Jump to content

1909 Chalmers racing dates


DJKSETX

Recommended Posts

I'm primarily a Hudson historians but since all the major characters one time owned chunks of Chalmers-Detroit company have followed them back. The young owners were interested in racing and by '09 had a semi-factory team that even prepared a special small bore motor to qualify for one event. The ads and various literature bits note a number of events, some without dates, drivers or other details. Below are 14 events with all the known facts from my files. The most import of course would be the dates and drivers. It should be possible to track the cars around the country for the season.

You can correspond directly at djksetx@yahoo.com, subject Chalmers Racing. Thanks. And yes I know about the Hammond book on Chalmers and he was a frequent correspondent before becoming sick. I wrote a 1000 word book review for the Society of Automotive Historians Journal awaiting publishing.

DJ Kava

Beaumont, TX 77706

1954 Hudson Hornet Special 2dr sd

1966 AMC Marlin

1968 AMC Rebel cv

1977 AMC Manador sd

1977 Coupe Deville

Undated 1909 Chalmers-Detroit Races

During 1909 the Chalmers-Detroit Company entered both Model 30 and Model 40 cars in numerous racing and endurance events. They are sometimes listed as 30 & 40 horsepower models.

__, 1909 Private Match Race, Pointe Breeze Track, Philadelphia, PA, CD40, driver Harvey Ringler. Match Race with Ira. L. Brown in a Buick. No stops 50 miles in 59 minutes and 46.5 seconds.

__, 1909 New Jersey Auto & Motor Club Endurance Run, CD30, Perfect Score photo shows license plate #6335.

__, 1909, Hartford Endurance Run, Hartford, CN, 40 Pony Tonneau, Lorimer. Won with Perfect Score.

___, 1909, _____, Columbus, OH, CD40, Lorimer. Won 25 mile race in 25:06 2/5.

___, 1909, Pointe Breeze Track in Philadelphia, CD40, Lorimer won 10 and 100 mile event.

___, 1909, Brighton Beach, 100 mile Marathon, Lorimer won 100 miles in 112 minutes.

___, 1909, Bridgeport, CN Hill Climb, 40 & 30, Lorimer & ? Set new records for course twice in a day. Touring car and Roadster classes $2,001-3,000. Time for Roadster 1:16 2/3. The 30 won its class. [The Champion Car p24]

___, 1909, Altadena Hill Climb, Pasadena, CA, CD40, Won Free For All for stock cars taking Perpetual Challenge Trophy, won the event for roadsters from $2,00-3,00 class. Driver unknown.

___, 1909, Plainfield, NJ, CD40, George Rankin winner $2,000-3,000 class.

___, 1909, Shingle Hill Climb, New Haven, CN, 40, won.

___, 1909, Fort George Hill Climb, New York City, CD40, Knipper won in $2,000-3,000 class.

___, 1909, Columbus, Ohio. Lorimer won 100 mile race in 112 minutes.

___, 1909, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, PA

CD 40 driven by Dingley(?) defeated 15 bigger cars, one 90hp, four 70hp, seven 60hp, three 50hp, beaten by 90hp car. Awarded ?Consistency Prize? because it did not stop a single time.

May ___, 1909, Harvard Trophy, Readville nr Boston. Lorimer placed 2nd in race for Harvard Trophy; 25 miles in 24 min 45 sec, forced a specially constructed foreign racer to establish a new world?s record for that distance. Car #23.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
Guest kmwntx

DJ-

I tried to contact you through your email, but no reply. I have the exact date of one of the 1909 races... The New Brighton Beach Casino Cup was held on July 30, 1909 and won by Lee Lorimer. I have the winning trophy.

KMW

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi 1937hd45

Its not that there is no interest there are not many Chalmers out there. I run the Chalmers Registry and we only have about 35 people on the internet. Some of them barely know how to get their email. We have 130 cars listed and more then half are only parts and not cars. I beleive there are less then 300 cars remaining. I don't see were you posted the pictures? Can you email them to me at chalmersregistry@aol.com I have been collecting all the information I can.

Joe A. Chalmers Registry

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...
  • 3 years later...

$(KGrHqN,!qkFDkQhHZgbBRDusHoPCQ~~60_57.JPG

Here is a trophy I recently acquired. It says " FIRST PRIZE 5 Mile Stock Car Race Elk's Outing July 15-1909"...Engraved on the other side..."Won by W.L. Farrant's Chalmers Detroit Thirty driven by A.C. Neunither". I am the owner of a 1910 Chalmers Detroit 30 and thought that this trophy would be nice to display with the car. To date I have not been able to find any documentation or other information about this race. Do you have any history you can share with me? If not, do you have suggestions where I might be able to find any?

Thanks ..... Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Hi Paul,

What a great piece of history to have with your car, I am new to this forum and new to Chalmers cars, I have just finished my rebuild of a 1913 "36 model 17" in the style of one of the original racers.

Chalmers020_zps87aa6e11.jpg

I hope you like the way it looks, it has been finished in the "oily rag style" of finish and is entered in a sprint at a vintage car meeting in May.

Andy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...