The Birth of a Race

Interesting poster the man is holding.  Is it a reference to the movie Birth of a Nation, and is it a racial call to arms?  The Birth of a Nation was, after all, instrumental in the rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan.  Well, I threw that out as a possibility, but I also have to admit, more than likely, the poster refers to an actual car race, and the wording is probably no more than a play on what was the most popular movie of it's era. 

Written on the back, "Real wicked. Myself-Don-and The Monroe."  The Monroe Car Company was in business from 1914 to 1923 under various ownership groups and made at different locations.  The Monroe was built for speed and was the winning car in a number of races including the Indy 500.  Swiss racer Gaston Chevrolet was a fan of The Monroe and drove one to a number of victories.  Gaston's brother, Louis Chevrolet, also a racer, founded Chevrolet Motor Cars. 

Here's a fun fact, Albert Champion, another European immigrant, a track bicycle racer, founded AC Ignition systems, the maker of spark plugs.  For reasons lost to history, he and Louis Chevrolet got into a fight, and Chevrolet nearly beat the French born Albert  Champion to death. 

Dog Racing

I bet there's nothing people won't bet on.

Driving In Germany

Alright, I admit it.  I'm not sure it's from Germany. but it's printed on Agfa paper and it's a Mercedes Benz 220 SE  "Fintail" Saloon Series 111.

So why the number?  In an effort to rebuild it's brand, after the war, Mercedes began sponsoring road rallies.  Rally sports go back to the beginnings of the automotive industry.  Basically, a bunch of car enthusiasts get together and see who can get from point A to point B in the least amount of time. Some rallies are one day affairs, others run multiple days and legs.  In 1908, there was even a New York to Paris rally, across North America to Nome, Alaska, a ships crossing to East Cape, Siberia and then on to Paris.  The rally was won by an American team driving a 1907 Thomas Flyer.

 There are rally associations that have rules for every race  they sponsor.  If the leg is 500 miles and the speed limit is 50 mph for the whole length, arriving in under 10 hours might add time to the total.  The rules might involve staying on a set route or merely hitting certain way points.  Of course, an informal rally might be nothing more than a few friends or a local club getting from San Francisco to Chicago.  First one wins.