Race Car Driver. Pioneer of open-wheel racing which would later become known as Indy Car Racing. At the age of 17 in 1905, he was hired by Arthur C. Newby to drive one of his open cockpit National Motor Vehicle Company stock cars at the Indiana State Fairgrounds one-mile dirt oval track. He led the race until lap 80 when a blown tire sent him crashing through a wood fence. Watching the event, Carl G. Fisher, who would later found the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, saw an opportunity to promote American automobiles and organized a 24 hour distance run at the Indiana State Fairgrounds on November 17 and November 18, 1905. Drivers struggled through the night on a track illuminated by lamps, driving in 30 minute stints and freezing conditions. At the end of the race, Merz and his teammate, W.F. "Jap" Clemens, set a distance record of 1,094.19 miles or 1,760.93 km. He competed in the first car racing event at the newly built Indianapolis Motor Speedway, held as a three day event on August 19, 1909 through August 21, 1909. On the third day of racing, 35,000 spectators showed up to watch the grand finale 300 mile race.175 miles into the race, Merz's right front tire blew out and sent him into the track's outer fence, killing two spectators and his riding mechanic, Claude Kellum. Although he survived the accident unscathed, he left racing for nine months. He returned to racing after the track was repaved with bricks, competing in the Indianapolis 500 four times and finishing in the top 10 three times. His best and most spectacular finish was third place in 1913. His engine burst into flames in the next to the last lap, and he came down the homestretch with his mechanic, Harry Martin, leaning out of the cockpit and beating at the flames with his jacket. He retired from racing at the age of 27 and founded Merz Engineering twelve years later in 1939. He served as Chief Steward for the Indianapolis 500 from 1935 through 1939. He died at his home just outside of Indianapolis at the age of 64.