Auto Racing History

It is not uncommon to find auto racing fans curious about the history of auto racing. This exciting sport is accompanied by an equally exciting history. Automobile racing initially began in France. With the invention of petrol fueled cars, this sport first came into existence in the year 1895. Also known as auto racing, motor racing, and car racing, it was instantly recognized as an exhilarating sport. Not surprisingly, it has earned immense popularity all over the world with various organizations arranging different types of auto mobile racing events annually

The first automobile racing event was held by a Paris magazine known as the Le Perit Journal in the year 1894. It was a reliability test to evaluate the best execution. However the course of the race was altered to Paris to Rouen. The auto manufacturers joining the competition were Gottlieb Daimler, Wilhelm Maybach and Karl Benz. After the transit of a year, the first actual race was organized from the city of Paris to Bordeaux. Emile Levassor was the first driver to cross over the finish line. Nevertheless, he was disqualified as he was not using a four-seater which was a requirement for the race.

Sponsored Link

It was only a matter of time before auto mobile racing would gain recognition in other parts of the world. On November 28, 1895, the first auto mobile race has held in the United States. It was organized in Evanston, Illinois over a 87.48 kilometers or a 54.36 miles course. Frank Duryea was the first to finish the race, by defeating three petrol-fueled and two electric cars. It took him ten hours and twenty-three minutes to complete the race. The first ever trophy that was conferred was the Vanderbilt Cup made especially for the occasion.

Overshadowing others in auto design and racing, the French automobile club ACF organized various international racing competitions of prominence. These races often took place in Paris, either starting from it or ending at it, in connection to another major city of France or Europe. These city to city races were very popular competitions until 1903 when they had to end. That year Marcel Renault was involved in a deadly accident near Angouleme in the Paris to Madrid race. There were nine fatalities reported in the accident. Taking serious note of the matter, the French government decided not only to end the race in Bordeaux but also to put a permanent stop to open-road racing.

Initially costly road cars were used in racing competitions. However, the 1930s saw the shift from these expensive road cars to pure race cars. Companies including Delahaye, Auto Union, Delage, Bugatti, and Merceded-Benz, designed streamlined vehicles whose engines produced maximum 450 kW (612 hp). This was assisted by multiple-stage supercharging. In between the years 1928 and 1930, and again in between 1934 and 1936, a rule came into existence allowing no more than 750 kilograms of weight. This is antithetical to the present racing rules. Manufacturers were required to make ample use of aluminum alloys to satisfy the weight limitation in cars. Mercedes-Benz manufactured its famous Silver Arrows whose paint was taken off to achieve light weight.

Another racing form, midget car racing first began in May 1934 at the Gilmore Stadium. Its popularity increased at the track and sustained even after the track closed in the middle of the twentieth century. Midget cars have a very high power-to-weight ratios as they are very small race cars. They usually have a four-cylinder engine. Their name does not indicate that they cannot be used by average-sized racers. Midget car racing branched out to various parts of the world.

If one is more interested in learning about the history of auto racing, one should subscribe to Vintage Motorsport, the Journal of Motor Racing History. It contains numerous articles and photographs of historic sporting events, sportsmen, and the people who have been involved with this exciting sport.