1916 American Grand Prize

August 2023 GP American Grand Prize November 18 1916 VII American Grand Prize United States Santa Monica, United States Public roads 8.402 13.519 48 403.312 648.934 Ed Ruckstell Mercer   United States 1912 Howdy Wilcox Peugeot United States Johnny Aitken United States 1912 Earl Cooper Stutz United States Art Patterson Hudson United States 1912 thumb|left|1916 Race Program The 1916 American Grand Prize was a Grand Prix auto race that took place at Santa Monica, California, on November 18, 1916. Summary The race was included on the 1916 AAA National Championship Trail. The race carried championship implications for Dario Resta and Johnny Aitken. Aitken led Resta by 240 points before the Vanderbilt Cup, held two days before the Grand Prize, with a 150-mile event at Ascot Park two weeks after.none Detroit News 7 November 1916 15 Resta won the Cup and earned 900 points, while Aitken was forced out on lap 19 with a broken valve.1916 William K. Vanderbilt Cup http://www.champcarstats.com/races/191613.htm Champ Car Stats 16 August 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20120601101416/http://www.champcarstats.com/races/191613.htm 1 June 2012 live Resta held a 660-point lead entering the Grand Prize, with 1000 available to the winner. As World War I was waged in Europe, the cars were all American-entered, including two Peugeots entered by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Aitken and Howdy Wilcox. Aitken's race ended on lap 1, with a broken piston, while Resta raced into the lead. The IMS team attempted to flag Wilcox into the pits for Aitken to take over the car, but the AAA officials denied them the change. By lap 9, Resta led from Ed Ruckstell's Mercer, the Stutz of Earl Cooper, and Eddie Rickenbacker's Duesenberg. On lap 13, Lewis Jackson's Marmon went through a barrier, killing Jackson and three spectators. On lap 16, Resta experienced a misfire, and retired soon after. On lap 20, Aitken replaced Wilcox in an attempt to gain as many championship points as he could. (The AAA, however, had set a precedent at Indianapolis by not awarding points to Eddie Rickenbacker in his relief drive.) Aitken led the final 22 laps and took the victory, but Resta had all but secured the championship. With the United States' entrance to World War I in April 1917, and board track racing taking the national spotlight, road racing in the U.S. became largely dormant. Grand Prix racing did not return until 1936, and did not become a fixture until 1959. Classification Pos No Driver Car Laps Time/Retired Points 1 26 USA 1912 Howdy WilcoxUSA 1912 Johnny Aitken Peugeot EX5 48 4:42:47 438Wilcox was awarded a number of points proportional to his laps in the car. Aitken was awarded no points for his relief drive.— 2 8 USA 1912 Earl Cooper Stutz 48 + 6.12 520 3 20 USA 1912 Art Patterson Hudson 48 + 26:52 270 4 6 USA 1912 Clyde Rhoades Hudson 48 + 1:11:18 140 5 21 USA 1912 Bill WeightmanUSA 1912 Eddie Rickenbacker Duesenberg 45 Flagged Ret 3 USA 1912 Ed Ruckstell Mercer 39 Valve Ret 23 USA 1912 William Cody National-Cody Special 33 Engine Ret 18 USA 1912 George Buzane Duesenberg 27 Piston Ret 17 USA 1912 Eddie Rickenbacker Duesenberg 27 Stripped gears Ret 1 GBR Dario Resta Peugeot EX5 19 Ignition Ret 9 USA 1912 Cliff Durant Stutz 17 Valve Ret 24 USA 1912 Lewis Jackson Marmon 13 Crash Ret 14 USA 1912 Sterling Price Duesenberg 12 Clutch Ret 27 USA 1912 Omar Toft Duesenberg 10 Clutch Ret 19 USA 1912 Ira Vail Hudson 9 Piston Ret 4 USA 1912 Eddie Pullen Mercer 8 Crash, fire Ret 22 USA 1912 William Carlton Ono-Owl Special 6 Pump Ret 11 USA 1912 Mike Moosie Duesenberg 5 Clutch Ret 25 USA 1912 Dave Anderson Kissell 5 Valve Ret 10 USA 1912 Emil Agraz Hercules 2 Conrod Ret 16 USA 1912 Johnny Aitken Peugeot EX5 1 Piston lower-alpha References Nye Doug The United States Grand Prix and Grand Prize Races, 1908-1977 1978 Doubleday Garden City, N.Y. 978-0-385-14203-8 Doug Nye 34–35 Galpin Darrin 1910 Grands Prix http://www.teamdan.com/archive/gen/1916/1916.html GEL Motorsports Information Page 5 June 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20120204115739/http://www.teamdan.com/archive/gen/1916/1916.html 4 February 2012 live Etzrodt Hans Grand Prix Winners 1895-1949 http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/gpw1.htm 5 June 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20110606110020/http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/gpw1.htm 6 June 2011 live 1916 American Grand Prize http://www.champcarstats.com/races/191614.htm Champ Car Stats 5 June 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20120528171326/http://www.champcarstats.com/races/191614.htm 28 May 2012 live United States Grand Prix 1916 1915 American Grand Prize 1958 United States Grand Prix Category:United States Grand Prix American Grand Prize American Grand Prize Grand Prize Category:1916 in sports in California Category:History of Santa Monica, California