Film “A.R. Pardington and the 1911 Indy 500 Race”
A.R. Pardington was William K. Vanderbilt, Jr.'s right-hand man and helped develop both the Vanderbilt Cup Races and the Long Island Motor Parkway. Last March, a family member Marshall Davies Llyod emailed VanderbiltCupRaces.com requesting photos and films of A.R. I found the photos but no films... until today.
While reading the Belcher Foundation's wonderful book Fastest of the Fast, A complete History of the Inaugural 1911 Indianapolis 500 , I came across the following passage"
During the opening ceremonies, a ceremony was held in which "Wild Bob" Burman was crowned "Speed King of the World." During this brief event, which was conducted by official race referee Arthur R. Pardington and H.S. Firestone, an ornate jewel-laden crown was placed on Burman's head in honor of his speed records at Daytona Beach the previous month.
This very event was chronicled on this website on February 24, 2009. But, until reading Fastest of the Fast, I did not recognize that it was A.R.Pardiington crowning Bob Burman the "Speed King" shown in the beginning of this film clip.
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