A road race in Point Loma, the first major race of the season, was a promotion for the Panama-California Exposition. On January 9th, 1915, the world’s fastest race-car drivers vied to complete 305 miles on a six-mile elliptical circuit of dirt roads for a winning purse of $5,000. Of the eighteen starters, including Barney Oldfield, Eddie Rickenbacker, Earl Cooper, and San Diego’s own “Bad Bill” Carlson, only five cars finished the race, which was won by Earl Cooper.
…text adapted from Richard Crawford’s The San Diego Exposition Road Race
• View photographs from the Exposition Road Race.
• Exposition Road Race results.
• Article from Automobile Topics, December 26, 1914. San Diego Expects a Thrilling Race includes drawing of course
• Article from The Automobile January 14, 1915: Cooper, in Stutz, Wins Point Loma Race. [courtesy HCFI.org]
• Article Review of Cooper’s San Diego Victory from Horseless Age, January 20, 1915
• Modern article 1915 San Diego Exposition Road Race from hcfi.org
