Helck Family Collection: Distinguished service citation for Joe Tracy awarded by Automobile Old Timers in 1948
Among the documents found in the Helck Family Collection are veteran Vanderbilt Cup Race driver Joe Tracy's original honors and licenses. This citation was awarded to Joe Tracy at the Ninth Annual Meeting of the Automobile Old Timers on November 9, 1948.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
The distinguished service citation was presented to Joe Tracy for:
-Recognition of his vision in 1897 of the coming of the horseless carriage era
-His experimental work on gasoline motors including a three cylinder radial engine with electric transmission
-Competing in the Vanderbilt Cup Races in 1904 and the elimination trials in 1905 and 1906, driving a Locomobile. Also the Gordon-Bennet Cup Race in 1905. Note: Tracy also drive in 1905 and 1906 Vanderbilt Cup Races.
-Having used denatured alcohol in a Dragon car in 1906 and benzol in a Hol-Tan in 1908. This was probably the first use of these fuels in motor vehicles in this country.
-His design in May 1907, a 3 1/2 horsepower electric dynamometer, one of the first instruments used for testing automobiles in this country
-His services as Consulting Engineer in the United States Fuel Administrator during World War I
-Assisting in the development of plans for conserving gasoline and oil.
The citation was signed by the honorary president Alfred Sloan, Jr. , who was the General Motors Chairman of the Board at the time.
The Automobile Old Timers organization was founded in 1939 with its mission to perpetuate the memories of the early automotive pioneers. It continues today as the Automotive Hall of Fame.
Comments
Here’s Joe Tracey’s WW1 Draft Card, courtesy of Ancestry.com
Incredible memorabilia! “Ferguson”,
“Height: Tall”?
Interesting engineering (didn’t know)/race driver career background.