Marion's International Motorcycle Championship Race - Indiana Motorcycle Preservation Society

Behind the Cornfield Classic:
Marion's moto heritage story

On the back roads of Marion, Indiana, on September 7, 1920, the second annual Cornfield Classic: Marion’s International Motorcycle Race, was held just southwest of town. The event organizers utilized county roads to make a five mile race course, and the fine weather brought out a crowd of more than 15,000 people. The 200-mile international championship motorcycle race took approximately 3-hours to complete. The 1920 victor was Harley-Davidson rider Ray Weishaar, of Bridgeport, Conn. at a pace of 2:48:37, which was 17 minutes and 56 seconds under the time in which Red Parkhurst covered the distance the year prior in winning the race. Leonard Buckner, riding an Indian, was second, in 2:52:47, and Jim Davis, driving a Harley Davidson, was third, in 2:56:04. Weishaar, being the first across the finish line, was given a piglet, which he immediately made a victory lap with the little pig as a passenger. The Harley race team affectionately became known as the Hog Boys and the name HOG stuck marking Marion, Indiana on the map as the Home of the Hog.

The Indiana Motorcycle Preservation Society’s mission is to promote and preserve Indiana’s motorcycle history. Marion’s Cornfield Classic and tales of the Home of the Hog are shared across the globe including a special exhibit in Milwaukee at the Harley-Davidson Museum. Learn more below!

Motorcycle Racing Returns to Post-War America

In 1919, excited fans and racers flocked to Marion, Indiana to witness a 200-mile international road race that promised to be the greatest event of its kind. Motorcycle riders came from every part of the country and at least fifteen thousand spectators cheered them on.

Harley Davidson is a Favored Contender

The Harley-Davidson people sent sixteen men from their factory who actually took part in the race. This number included six to eight riders, several pitmen and a team manager.

The harley-davidson team

Red Parkhurst, right, led a 1-2-3 sweep of the Marion, Indiana race in 1919, followed by Harley-Davidson teammates Otto Walker, left, and Ralph Hepburn.

Ray Weishaar, the man who linked Harley-Davidson with the word HOG. Don Emde Productions

Otto Walker, captain of the Harley-Davidson Wrecking Crew, was the first man to be clocked at 100 miles per hour during a race. Don Emde Productions

Maldwyn Jones built his own H-D special, using a Merkel-based frame. Contemporary Editions, LLC

Leslie Red Parkhurst set speed and endurance records for the Motor Company. Don Emde Productions

Jim Davis won 21 AMA national championships and reportedly more than 50 pre-AMA races. Don Emde Productions

Albert Shrimp Burns, one of the true characters on the Wrecking Crew. His expressions says it all. Don Emde Productions.

Ralph Hepburn won the final running of the Dodge City Classic in 1921. Don Emde Productions

Indian Brings an International Champion

With the entry of Percy Coleman, on the Indian team, the race assumed an international aspect, as Coleman was the reigning motorcycle champion of New Zealand.

The Indian Team

Walker was a skilled motorcyclist, winning 19 national championships in 10 years of racing and setting a speed record of 115 miles per hour on a Florida beach in 1920.

New Zealander Percy Roderick Coleman represented Indian on the race track and came to the United States in 1919, finishing 6th overall in his first race, a 200-mile lap race on a Los Angeles racetrack, and later participated in the Cornfield Classic in Marion, IN.

Potter’s high-profile victory at the New Jersey Endurance Run secured him an Indian factory seat in the Marion (Indiana) Road Race Championship.

During Roy Artley’s notable race from Springerville to Phoenix, he faced challenges such as running out of oil and having his tank mistakenly filled with water, yet he persevered, maintained his lead, and emerged victorious.

Teddy Carroll’s legacy lies in fulfilling his childhood dream near the Indian Motorcycle manufacturer, where he set records, won races, and proudly wore the red and white colors of the company throughout his life.

Excelsior Rounds Out the Big Three

The Excelsior Company, along with their local dealer in Marion, jumped on board and sent four entries to the race.

The Excelsior Team

Bob Perry, a successful racer for Excelsior, set speed records and won races, but tragically died in 1920 during a record attempt; he was posthumously inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.

Floyd Clymer, a passionate racer and publisher, fulfilled his dream of owning the Indian motorcycle brand and introduced influential “minicycles,” leaving a lasting legacy in the racing community, recognized by his induction into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame and continued reverence for his publications.

From 1906-1921, Joe Wolters dominated racing, setting numerous records, and caught the attention of Harley-Davidson, becoming one of their first team members; he also represented Excelsior in races like the 1919 Cornfield Classic in Marion, IN.

William Wells Bennett, inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2000, was a pioneering figure in motorcycle racing, setting records like a 24-hour distance record of nearly 1,600 miles in 1922 and completing a coast-to-coast ride from Los Angeles to New York in just over 6 and a half days.

Bigger Crowds In Attendance for the 2nd Annual Cornfield Classic

For the second consecutive time the Harley-Davidson wins the Marion 200-mile “Cornfield Classic”. It only took 2 hours 48 minutes and 37 and 12-100ths seconds, to establish Harley Davidson as the world’s top motorcycle manufacturer.

Marion Economy Grows as a Result of the Race

The influx of people was so great that special committees were appointed to secure accomodations at hotels, lodging houses, and even private residences. Restaurants welcomed thousands of visitors and entertainment apart from the race was provided. Civil War veterans of the local National Soldiers’ Home were given rides in sidecars on the race course.

Home of the Hog

But the most historic moment of 1920 came after the race. Earlier that day, Harley-Davidson’s Ray Weishaar adopted a piglet from a local farm and kept it close by. The first thing he asked after winning the race was “where’s my pig?” and to this day Harley Davidson motorcycles are still referred to as “hogs.”

Behind the Cornfield Classic:Marion's moto heritage story