The Indianapolis line in three distinct forms — test drivers, the builder who raced there, the home starter — all three South Bend's, none Granger's

1930–1951 · Indianapolis Motor Speedway (boundary test)

The three forms, never merged: (1) The test drivers. Luther Alexander Johnson (born 19 July 1903, South Bend; died 12 April 1978, South Bend) was a Studebaker test driver from the company's South Bend works who drove the factory Studebaker Specials at Indianapolis: three 500 starts — 1931 (20th, crash), 1932 (16th, lost wheel) and 1933 (10th, running at the finish). John Charles MacDonald, known as J. C. McDonald (23 December 1902 – 11 May 1966), was a Canadian racing driver who lived in South Bend; his only AAA Championship start was the 1930 Indianapolis 500, in a Studebaker special he designed and built himself, finishing 18th after a fuel-tank leak. (2) The builder who raced there. Charles "Charlie" Van Acker (born 14 March 1912, Brussels; died 31 May 1998, South Bend) started the 500 three times — 1947 (29th, crash), 1948 (11th) and 1949 (crash) — after failing to qualify in 1946, and was disqualified on physical grounds from the 1950 race following his 1949 crash; after racing he owned and operated the South Bend Motor Speedway, and he stands in the next articles as a builder of that track as well. (3) The home starter in the 500 itself. Mike Salay, born Michael Leo Szalai (10 June 1909, South Bend; died 14 November 1973, South Bend), made eight AAA Championship starts in 1948–49 including his one Indianapolis 500 start, in 1948 — started 31st, stalled after three laps, classified 30th; he attempted again in 1949 without qualifying and wrecked in practice for the 1951 race.

The Granger test, shown: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway rookie and starter rolls, the OldRacingCars Indianapolis 500 driver index searched by birthplace, Racing-Reference's Indiana driver listing searched by birthplace and home, and the standard biographical records for each name above were all run against Granger and against the Clay/Harris township line. Every one of the three forms resolves to South Bend — born South Bend, lived South Bend, died South Bend, or employed at the South Bend Studebaker works. No test driver, builder-driver or 500 starter born, raised or resident in the Granger CDP was found in any of those instruments. Verdict for this ground: tested negative, in all three forms distinctly.

Sources:

1. Indianapolis Motor Speedway / IMS rookie-by-year roll (Van Acker rookie 1947; Salay rookie 1948); Champ Car Stats and the standard career records for Luther Johnson (South Bend birth and death; 1931–33 Indy results), J. C. McDonald (lived in South Bend; 1930 start in his own Studebaker special) and Mike Salay (South Bend birth and death; 1948 start, 1951 practice wreck); OldRacingCars "Where are they now?" Indy 500 driver index, birthplace sweep; Racing-Reference Indiana driver list, searched November 2026.