GORDON BENNETT CUP IN AUTO RACING

As one of three 'Gordon Bennett Cups' (also for balloons), established by James Gordon Bennett, Jr., millionaire owner of the New York Herald, the automobile racing award was first given in 1900 in France.
The trophy was awarded annually until 1905, after which the Automobile Club de France (ACF) held the first Grand Prix motor racing event at the Circuit de la Sarthe, in Le Mans.
The Gordon Bennett Cup auto races drew entrants from across Europe including future aviator Henry Farman and from the United States competitors such as Alexander Winton driving his Winton automobile. Under the terms of the race, the subsequent race would be hosted by the country of the most recent winner.
As the races were between national teams, it lead to the reorganisation and standardisation of national racing colours: France - blue, Germany - white, Italy - red, etc. Reputedly as a concession to Ireland where the 1903 race was run (racing was illegal on British public roads) the British adopted shamrock green^[1] which became known as British racing green, although the winning Napier of 1902 winner had already worn Olive Green. Britain had to choose a different colour to its usual national colours, red, white and blue, because those colours had already been taken by Italy, Germany and France respectively.
'Gordon Bennett Cup winners:'

Year	Track	Winner	Car	Country
1900	Paris to Lyon, France	Fernand Charron	Panhard	France
1901	Paris to Bordeaux, France	Léonce Girardot	Panhard	France
1902	Paris, France to Innsbruck, Austria	Selwyn Edge	Napier	British Empire
1903	Athy, County Kildare, Ireland	Camille Jenatzy	Mercedes	Germany
1904	Taunus mountains in Germany	Léon Théry	Richard-Brasier	France
1905	Circuit d'Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France	Léon Théry	Richard-Brasier	France

1. According to Leinster Leader, Saturday 11 April 1903, which also states red as the color for ''American'' cars in the 1903 Gordon Bennett Cup.

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External links

★ http://kildare.ie/heritage/Gordon-Bennett-Race/January-1903.asp