VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – In the early 20th Century, Central Florida played an important part in the early days of auto racing, setting a number of land speed records that would give birth to the “World Center of Racing.”
According to Ormond Beach’s official website, the city became a proving ground for automobile inventors and drivers in the early 1900s. The hard-packed sands along the beach earned the city the title of “Birthplace of Speed.”
Motorcycle and automobile racers brought vehicles that used gasoline, steam and electric engines from France, Germany and England as well as from across the U.S. The records set in Ormond Beach during speed trial tournaments over the next eight years would be the first significant marks recorded outside of Europe.
The Ormond Garage was built in 1904 by Henry Flagler, owner of the iconic Ormond Hotel, but unfortunately, neither exist anymore. The garage caught fire and burned to the ground in 1976 and the historic hotel, which opened in 1888, was demolished in 1992 after several failed attempts restore it.
The Ormond Garage was used to accommodate race cars during the beach races and would house the drivers and mechanics during the speed time trials. Owners and manufacturers stayed at Flagler’s nearby Ormond Hotel that dominated the beachside skyline for years.
Racing on Ormond Beach started in 1902, according to the city, and American sped records were set the following year. In 1904, world records were set during the 1904 speed tournaments, including one for motorcycles that lasted for seven years.
In 1906, the “Stanley Rocket” – a steam car described as the “most aerodynamic racer of the day” – was brought to Ormond Beach to participate in an annual speed tournament. On Jan. 26, the vehicle set the mark that became Ormond Beach’s most famous land speed record reaching a speed of 127.659 mph.
Much of auto racing moved to Indianapolis in 1911, but it was not long before Bill France and friends started racing on the beach, beginning what later became NASCAR – which brings us slightly south to Daytona Beach.
According to Volusia County’s official website, in 1920 Tommy Milton first broke the 150 mph record in the “Duesenberg Special,” pictured below.
Just two years later, Sig Haughdahl reached a speed of 180 mph in his “Wisconsin Special” car which had an 836-cubic inch, 6-cylinder, airplane engine capable of producing 250 horsepower.
These records were attempted on the “Measured Mile,” which was an eleven mile stretch that began north of the Main Street Pier and ended near Ponce Inlet.
In 1927, Major H.O. D. Segrave arrived to chase the 200 mph barrier, and in the process propelled the area into the international spotlight.
Previous speed records were sanctioned by the Automobile Association of America (AAA), but were not certified world wide because they were not monitored by the Federation Internationale de L’Automobile in Paris, which was the recognized governing authority.
Segrave petitioned the FIA to certify the AAA as the official governing body for the timed events on the beach at Daytona and the rest is, well, history.
He also made his own history becoming first driver in America to wear a safety helmet, according to Volusia County government.
Later, on March 29, 1927, Segrave drove the Sunbeam Mystery “S” to a speedy 203.79 mph.
It was during this period that the Daytona Beach was dubbed “The World’s Most Famous Beach” by Jerome A. Burgman, a leader in the city.
Next, Sir Malcolm Campbell, a former military man and insurance writer for Lloyd’s of London, brought five “Bluebird’s” to Daytona Beach from 1928 through 1935, seeking to break the 300 mph barrier.
In 1935 Campbell, averaged a time of 276.82 mph. Drivers had to make two runs – one north and one driving south to eliminate any wind advantage. The speed record is the average of those two runs.
A year later, Campbell broke the 300 mph barrier at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah.
During Campbell’s record attempt in Daytona Beach, William Henry Getty France, or Bill France Sr., watched from the shore.
France is also known as the founding father of NASCAR.
By the late 1940s, France and others decided that the sport of motor racing needed a sanctioning body of its own. In 1947, France, Bill Tuthill and 18 “racing men” met at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach and formed the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, or NASCAR.
The men promoted races all over the South, but their main event was in Daytona Beach. France debuted the new beach track in Ponce Inlet in 1948 which featured one course for cars and one for motorcycles.
The 4.1 mile beach road course would travel north on the hard beach sand before turning left at the banked sand North Turn. Vehicles would then travel south on the two lane paved Atlantic Avenue until they reached the start/finish line at the banked sand South turn which would make one lap.
NASCAR sanctioned auto races on the beach from 1948 through 1958. Sanctioned motorcycle racing was conducted on the course from 1948 until 1960.
Realizing that a growing population and large crowds would become a problem for beach racing, France Sr. proposed building a permanent speedway facility in 1953.
In 1954, France signed a contract with City of Daytona Beach and Volusia County officials to build what would become Daytona International Speedway.
Daytona International Speedway, a 2.5-mile track, opened in 1959. The very first Daytona 500 took place on Feb. 22 in front of a crowd of over 41,000.
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