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1914 American Grand Prize facts for kids

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1914 American Grand Prize
Race details
Date February 28, 1914
Official name V American Grand Prize
Location Santa Monica, United States
Course Public roads (Santa Monica Road Race Course)
Course length 13.546 km (8.417 mi)
Distance 48 laps, 650.201 km (404.016 mi)
Podium
First
  • United States Eddie Pullen
Mercer
Second
  • United States Guy Ball
Marmon
Third
  • United States William Taylor
Alco

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 United States Eddie Pullen Mercer 48 5:13:30
2 17 United States Guy Ball Marmon 48 5:53:23
3 6 United States William Taylor Alco 48 6:08:29
4 12 United States Ralph DePalma Mercedes 48 6:09:08
5 3 United States Gil Andersen Stutz-Wisconsin 44 Engine
6 9 United States Huntley Gordon Mercer 39 +9 Laps
7 7 United States Barney Oldfield Mercer 36 Fuel Pump
8 20 United States Eddie Rickenbacker Mason-Duesenberg 33 Crankshaft
9 14 United States John Marquis Sunbeam 32 Crash
10 15 United States Charles Muth Marmon 23 Out of fuel
11 19 United States Tony Janette Alco 23 Broken cylinder
12 2 United States Spencer Wishart Mercer 22 Bearing
13 16 United States Dave Lewis Fiat 22 Bearing
14 1 United States Teddy Tetzlaff Fiat 17 Connecting rod guide
15 11 United States Frank Goode Apperson 17 Push rod
16 8 United States Earl Cooper Stutz-Wisconsin 5 Valve
17 18 United States Frank Verbeck Fiat 1 Valve
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