Paige, and some racing history.

[wayne sheldon]

I occasionally jump into discussions concerning a Paige with a short overview of what I think is an historically undervalued car company, Paige Detroit. I often mention in those, that although the Paige Company rarely sponsored its cars in racing events, they were a marque favored by some independent racers. It is well known that a Paige raced to the top of Pikes Peak in 1921, although its record was "unofficial", it was also unbeaten for a short while. It is also fairly well known that in 1916, a little known race driver by the name of E. L. Cord drove a Paige to a win in a 273 mile race across the desert to Phoenix Arizona. E. L. Cord later became famous for Auburn Cord and Duesenberg automobiles. He beat many experienced drivers in cars including National, Stutz, and Franklin (which had a tremendous reputation for winning desert races due to their light weight and air cooling).

 

Now, I have been a bit slow in my reading lately. So I just read my January/February "Horseless Carriage Gazette". In it is an excellent article about the 1914 Cactus Derby race, from Los Angeles to Phoenix. The primary point of the article is about Barney Oldfield, and his win in a Stutz Indianapolis 500 racing car. However, look a bit closer. Not one, but two Paige automobiles were entered into that race. 

So, who came in second?  A driver by the name of L. Nikrent in a Paige. And where did the other Paige (driven by a man named Beaudet) end up? Why, in third place. Those two Paiges beat another Stutz and a Cole to the finish, as well as several other cars, and several that did not finish. Other cars included a Cadillac, a Thomas, a Simplex, a Kissel Kar, and an Alco.

 

Not bad for a car whose company president chose to NOT race the company cars because a good friend of his was injured in a racing incident, and he didn't want to risk  being responsible for the possibility of someone being killed in a company racing endeavor.

[ron hausmann]

Thanks Wayne,

The Kissel Company management likewise did not sponser Kissel Kars in races. However it seems that a few independent Kissel owners themselves did occasionally compete in races, and there are records of them keeping up with Duesenbergs and Frontenacs. Kissel did however sponser many long-distance endurance rides, including the Pike's Peak trek, hill-climbs in San Francisco in third gear, and a few cross-country excursions. Amelia Earhart actually drove her Kissel with her mother across the USA on her own ( a 1923 Kissel Gold Bug she called her "kizzel" ). Kissels were more happy at a country club rather than a finish line!

Thanks for sharing!.

RON

[wayne sheldon]

Thank you Ron H! Kissel is another marque I have liked and followed for many years. I considered buying a ('27?) Kissel almost thirty years ago. I often wonder whatever became of it (I actually asked you about it here a couple years ago). About a year later I got a '25 Pierce Arrow series 80, which I later needed to sell when purchasing a home.

A couple years ago, while riding with a friend on a Horseless Carriage club tour, we had the pleasure of following a Kissel Gold Bug for about thirty miles. What a beautiful sight cruising around Califunny back country.

 

Harry Jewett was a fascinating man. He pulled the Paige automobile from the brink of failure and made it into one of the more profitable midsize automobile manufacturing companies in the country. After 1913, Paige Detroit lost money in only one year under Jewett's direction. That due to the post-war recession of 1921 (also the only year that Ford lost money on the model T).

Among the "official" company sponsored events were several reliability and economy runs by the new companion car Jewett in the early '20s.

 

There are so many wonderful marques of automobiles, so much interesting history to learn. I always enjoy reading your posts.

[supercargirl]

Wayne,

 

A Graham Paige  raced in the  1931 Mille Miglia.  I have a thread on the site looking for information on the car but I was able to get some great information about Graham Paige's racing in Europe.  They were very successful race cars.  I think I posted some of the races on the thread.  Also if anyone can help me identify the car the search for answers is still on.

Kelly

Edited June 11, 2018 by supercargirl (see edit history)

[Aussie_610]

Ok, here is some information I have garnered over the years.

 

in the early 1920s they also raced and wont at Daytona beach.  The specific car ended up in Australia.  It had a German Silver radiator surround.  I saw the engine while it was being rebuilt.  It had been through a bush-fire and the block was slightly bent.  No matter they recovered t and the car was rebuilt.  it sat fir a couple of years in a car sale showroom as a display and then was sold at auction in Sydney.  I believe the car then went overseas.

 

Over here in Australia the local distributor was Walther Whitbourne..  He was a regular competitor over here through the 1920s and up to 1934 when he had a a rater nasty accident in his Graham Paige Special and gave up racing.

 

I have seen picture from newspaper articles of the  1925 Paige boat-tail racer that he successfully campaigned from  1925 through to 1931.  There is also records of him winning a hill-climb in November 1928 is a standard 610 sedan and a 619 Special.  he also regularly campaigned the 619 Special for a number of years and also competed in a number of regulatory trials in 610 sedans.

 

The Queensland distributor was also a keen competitor and was regularly seen competing in a 615 sedan in 1929.