The Crown Point Races (also known as the Lowell Races) covered a 23.27 mile road course running through Crown Point, Cedar Lake and Lowell, Indiana. The first race was the Indiana Cup race on June 18, 1909. The second race was on June 19 for the Cobe Cup. It covered 17 laps resulting in a race distance just under 400 miles. We join our Knox racers now for the Cobe Cup race.
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| L: Wilfred (William) "Billy" Bourque, Driver R: Harry A. Holcomb, Riding Mechanician Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| Al Denison drives the 50 HP #7 Knox out of "Knox Headquarters." Billy Bourque is standing behind the car. Unsure if it is Harry Holcomb or Fred Belcher in the car with Denison. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| Billy Bourque (L) and Al Denison (R). Denison is at the wheel of the #7 Knox car, the 50 HP Knox Giant. The big Knox was a DNF on lap 7 with a broken con rod. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| Al Denison with Mechanician Fred Belcher. Belcher later went on to drive in the first Indianapolis 500 (1911) in a Knox, setting the record for fastest lap of the day. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| Crown Point: Racing teams have taken space in various local businesses for the period of the race. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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Map of the Race Course. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library
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Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| The grandstands at the Start/Finish line. The race was just over 395 miles. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| The #1 car at the starting line. The race had a staggered start with each car leaving the line a designated time ahead of the next. The finishing places would then be determined by time over the course rather than finishing sequence across the line. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| The #2 Knox at the starting line. The Knox finished ahead of race winner Louis Chevrolet in the #10 Buick but after starting time was factored in the Knox finished in second place by a small margin. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| The #2 Knox leaves the starting line. Only 395 miles to go in an 8-hour gut-busting, grueling test of man and machine. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| The open road. As with most long courses competitors can spend long periods between fierce wheel-to-wheel dices with a car they're catching or is catching them. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| The #2 Knox, somewhere in Indiana. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| Still nobody in the mirrors. Wait, what mirrors? Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| One of the scoreboards along the course. This photo shows why many people thought the #2 Knox won the race over Louis Chevrolet's #10 car. The Knox was running in first position but when adjusted for their start time they were actually nudged into second. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| How many miles to go? Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| Imagine how much dust you have to eat before you can catch and pass another car. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| Pit crews. Note car numbers on the poles. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| The waiting game in the pits. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| Waiting.... Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| The straight in front of the grandstands. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| Note the scoreboard being updated in center background. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
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| Louis Chevrolet, race winner, with Ira Cobe, event promoter. Image courtesy of the National Automotive History Collection, Detroit Public Library |
