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Harry Knight

1889 – 1913

American racing driver

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About Harry Knight

Lived 1889 – 1913 (aged 23). Harry Knight was an American engineer.

Harry C. Knight (August 6, 1889 – July 4, 1913) was an American racing driver. He competed in the first two Indianapolis 500 races as well as two "pre-500 era" races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1910, finishing second in a 100-mile race.

In the inaugural Indianapolis 500, Knight swerved out of the way to save another driver who had left the pits with a broken steering knuckle, wrecking his car. Knight was regarded by some newspapers as the "Hero of Indianapolis," and it was said that had he not wrecked, he could have won the race. He had not led the race when the accident occurred. Knight suffered a severe brain concussion and bruises. According to eyewitnesses, the first words he cried were, “I didn’t hit him, I didn’t hit him!”

Knight and his riding mechanic Milton Michaelis were killed while racing in a 200-mile Championship Car race at the Columbus Driving Park, a 1-mile dirt oval, in July 1913.

Motorsports career results

Indianapolis 500 results

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Also known as
Harry C. Knight

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Harry Knight's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Harry Knight?

American racing driver (1889–1913)

When was Harry Knight born?

Harry Knight was born on 6 August 1889 in Jonesboro.

When did Harry Knight die?

Harry Knight died on 4 July 1913.

What was Harry Knight's occupation?

Harry Knight was an engineer.

What nationality was Harry Knight?

Harry Knight was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Harry Knight

· Wikidata: Q5670339

· DBpedia: Harry Knight (racing driver)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Harry Knight. https://biography.guide/harry-knight/

MLA: "Harry Knight." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/harry-knight/.

Chicago: "Harry Knight." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/harry-knight/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-25 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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