....lived quite a full life.

Glad to see kids with an interest in history.

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

History is a very important subject. I dont think kids pay enough attention to it. i sure do. thanks for giving me that link. shooting down 25+ war plans and to live to tell about it is a pretty amazing thing. also to buy a race track for $700,000. Couldnt even buy the bricks for that price these days.

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

He was also a recipient of our nation's highest honor. The Congressional Medal of Honor.

Jerry

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

Here is a bit of Rickenbacher trivia:
He was born in America to Swiss immigrants. Due to anti-German sentiment during World War I, he chose to spell his surname with the 'h' changed to a 'k' in an effort to make his name seem less German.
BTW, several of the aircraft he has credit for shooting down were tethered observation balloons -- not like going head-to-head with the Red Baron, ya know.

Edit: I have a copy of one of the Rickenbacher biographies, which I recently loaned to one of my old friends from Caterpillar. I would call it a "very good read" about a hero from a time so very different than our current world. I'm afraid that long gone are the days of America having heroes such as Eddie Rickenbacher or Billy Mitchell or Jimmy Doolittle.

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

Devin,

I don't have anything else to add about Mr. Rickenbacker but I am glad to hear that you were paying attention in history class.:6: Education is a top priority these days and by learning about history you will see what folks before you have done. I am always interested in hearing about the history of auto racing and so many IOW folks educate all of us with their knowledge and background.

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

He was born near Columbus, Ohio, not that far from Columbus Motor Speedway
He ran the 500 four times with his best finish a 10th, That was in 1914. He was not in the first Indianapolis 500, but was 21st in 1912. He was 19th in 1915 and then 20th in 1916. This is according to the Indianapolis 500 Media Guide. He finished all 200 laps only once -- 1914 -- and started the 1916 race in second.
Jim Morrison

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

You'll find most of his AAA racing records listed here....
http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers...ackerEddie.htm

Thanks to www.champcarstats.com/

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

thanks for all the info....

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

Originally Posted by itsanonwingthing:
You'll find most of his AAA racing records listed here....
http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers...ackerEddie.htm

Thanks to www.champcarstats.com/

Looks like the Speedway Media Guide may need to be corrected. Maybe he's not listed because he did not start
Jim

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

Originally Posted by #1Brad Kuhn Fan:
I was sitting in history class today and was amazed when the teacher said something about the indy 500. since we were talking about world war 1. I've read alot about him online today, but i cant seem to find anything about how he did in a race car. All i have read is he raced in the 1st indy 500 and bought the track later in life for $700,000. so my question is

What do some of you know about this Hero?

...might ask Aero....I heard he was there.

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

I remember reading his autobiography as a kid. VERY interesting story.

Here is his wikipedia entry:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Rickenbacker

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

Originally Posted by mortboyz:
...might ask Aero....I heard he was there.

As your moderator, Randy, I must say.....good one.:2:

For IOW history, we have plenty of professors right here. Some have already added to this thread. And don't forget Pat and the Kevin brothers, Eckert and Oldham, who may well lurk here a bit.

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

Eddie was a childhood hero of mine. My dad turned me on to his all of accomplishments.

Thank you for starting a fun, informative and interesting thread.:9: I love it when we talk about good stuff instead of moaning and groaning on here.

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

I can't believe that Mr. Fishburger hasn't chimed in with the real facts and figures. He was there for all four of his 500 runs.;) Probably too busy trying to fix the stove.:19::3:

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

i to heard about eddie in history class, and i also stumbled across a great book covering his life i believe the title is The Ace of Aces it's a great book. Eddie was second only to the Red-Baron(Manfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen ) in air combat victories during ww1 FYI

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

From 1935 when Eddie was "The Prez". You have to click the photo to enlarge it, then you can see his signature.
David.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c1...ndyTicketF.jpg

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

Eddie Rickenbacker won his very FIRST race in Red Oak, Iowa. For an interesting read about the sale of the speedway to Mr. Rickenbacker from original owner / builder Carl Fisher get the book'Fabulous Hoosier' authored by his ex wife Jane Fisher.

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

He was one of our first aces in WW1, After the war he also went to work for Eastern airlines as chief pilot durning the Connie Era. I also believe it was Eddie in the Famous racecar vs plane picture.. I think Lincoln Beechy was the pilot but i'm not sure...

Sorry it was driver Berna Eli Oldfield, not Eddie Rickenbacker...

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

From: www.narhof.com
Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame

Eddie Rickenbacker
Eddie Rickenbacker was running a Firestone-Columbus auto agency in Omaha in 1910 when he started his racing career. After a crash in his first race at Red Oak, Iowa, he entered the races at the one-mile Ak-Sar-Ben race track. He won the first nine events over the two-day meet before the promoter paid him to set out the last race so someone else would have a chance. By 1913, Rickenbacker was racing at Indianapolis, Ind., in the Indy 500. He scored one of his biggest wins at Sioux City, Iowa, on July 4, 1914, and won the event again in 1915. He then won the first race held at the Omaha Speedway board track two weeks later, driving for the powerful Maxwell team. Rickenbacker’s driving career ended when World War I broke out in 1917. In 1927, he purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and ran the world’s most famous race course until he sold it to Tony Hulman in 1946. Rickenbacker passed away on July 23, 1973. He was inducted into the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2002.

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

Salute.

Re: Eddie Rickenbacker
 

The crowd was so enamored with Rickenbacker after his win at Sioux City in the 1914 race, they carried him around the track on their shoulders.

The outpouring of emotion for Rickenbacker left such an impression, the following Monday he cashed his prize money check and on Tuesday hosted a banquet for the officials and members of the press.

Kyle Ealy
Midwest Racing Archives
http://midwestracingarchives.blogspot.com