Joseph Horan was born in Troy, New York on November 6, 1878. He passed away on February 19, 1961. After being injured in speed trials for the 1911 Indianapolis 500, he did participate in the 1912 Indy. As a pioneer race car driver, he set the American speed record at the 1910 Atlanta Motor Speedway, 250 mile race, with an average speed of 72.23 MPH.