Almost immediately, the Indian Motocycle Company realized the importance of participation in racing and its effect on sales. With board-track racing emerging as the most popular motorcycle sport in the United States, riders such as Paul “Dare-Devil” Derkum, Jake DeRosier, and Charles “Fearless” Balke brought the company into the limelight during the last part of the first decade of the 1900s, and coupled with increased advertising, phenomenal racing victories, and expanded production capacity, Indian ascended to the forefront of the industry, boasting over 1,200 dealers around the country.

The outstanding single-cylinder 1911 Indian Board-Track Racer presented here is among the most original early racing machines in existence, and it remains in virtually as-raced condition. The machine features a four horsepower, 30.5-cubic inch pocket-valve engine with a mechanically operated intake valve, a Hedstrom carburetor, and single-speed drive. This motorcycle retains its original factory paint and has remnants of the dealer decal still present on the tank. It features factory-dropped racing handlebars and an original Messinger seat, as well as the original Hedstrom racing spark plug. Aside from the tires, all other parts are original, including the 28x2.25-inch racing-type rims.

This machine has been on display at the Wheels Through Time Museum in North Carolina for over a decade, and it has been run for visitors on a regular basis. Few genuine examples of early Indian racing machines exist today, and even fewer remain in original running condition.