The First American Grand Prix by Tanya A. Bailey

Author:Tanya A. Bailey
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2017-07-03T22:00:00+00:00

Willie Haupt (with his mechanic) drove a Chadwick– 6 in the 1908 American Grand Prize but had problems with the bearings and was out of the race on lap 5 (courtesy Robyn Quattlebaum).

In July 1902, Haupt entered another hill climb in Norristown, Pennsylvania, at Skippack Hill. This course included grades of 3 to 10 percent and was located five miles north of the town. Haupt was a crowd favorite by this time and his Chadwick was equally a great celebrity that people turned out to see. The media loved him, too, and The Automobile reports on the event praised Haupt highly: “The Willie Haupt–Chadwick combination is the fastest thing in the hill climbing world in this country, if not the world.”49 Haupt won the event with a time of 57.6 seconds, traveling 75 mph on the uphill portions and 80 mph on the level stretches of the course.

Haupt came to Savannah with his Chadwick and entered the American Grand Prize race on November 26, 1908. He was the fifth driver sent off by Fred Wagner, behind Bob Burman in a Buick. Unfortunately, he was out of the race early on Lap 5 when his brakes failed. Nevertheless, 1908 would not be his only trip to Savannah to race. He would return in 1910 in a 736-cubic-inch Benz, with teammates David Bruce- Brown, who won the race, and Victor Hemery, who placed second. Haupt had an excellent run for the first half of the race, maintaining a place around fifth position until lap 10, when he got his speed up and got into fourth, before moving into first place for the following two laps. He was running down Montgomery Crossroad at a breakneck pace when he lost control of the car and had an off- course excursion into the ditch. His wheel was broken and his race was over.

In 1909, Haupt entered the Fairmount Park Race in a Thomas owned by Louis Bergdoll.

Unfortunately, his misfortune followed him and he was out of the race early on only the fourth lap with engine trouble. In 1910, he drove a Benz in the race and placed fifth in Class 4C.

Haupt passed away April 16, 1966, in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania. He was born and died the same years as fellow driver, Harry Cobe.

LUCIEN HAUTVAST

1908 • American Grand Prize

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