by Tanya Smith

Created on: March 10, 2009   Last Updated: March 13, 2009

Birth of an American Racing Dream

Deep in the heart of Nascar country, lies an unlikely Southern city which was the birthplace of international road racing in America Savannah, Georgia, home the first American Grand Prix. It was November 26, 1908 when a heavy fog lifted from the oak and palm trees surrounding the beautiful city of Savannah. That Thanksgiving morning brought the fastest cars in the world, driven by some of the most sensational drivers of all time: Louis Wagner who later lost a leg, but kept racing, Victor Hemery, Felice Nazzaro the Speed King, and America's beloved Ralph De Palma who went on to dominate road racing for decades.

The course was an astonishing 25.13 miles in length with 32 turns and featured America's first named Victory Drive, a hauntingly beautiful street, which can still be driven today. It took 6 hours and 10 minutes to complete, which would compare well with the endurance races of today, like Le Mans and Petit Le Mans. With brand new technology to attract hundreds of thousands of people, the race was one of the largest events in motorsports history, bringing 250,000 spectators to the city. This number doubled by 1911 to half a million spectators! Every hotel room was packed literally wall-to-wall with people who had travelled to see the Great Race. They had come by train, ship, car, bicycle and on foot from every corner of America. Drivers arrived from all over the world to compete, including entries from Fiat, Benz, Buick, Renault, Clement-Bayard, Lozier, Simplex and Chadwick. Royalty and American nobility such as Horace Dodge and Henry Ford were in attendance. Even the President of Firestone Tires was part of the event and stayed in the City Jail, which was made into a hotel room for him!

It was a true David and Goliath story in motorsports, barely known to Americans today. A small Southern city with an abiding love for motorsports, bid against the giants for the largest race of the time and won. Savannah's bid won out over that of Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Atlanta and even Indianapolis. Their track was considered state-of-the-art road building, and President Taft brought State leaders from all over America to see it so they could model their own roads after the course. Some even attribute the rise of Indianapolis directly to Savannah, since they lost the bid for both largest races of the time for many years - The American Grand Prize and the Vanderbilt Cup - to Savannah and thus became determined to build a race just as grand for themselves. Even a ten thousand dollar bribe could not get it to Indy! There is a great deal to read on it at www.americangrandprize.com

The race was a thriller, with hairpin turns, and breathtaking excitement. It was won by the famous Frenchman Louis Wagner in his Fiat Supreme, with the Benz cars following closely behind him. Savannah was world-famous and the races continued there until 1911, when the Vanderbilt Cup and American Grand Prize were run together the equivalent of Nascar and Formula One racing on one super racing weekend. And of course, the race ended with a bang when driver Rene Hanriot in a Benz decided to back up over the course to return to his pit. His tires were shot out by Capt. Davant of the Georgia State Military who was ordered to protect the spectators who had no concrete barriers, just a "human fence" of 16,000 soldiers to protect them from being struck and keep them off the track! Grand Prix racing had its start and Savannah's heart would forever be linked with the automobile.

Learn more about this author, Tanya Smith.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.