| Blue 92 |
04-07-2013 1:21pm |
Did anyone know?
Article in today's Columbus Dispatch?
Anyone know of a 24 hour endurance race prior to 1905?
Endurance car racing started here
Quote:
Endurance car racing started here
Today, endurance auto racing brings to mind places such as Daytona, Fla., and Le Mans, France. But the world had its first taste of 24-hour auto racing here in Columbus.
Driving Park on the South Side was the site of the world’s first 24-hour auto race in July 1905.
Earlier 24-hour events were engineering tests of the vehicle’s endurance and attempts to set distance records. The Columbus event was the first organized as a race pitting driver against driver and machine against machine before spectators.
The race was described as a competition for the “world’s long-distance championship.” A $500 silver trophy was offered by Hoster-Columbus, a local brewing company.
Four cars were entered: a Frayer-Miller, a Pope-Toledo, a Peerless (owned by a member of the Hoster family) and a White Steamer.
The driver of the White Steamer fell ill, and that car was withdrawn. The remaining three started off at 2 p.m. on July 3.
Promoters had anticipated that the cars would break 1,000 miles. But a record was not to be, and the race ended at 2 p.m. on July 4 with the Pope-Toledo winning, covering 828.5 miles.
A protest was filed by the drivers of the Frayer-Miller and the Peerless, alleging that the Pope-Toledo was a ringer. They claimed it had been sent from the factory with an engine built for racing and wasn’t the driver’s own automobile.
A protest in auto racing? Some things never change.
According to Dispatch coverage of the race, the referee said the finish would stand unless the allegation could be proved.
— Julie Albert
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