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Chicago Times-Herald race
The Chicago Times-Herald race was the first automobile race held in the United States. Sponsored by the Chicago Times-Herald, the race was held in Chicago in 1895 among six automobiles: four gasoline and two electric, all four-wheelers. It was won by Frank Duryea's Motorized Wagon. The race created considerable publicity for the motocycle, which had been introduced in the United States only two years earlier.
On July 10, 1895, the Chicago Times-Herald announced a race to be held in the city with prizes totaling $5,000 (approximately $193,500 in 2025). Hermann H.Kohlsaat, the proprietor of the Times-Herald, put up the prize-money to foster the growth of the young auto industry in the United States and to boost sales of his newspaper. The first automobiles in the nation were produced only two years earlier, and they were so new at the time that the paper's editors hoped to establish a more forward-looking name for what were then called "horseless carriages" or "motor wagons". A competition for a new name with a prize of $500 preceded the race. The editors selected the term "Motocycle" and used it in their reporting, but it never gained populartity.
The original course of the race was from Chicago north to Milwaukee, but the roads were found to be too poor for early cars to traverse easily. The route was changed to be to Waukegan and back, a distance of 100 miles, and the date of the race was set as 2 November 1895.
The contest rules published before the race stated the following prizes were available.
By 1 November, the day before the race, it had become clear that, while many wished to take part, few were ready to do so. The race was rescheduled to Thanksgiving Day and the next day's event turned into an Exhibition Run of 100 miles to Waukegan and back. A purse of $500 would be divided equally among those participants who returned within 13 hours.
Only two cars started: a Benz Vis-à-vis driven by Oscar B.Mueller of Decatur, Ill; and a Duryea Motor Wagon driven by J.Frank Duryea of Springfield, Mass.
The Duryea led from the start, then a chain snapped. It took 48 minutes for a blacksmith to repair the damage and Mueller's Benz took the lead. The Duryea suffered a smash on a narrow road at Prairie View. Duryea blew his whistle to alert a farmer with a team in the road. The farmer and Duryea both headed to the left and Duryea drove into a ditch to avoid a collision. One wheel was wrecked and the vehicle had to be hauled to the nearest railway station and sent back by rail.
The day was very hot and the Benz struggled in the heat: two big cans of ice were strapped to the water jacket of the cylinder to keep it cool. More ice was taken on during the journey. The Benz's cruising speed was 12mph; in places it had to be pushed up hills. Running time was 8 hours 44 minutes, elapsed time 9 hours 30 minutes Having completed the course within the 13 hours, Mueller received the entire purse of $500.
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Chicago Times-Herald race
The Chicago Times-Herald race was the first automobile race held in the United States. Sponsored by the Chicago Times-Herald, the race was held in Chicago in 1895 among six automobiles: four gasoline and two electric, all four-wheelers. It was won by Frank Duryea's Motorized Wagon. The race created considerable publicity for the motocycle, which had been introduced in the United States only two years earlier.
On July 10, 1895, the Chicago Times-Herald announced a race to be held in the city with prizes totaling $5,000 (approximately $193,500 in 2025). Hermann H.Kohlsaat, the proprietor of the Times-Herald, put up the prize-money to foster the growth of the young auto industry in the United States and to boost sales of his newspaper. The first automobiles in the nation were produced only two years earlier, and they were so new at the time that the paper's editors hoped to establish a more forward-looking name for what were then called "horseless carriages" or "motor wagons". A competition for a new name with a prize of $500 preceded the race. The editors selected the term "Motocycle" and used it in their reporting, but it never gained populartity.
The original course of the race was from Chicago north to Milwaukee, but the roads were found to be too poor for early cars to traverse easily. The route was changed to be to Waukegan and back, a distance of 100 miles, and the date of the race was set as 2 November 1895.
The contest rules published before the race stated the following prizes were available.
By 1 November, the day before the race, it had become clear that, while many wished to take part, few were ready to do so. The race was rescheduled to Thanksgiving Day and the next day's event turned into an Exhibition Run of 100 miles to Waukegan and back. A purse of $500 would be divided equally among those participants who returned within 13 hours.
Only two cars started: a Benz Vis-à-vis driven by Oscar B.Mueller of Decatur, Ill; and a Duryea Motor Wagon driven by J.Frank Duryea of Springfield, Mass.
The Duryea led from the start, then a chain snapped. It took 48 minutes for a blacksmith to repair the damage and Mueller's Benz took the lead. The Duryea suffered a smash on a narrow road at Prairie View. Duryea blew his whistle to alert a farmer with a team in the road. The farmer and Duryea both headed to the left and Duryea drove into a ditch to avoid a collision. One wheel was wrecked and the vehicle had to be hauled to the nearest railway station and sent back by rail.
The day was very hot and the Benz struggled in the heat: two big cans of ice were strapped to the water jacket of the cylinder to keep it cool. More ice was taken on during the journey. The Benz's cruising speed was 12mph; in places it had to be pushed up hills. Running time was 8 hours 44 minutes, elapsed time 9 hours 30 minutes Having completed the course within the 13 hours, Mueller received the entire purse of $500.
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