1914 American Grand Prize facts for kids

The 1914 American Grand Prize was a big car race held on February 28, 1914. It was the third race of the 1914 Grand Prix season, a series of important car races. This exciting event took place on the Santa Monica Road Course in Santa Monica, California. The famous Vanderbilt Cup race also happened on the same track just two days earlier. In the end, Eddie Pullen, driving a Mercer car, won the race by a huge lead of almost 40 minutes over Guy Ball in his Marmon car.

What Was the 1914 American Grand Prize?

The American Grand Prize was a major car race in the early 1900s. It brought together the best drivers and fastest cars of the time. These races were a big deal, drawing large crowds of fans. They helped show off new car technologies and the skill of the drivers.

The Race Location: Santa Monica Road Course

The 1914 American Grand Prize was held on the Santa Monica Road Course. This was not a special racetrack built just for racing. Instead, it used public roads in Santa Monica, California. Drivers raced their powerful cars on streets that people normally used for everyday travel.

• The course was 8.417 miles (13.546 kilometers) long.
• Drivers had to complete 48 laps of this challenging course.
• This meant the total race distance was over 400 miles (650 kilometers)!

The Vanderbilt Cup Connection

Just two days before the American Grand Prize, another important race called the Vanderbilt Cup was held. It took place on the exact same Santa Monica Road Course. Having two big races so close together made for an exciting week for racing fans in Santa Monica. It showed how popular car racing was becoming in the United States.

Race Highlights and the Winner

The 1914 American Grand Prize was a long and tough race. Drivers had to push their cars and themselves to the limit for hours. Many cars faced problems like engine trouble or running out of fuel. Only a few drivers managed to finish the entire race.

Eddie Pullen was the big winner, driving his Mercer car. He finished the 48 laps in 5 hours, 13 minutes, and 30 seconds. This was an amazing performance, showing how skilled he was as a driver. His victory by nearly 40 minutes was a huge achievement in such a demanding race.

Top Finishers of the Race

Here are the top drivers who finished the 1914 American Grand Prize:

Pos	No	Driver	Car	Laps	Time/Retired
1	4	Eddie Pullen	Mercer	48	5:13:30
2	17	Guy Ball	Marmon	48	5:53:23
3	6	William Taylor	Alco	48	6:08:29
4	12	Ralph DePalma	Mercedes	48	6:09:08
5	3	Gil Andersen	Stutz-Wisconsin	44	Engine
6	9	Huntley Gordon	Mercer	39	+9 Laps
7	7	Barney Oldfield	Mercer	36	Fuel Pump
8	20	Eddie Rickenbacker	Mason-Duesenberg	33	Crankshaft
9	14	John Marquis	Sunbeam	32	Crash
10	15	Charles Muth	Marmon	23	Out of fuel
11	19	Tony Janette	Alco	23	Broken cylinder
12	2	Spencer Wishart	Mercer	22	Bearing
13	16	Dave Lewis	Fiat	22	Bearing
14	1	Teddy Tetzlaff	Fiat	17	Connecting rod guide
15	11	Frank Goode	Apperson	17	Push rod
16	8	Earl Cooper	Stutz-Wisconsin	5	Valve
17	18	Frank Verbeck	Fiat	1	Valve