Auburn and Cord were part of the Grand Trinity of classic automobiles, alongside Duesenberg, and each played prominent roles in racing history. Established in 1900 by the Eckhart family, Auburn saw its early models compete successfully in the speed and reliability trials of the day, and later Auburns used powerful Lycoming engines to set speed records at Bonneville, Muroc, and Atlantic City. In 1930, an Auburn racecar competed in the Indianapolis 500, which was paced by a Cord L-29. E.L. Cord began by building racecars from old cars and selling them for a profit, then as an entrepreneur developed some of the most spectacular cars of their age. Inspired by the engineering of Harry Miller's Indianapolis 500-dominating racecars, he purchased the production car rights to front-drive technology and created the landmark Cord L-29. Cord's connection to racing extended beyond design to frequent competition and many speed and endurance records at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.