3 replies to this topic

[LotusElise]

Writing another blog post, I've found another topic that's rather bigger and more interesting than first thought.

 

Does anyone have a copy of Harold Osmer's article about Omar Toft's 1918 Speederettes, from The Alternate?

 

I'm also looking for more information about the Speederettes drivers themselves - there is quite a lot on Nina Vitaglioni, but almost nothing on Ruth Wightman, Helen Summersby, Mrs PH Marmon and Mrs Wolfeld. There are meant to have been another two drivers, whose names seem to be missing. I'm assuming Mrs Marmon was part of the Marmon racing family?

 

I don't even know what cars most of them drove.

 

There was a bit of a female racing scene in the years following the brief tenure of the Speederettes, and could it be possible that some of the better-known lady racers of the '20s were involved?

 

I am absolutely intrigued by this subject at the moment, and any further information will be gratefully received.

[Michael Ferner]

I don't know what Omar Toft had to do with it, but you're probably refering to the Bill Pickens-promoted (Katherine) Stinson Trophy at Ascot Speedway on February 3, 1918. I have an article on the events of the day (Los Angeles Times), and it appears to have been pure hippodrome, unadulterated fun for everyone involved - the article closed in "a pleasant time was had by all".

 

Ruth Weightman was reportedly second cousin to Bill Weightman, and the other women are listed as Nina Vitagliano, Mrs. C. H. Wolfelt (wife of a prominent shoe merchant), Mrs. P. H. Harmon, Mrs. Cecil George and Mrs. Bertie Priest ("of aviatrix fame"). There was a race with "three of Art Smith's miniature racing creations", an early form of Midgets, won by Weightman from Vitagliano, with Harmon crashing out. The main event was run in two heats and a final, with Wolfelt (Stutz) winning the first heat (2m in 1'56"/62 mph) from Vitagliano (Roamer), Priest the second from George (Stutz), and Wolfelt again the final (5m in 4'39.6"/64 mph) from George and Priest. Then there was a handicap event ("Woman's International Championship"), with Weightman "in her big Mercer" (apparently the only proper racing car present) starting scratch at 45", Wolfelt at 25" and Vitagliano even for 5 miles. Wolfelt won again, at 4'32.8" (60 mph). Weightman also made a one-lap time trial in 51" (70 mph).

 

For comparison: three weeks earlier, Louis Chevrolet (Frontenac) had established a 5m record of 3'47.0" (79 mph), and another six weeks earlier Barney Oldfield (Miller) had made a lap in 45.0" (80 mph).

Edited by Michael Ferner, 27 June 2014 - 15:45.

[LotusElise]

Thankyou.

 

RE Omar Toft: Toft promoted the second Speederettes races, held shortly after at Stockton, in which Nina Vitagliano was killed in an accident. Aside from Ruth Wightman/Weightman (both names appear in contemporary reports), the other drivers' names are a bit of a mystery. One photo shows four of them.

 

I've read Mrs PH's name as Harmon and Marmon; some of the newspaper clippings definitely have it as Marmon. It seems newspapers have got no better at spelling names correctly or consistently.

[Michael Ferner]

Yes, newspapers are a nuisance... er, I mean their spelling inconsistency!! Harmon or Marmon, I doubt she had any connection to the car manufacturer, or else it would've been used in promoting. But it's definitely Weightman, although the LA Times insists on spelling it Wightman, too. And, sorry to hear the events stopped being fun so soon...