After success in bicycle racing, he began auto racing in 1902 and continued until his retirement in 1918. Autoweek said that the vehicle brought miller nationwide prominence as a racecar builder. Barney oldfield signature of pioneer racecar driver barney oldfield in green ink on a strip of cardstock signature. He is known for his work on the speed demon 1925, the first auto 1927 and blonde comet 1941.
Barney oldfield driving the ford 999 race car, 19021903. Autoweek said that the vehicle brought miller nationwide prominence as a race car builder. Barney oldfield the ultimate american classic car resource. By 1904, oldfield was americas most famous race car driver, owning the most track wins and virtually all the worlds track speed records. Henry ford was an as yet unproven detroit car maker when he invited barney oldfield to replace him as race driver of his famous ford 999 car in 1902. Oldfield was rumored to have learned how to operate the controls of that car the morning of the event. Please look at the images below carefully to determine the condition of this vintage photograph, as it may not be in perfect condition. Cleveland aug the peerless motor car company will complete a new race machine for barney oldfield the first of next week, and if it works out satisfactorily barney has promised that he will compete in the cleveland races august 19 and 20. Although the two men couldnt have been more different, their relationship would result in one man creating an automobile empire and the other becoming known as the master driver of the world.
Racing heroes barney oldfield hemmings hemmings motor news. Berna eli oldfield was born on an ohio farm in 1878. Oldfield no longer drove wintons racing cars and started driving the first of the three or four green dragons. Oct 19, 2016 it was a great victory for ford and led both barney oldfield and ford to become household names. The following year, 1914, saw the driver run his first indianapolis 500, where he started in 30th position and finished the race in fifth, behind the wheel of a stutz. The film features a damsel in distress, a mustachioed villain, a chase on the railroad tracks that were elements of victorian melodrama imported from his mentor d. Today a brief tip of our leather motoring helmet to pioneering race car driver barney oldfield berna eli oldfield, 18781946. However, walter gave up on his automobile business in early 1910. Barney oldfield racing career profile driver database. Barney oldfield in the 1909 christie racer at one of the many race exhibitions he staged. Oldfield acquired the famous blitzen benz, renamed it the lightning benz and drove it to 1. By this time, the racer had a new radiator and a square fuel tank.
One of the best known racing drivers in history, barney was a film star, exhibitionist and match racer, who was prominent in the motorcars appeal across america. Barney oldfield, byname of berna eli oldfield, born january 29, 1878, near wauseon, ohio, u. Barney oldfield was born in a farmhouse on the outskirts of wauseon, ohio. He raced in the 1914 and 1915 indianapolis 500 race, and became. Barney oldfield scrapbook 1905 first super speedway. In its 1914 edition, track racing legend and barnstormer barney oldfield entered the same stutz racer he had piloted to fifth place in that years indianapolis 500. Click on the site to see barney oldfields career results at that track. The car apparently sat idle until barney oldfield bought it in 1912. Jan 29, 2020 today a brief tip of our leather motoring helmet to pioneering race car driver barney oldfield berna eli oldfield, 18781946. Barney oldfield was not the best driver in that reckless era.
Originally a bicycle racer, oldfield switched to the greater thrills of automobiles in 1902. He fenced the park and claimed it as part of the estate. But of all the early racing men, only oldfield became legendary. Barney oldfield the driver of the maier select kid for the may 1912 race. Oldfield agreed to drive against the current champion, alexander winton. A pioneer in the sport of race car driving, he began racing as a teenager in bicycle racing tournaments. He slid through the corners like a motorcycle racer did instead of braking. Berna eli barney oldfield january 29, 1878 october 4, 1946 was an american pioneer automobile racer. He also marketed his own brand of tyres, which were on the 1920 winning car. The new car will have eight vertical cylinders, each 5 12 by 5 34 inches.
Mar 06, 2015 updated barney oldfield and his exploits with the peerless green dragon racing car was one of the big news stories on the sports page of the nations newspapers in 1904. The name barney oldfield wont ring many bells today. Oldfield had raced bicycles since 1894 but had never driven a car before that day. Barney oldfield met henry ford for the first time during the summer of 1902. Barney oldfield, american automobileracing driver whose name was synonymous with speed in the first two decades of the 20th century. Both men built careers on the cars successoldfield. Originally famed for his speed in bicycle racing, barney oldfield became one of the pioneers of automobile racing. Both men built careers on the cars successoldfield became americas first nationally famous race driver and ford gained support for his next venture.
Driver tommy milton sitting in a frontenac at the 1921 indy 500 race surrounded by barney oldfield and louis chevrolet. With roscoe fatty arbuckle, mabel normand, ford sterling, teddy tetzlaff. The venice gran prix automobile race was held on st. Oldfield also finished second in two major road races that year, the vanderbilt cup and the. He was the first man to drive a car at 60 miles per hour 96 kmh on a circular track. Click on the site to see barney oldfield s career results at that track. Famous driver barney oldfield commissioned miller to design a racing car in 1916. The photographic prints series, circa 19021936, contains photographic prints of barney posing in various race cars or with other drivers. A bicycle racer from 1894, oldfield in 1902 became the driver of the 999 racing car designed by henry ford and owned by champion cyclist tom. But in the early 1900s, he was the most famous speed annihilator in the western hemisphere. Barney oldfield and the amazing peerless green dragons part i. He hired a bicycle rider named barney oldfield, who would win many races at the controls of the ford 999. The following year he became the first person to drive a car at 60 mph. Henry ford and barney oldfield with the 999 race car, 1902.
