acegear
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Joined: 22 Oct 2004
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Location: Enumclaw, WA
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 Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2005 12:36 am Post subject: Daytona History - The Early Days |
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By January 1904, the Winter Speed Carnival had become the talk of the motorsports world giving it a prominent status among the rich enthusiasts of the day. Several teams had checked into Hotel Ormond weeks in advance and were itching to get out onto the beach.
"Gasoline Alley" was first coined in this period of time. Most know this now as the name for the garage area at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, however the original "Gasoline Alley" was established during the heyday of the Carnival just off Granada Ave in Ormond, FL. Stretching between a garage built by Hotel Ormond owner Henry Flagler for the Carnival and a dormatory for the racers, this "Gasoline Alley" featured anyone who was anyone in the motorsports world working on thier race cars including Henry Ford himself.
Two weeks before the beginning of the 1904 edition of the Carnival, William Morgan received a huge boost for his event. Henry Ford had established a new world speed record of 91.37 mph in his "999" racer on the ice of Lake St. Claire in Michigan. Not only was this a new record, but one set by and American and was in the headlines across the nation.
Henry Ford's "999" Racer
Finally Willie Vanderbilt could wait no longer. On January 27th, a day before the event was to officially open, Willy asked the officals if he could make a run. Not one to deny a Vanderbilt, Morgan gave the go-ahead. Cranking up all 90 hp of his Mercedes, Vanderbilt thundered down the course at 92.308 mph. But this was just the beginning of the meet. Alexander Winton had brought a 90 hp "Bullet II" to be driven by Barney Oldfield.
The second Winter Speed Carnival had brought out so many cars that there was plenty of head-to-head competition to be had. Oldfield and Vanderbilt both won thier heats on thier way to the finals. In only day two of the meet, Oldfield and Vanderbilt met in the finals of the "over 2000 lb" class. Rocketing down the course, eyewitness accounts have Oldfield winning by 100 yards over Vanderbilt.
Although Barney had beat Willie Vanderbilt in head-to-head competition, Willie still owned the world record. In fact, over the course of January and February of 1904, eleven world records and four American records were set. Arriving home in New York, Willie set out to organize and bankroll the Vanderbilt Cup races which have also become a part of motorsports folklore.
1905 saw an even greater assemblage of motorsports icons on the beaches of Daytona. Vanderbilt was back with a new Mercedes, H.L. Bowden brought a twin-engined Mercedes powered monster, and even Henry Ford was there with his new "666" racer. Barney Oldfield had become the first professional car racer choosing money over competitiveness by driving the underpowered, 60 hp Peerless.
Winton's "Bullet II"
All these big names were overshadowed by one name, Frank Crocker. Frank was the 27 year old son of New York political boss, Richard Crocker. Driving a Simplex, Crocker was thundering down the beach when a motorcyclist veered into his path causing Crocker to swerve and sending his car into a roll throwing both him and his mechanic from the car. Both men were killed becoming the first, but definitely not the last to be killed at Daytona.
By 1906, the gentlemen racers were above taking the risk themselves so they hired the first professional race car drivers to do thier dirty work. J. Walter Christie had Louis Chevrolet, Fiat sent Vincenzo Lancia, and Barney Oldfield was back. Then there was Hemery. This firey Frenchman was the bane of races everywhere having been banned from racing in his native France, and not welcome in Italy.
Hemery headlined a 4 car group from Darracq in France. This car was a massive machine equiped with a 200hp V8. Initially the one of the Darracq's was ruled too heavy to compete. Going against all modern racing knowledge, early officials didn't have an understanding of aerodynamic downforce we have today. More weight meant the vehicle sat lower. It also meant that the vehicle could gain more traction in the slippery sands of Daytona where racers often had problems with tire slippage.
Darracq V8 Racer
Furious, Hemery withdrew all four cars until race officials reviewed the rules again and determined they had misinterpreted thier own rules. But this was just the beginning of Hemery's tantrum. In the head-to-head portion of the meet, Hemrey lined up against American Fred Marriot in a Stanley Steamer, and H. W. Fletcher in a Fiat. Hemrey and Fletcher left Marriot behind in the Steamer. Now depending on who's version you believe, Hemrey was either accused of a false start and refused to a restart, or Hemrey had tried to catch Marriots cedar and canvas bodied Steamer on fire with the exhaust from his massive V8. Either way, Hemrey was disqualified from the Carnival, fired from his team, and promptly replaced by Louis Chevrolet. Chevrolet would go on to team with Victor Demogeot and give Darracq three record runs that year. And Marriot would recover to push the little Stanley Steamer to a new world record of 127.660 mph.
Stanley Steamer "Rocket"
Marriots troubles were just beginning in the Stanley Steamer. The 1907 Winter Speed Carnival was in its 4th year and the new year brought higher speeds than ever. Marriot was blazing down the course at what most estimates would place at 150 and 197 mph, when he lost control and rolled the vehicle. Now in those days speed was the only concern from the racers. Safety didn't even enter the equation. Even today, rolling at 150 mph in a NASCAR car can be pretty horrific, although quite survivable. Fred Marriot did not have the benefit of any safety equipment including helmet or seat belt. All he had was a pair of goggles to keep the sand out of his eyes. Miraculously, Marriot survived and recovered. He had been found amongst the wreckage, bruised and beaten, with his worst injury an eyeball popped out of the socket. With the assitance of a spoon a local physician popped the yeball back in no worse for wear.
In these early years, most racers despised the quiet, quick, and very fast steam powered cars. So an informal boycott took place in 1907 by the traditional internal-combustion racers because of a preceived acceleration advantage by the steamers. Not wanting a repeat for 1908, Morgan changed the rules in thier favor.
Due to the war over the "non-traditional" powered vehicles, Morgan turned to distance racing. Most races were over 100 mile, and only 9 cars showed up to compete. With attention turning back to Europe and the new aeroplane, Morgan introduced air races in 1909, but even that couldn't stop the steady decline of the event. Finally in 1910, Barney Oldfield revived the event for one more year with a run of 131.723 mph in the "Lightning Benz". However, the Winter Speed Carnival was over, having brought automobile speed to the forefront of the nation's conscienceness, this event was only a preview of things to come.
Barney Oldfield in the Lightning Benz
To be continued...
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