There being no purpose-built motorcycle racetracks in the sport's pioneering years, the first competitive events were held on existing velodromes built for cycle racing. Indian's co-founders George M Hendee and Carl Oscar Hedstrom had both been successful racing cyclists in their day and so were well aware of the valuable publicity to be gained from racetrack successes. Indeed, Hedstrom's interest in motorcycles had been kindled when he built a motorized pacer for use on cycle racing tracks, and Hendee's favorable impressions of this machine had brought the two men together. Indian was soon profiting from its products' competition successes, to such an extent that the firm was overwhelmed with orders and had to turn for assistance to the Aurora Automatic Machinery Company, of Aurora, Illinois, which from October 1902 was contracted to build the Hedstrom-designed engines under license.

At first, Indian motorcycles used in competition were modified road models, and not until 1908 did the Springfield company offer a purpose-built racing motorcycle for sale. The following year Messrs Hedstrom and Hendee opened their own home-town, pine-board motordrome in Springfield, thus providing Indian with its own test track and works rider 'Jake' DeRosier - one of motorcycle sport's first superstars - with a stage to showcase his immense talent.

The very first motorcycle to leave the Springfield factory in 1912, this Indian board-tracker was raced originally in the Mount Rainier area of Washington State. The motorcycle sports a 1911 top-end with more efficient exhaust flow from the front cylinder and is presented in complete, unrestored and original condition.