Oldfield had been away from racing for one year due to his suspension by the aaa for his match race versus boxer jack johnson. Barney oldfield nascar results, statistics and car numbers. Barney oldfields 1910 land speed record first super speedway. He continued building engines and race cars, and from 1922 through 1929, millers creations won 73 out of 92 major u. Click on the year to see the standings for that year. From a poor family in wauseon, ohio, barney oldfield was born on 3 june 1878, and left school when he was twelve. The new car will have eight vertical cylinders, each 5 1. Both men built careers on the car s success oldfield became americas first nationally famous race driver and ford gained support for his next venture. The maier select kid was the nickname for the race car. At the time, the speed was the fastest any person had traveled in any kind of vehicle car, train or airplane.
Barney oldfieldmaster driver of the world airport journals. From 1902 to his retirement in 1918, his name was synonymous with speed and daring on the road. In the 1914 indianapolis 500, for instance, he fought valiantly against tough french opposition in his stutz and finished fifth, the only american driver of an american car in the first eight. Barney oldfield and the amazing peerless green dragons part. Lots of famous people have visited tustin, but few have brought out the crowds that race car driver barney oldfield did. He laid out a 60foot wide racetrack that was especially adapted for automobile and horse racing.
Oldfield 18781946, born berna eli oldfield near wauseon, ohio was the chief driver of henry fords racing car, the 999. Profile for racing driver barney oldfield from united states. In 1903 he accomplished the first mileaminute performance in an automobile, and in 1910 he set a world speed record of 1. Beach racing might have died with the whimper of 1909 except for barney oldfield. Like many early racers of his era, he started in motorcycle. He took part in countless race meets between 1902 and 1918. Action scenes of early automobile racing highlight this story of papas efforts to thwart mabels romantic infatuation with a race car driver.
His 1914 indy finish was in an indianapolisbuilt stutz, making him the highestfinishing driver in an american car in a race dominated by europeans. Click on the number of races to see individual races for that year. It was a great victory for ford and led both barney oldfield and ford to become household names. Semi close up of barney oldfield getting out of submarine car. The stanley steamers 127 mph in 1906 remained the fastest any automobile had thus far traveled, and oldfield wanted to set a new speed record and so bought the blitzen benz. The dangerous aspects of the racer were embellished by oldfield and subsequent owners. Oldfield had his green dragon, and webb was driving a 60horsepower popetoledo car. Barney oldfield driving the ford 999 race car, 19021903 the. This cigarchewing showman was as famous as any driver in the early days of american motor racing. Fourteen files document barney oldfields world land speed record run in march 1910. John wilkinson, who designed an aircooled engine for franklin automobile company and was their chief engineer, raced against barney oldfield in 1902, winning the state 5 miles 8. Barney oldfield was at the time the most famous race car driver alive according to the intro title card. Barney would use the car for 4 years for some legitimate track record breaking exhibitions and match racing with lincoln beacheys airplane. The golden submarine was an early twentieth century streamlined race car designed and built in 1917 by fred offenhauser and harry a.
Milton piloted the louis chevroletowned frontenac to victory with an average speed of 89. Driver barney oldfield 2 1915 aaa champ car series results. Updated barney oldfield and his exploits with the peerless green dragon racing car was one of the big news stories on the sports page of the nations newspapers in 1904. Sep 17, 20 the ban had little effect on oldfields popularity, and in 19 he starred in a silent film called barney oldfields race for life. The stanley steamers 127 mph in 1906 remained the fastest any automobile had thus far traveled, and oldfield wanted to set a. Revised and expanded, this is the only book ever devoted to barney oldfield, the man who got his start at the turn of the century racing ford s 999 and winning the manufacturers challenge cup. His fame as the first race car driver to drive a mile a minute, or 60 miles an hour, was matched only by his showmanship. In 1889, when he was 11 years old, he moved with his family to toledo. Race car driver barney oldfield waving from car at legion.
After building this massive racing car in 1902, henry ford was reluctant to drive it. He began racing automobiles in 1902 and in 1903 he became the first person to crack the 60 milesper hour speed limit in a car. Patricks day in spectators watched the 300 mile race. Barney oldfield was born on january 29, 1878 in wauseon, ohio, usa as berna eli oldfield. The ban had little effect on oldfields popularity, and in 19 he starred in a silent film called barney oldfields race for life. Oct 20, 2017 the name barney oldfield wont ring many bells today. Alexander winton hired oldfield as a professional driver and agreed to supply him with free cars for racing. Barney oldfields race for a life 19 directed by mack. Barney oldfield driving a maxwell won the race in 4. I knew barney oldfield as a race car driver in the indianapolis 500 who raced with a stogie stuck in his mouth probably so he wouldnt bite his. Nov 15, 2011 however, walter gave up on his automobile business in early 1910.
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