What was to become the "World's Greatest College Weekend" was created by Howard S. Wilcox, then Executive Director of the Indiana University Foundation, in 1950. An IU Foundation Student Committee had been formed to raise awareness of the IU Foundation on campus. It did that in only sixty days, and Wilcox was searching for a new challenge to present to the highly motivated students.

Howdy Wilcox fondly remembers the inspiration for a bicycle race patterned after the Indianapolis 500, a race his father had won in 1919. "One evening, I heard a large commotion and walked over to some dormitories on the north-east side of the campus. There I saw four bicycle riders racing around a dormitory, with several girls leaning out of windows, cheering them. They were having a wonderful time!"

"I convened the Student Foundation committee, told them what I had seen and asked if they thought we could stage a bicycle race...and promote it as a means of raising scholarship money for students working their way through school. The response was unanimous...The Little 500 was born."

In the beginning, team members and enthusiastic fans would gather in what is today the Arboretum to witness the men's race. Over the years the single race moved to Bill Armstrong Stadium and blossomed into a wide range of events, from the Little 500 Biathlon to the Mini 500 trike race to the Golf Jamboree. All the activities culminate one weekend in April that has become synonymous with Indiana University.

The Oscar-winning motion picture, "Breaking Away," brought moviegoers from all over the world into the heart of Bloomington and the excitement of the Little 500. This national exposure caused CBS, ESPN, OLN and HDNet to show the race on live and taped television. Celebrities such as Bob Hope, David Letterman, Fuzzy Zoeller, John Mellencamp, and world champion cyclist Lance Armstrong draw the national spotlight with them when they come to Bloomington to enjoy the great festivities. And of course, the thousands of students who have experienced the suspense and excitement of the race over the years have returned time and time again, bringing new families, new friends and new enthusiasm.

The Little 500 is one of the most unique events in the country. Teams of four ride laps around a quarter-mile cinder track and exchange their bike to a teammate once too tired to continue. The races have evolved into a competition that places fraternities and sororities, residence halls and independent teams in a battle for the ultimate bragging rights of Little 500 winner. Teams have increased their efforts and concentration on the race. This increased effort has resulted in progressively better completion times and progressively closer finishes. In recent years the winners are often determined in the final hundred yards and the final tenths of a second.

In addition to the excitement of the competition, the race has another side. Since its beginning in 1951, the Little 500 has provided an opportunity for students to get involved and express their university spirit. In its first year, the Student Foundation raised enough money to award sixty $100 scholarships to working students. Today, it proudly boasts that this sum has reached over $1,000,000 in scholarship money. Through years of changing trends, the purpose of the event remains the same - "Helping those who help themselves."

After the tragedies of September 11th, 2001, IUSF established the Nine-Eleven Scholarship Fund from 2002 Little 500 race proceeds to memorialize the loss of three IU-Bloomington undergraduate's fathers and the impact on our entire campus community. Little 500 race proceeds, along with alumni and other contributions, raised over $100,000 for the fund, which will yearly provide three $1,500 scholarships for IU-Bloomington students.

As our world changes, the Little 500 may alter times, places, or themes, but the underlying goal will always be to provide scholarships and leadership opportunities for Indiana University undergraduate students.