Race Car Drivers

On January 29, 1886, the German engine designer Carl Benz applied for a patent for his “vehicle powered by a gas engine.” The Mercedes-Benz Group AG says that this patent can be “regarded as the birth certificate of the automobile.” In the following years, Benz and other engineers continued to develop gas engine–powered vehicles. The human love of competition inevitably created contests between drivers to see whose vehicle was the fastest. The Chicago Times-Herald Race of 1895 was the first recorded auto race in the United States. Drivers faced treacherous winter conditions, with six inches of fresh snow and drifts of up to two feet, according to the Encyclopedia of Chicago. The rough weather winnowed the racers from 80 registered drivers to only six competitors. Only two drivers finished the race. The winner “crossed the finish line in 7 hours and 53 minutes later, with an average speed of 7 miles per hour,” according to the Encyclopedia of Chicago. “The official distance was 54.36 miles, and this was accomplished on 3.5 gallons of gas.” In the ensuing decades, organized vehicle racing became immensely popular and organizations such as the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (founded in 1948) and the National Hot Rod Association (1951) were founded to organize races and promote the sport. Today, the “global motorsports market is witnessing robust growth, fueled by the rising popularity of racing events, increased broadcasting revenues, and technological advancements in racing vehicles,” according to Market Data Forecast, a business intelligence, market research, and consulting firm.