Harry Knight (racing driver)

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.