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This page contains information related to the racing activities for the E-M-F "30".
To start, I have included an article written by Gordon Matson that was included in the first issue of "The Hyphens", the newsletter for E-M-F, Flanders and Everitt owners from the E-M-F Registry. If you are an E-M-F, Flanders or Everitt owners and are not getting "The Hyphens", it is because you are either not in the registry or your information is not correct. Please take a minute and use the green E-M-F Registry link here or send me email with the same information in it to be included in future mailings.
If you have information that is not included here, please send it to me so that I may included it. I know very little about the racing activities associated with the E-M-F.
Hope you enjoy it!
E-M-F Wins Clean Sweep at Tiedeman
By Gordon Matson
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| Witt (#35), Evans (#34) and Tower (#33), E-M-F “30” Team, Savannah Course, 1911 – Finished 1. 2. 3. Note some of the modification to the cars including the lowering of car 35 by placing the front axle on top of the spring. Thanks to Richard Quinn for supplying the photo. Click on the picture to see the full size. |
..."but are they (E-M-F's) just as good, just as powerful, just as fast as Old Bullet, say? Answer--Better, Just as much better as five years' experience could teach us how. And the proof it this--Savannah, Monday, November 27th.
- Occasion--the winning of the Tiedeman Trophy in the road race of 171.35 miles.
- Result — a clean-up -- E-M-F "30's finished 1, 2, 3--Witt, Evans and Tower driving the victors.
- Time--179 minutes 19.34 seconds.
Not one stop--not even a hesitation--by any one of the three cars during the entire race. And if any other car in the race could have pushed the three E-M-F's, the time would have been faster than the record--for it was a procession. Each driver had miles more up his sleeve but, not being pushed, contented himself with leaving them there in case it might later be needed. Do we make them as good now? We have said that Old Bullet was No. 9. Polar Bear was No. 7144. Witt drove No. 37859 at Savannah, Evans No. 37430, and Tower No. 37361.
In other words, those three cars were taken from the regular run of the factory on different days within two weeks before the race.
They were run a few hundred miles to limber them up. Adjusted and tuned for speed to the exclusion of all other considerations and then were entered. The result was a foregone conclusion from the first. In the first lap they showed conquering speed--and every one in the grand-stand knew they had the staying power.
Still, when they came in 1, 2, 3, there was one of the most remarkable demonstrations ever seen at a race. (Oldest, 21-24)
As is often the case with company brochures, there are some slight exaggerations. Other sources have the race distance at 171.4 miles, Witt's car showing well on the Brighton Beach Track which would lead one to question the "two weeks before the race", and an Abbot-Detroit in the lead by seven minutes over the first six laps. These discrepancies do not, however, skew the fact that "When it came to a race among the three E-M-F machines No. 35 took the lead and maintained it, the other two not changing their places. They all ran consistently, as an analysis of their lap times will show." (Automobile, 140) E-M-F #35 with Witt at the wheel finished first in 176.19 minutes, followed closely by #34 with Evans and #33 with Tower in 180.12 minutes and 181.33 minutes respectively.
The race referred to in the brochure was one of the Great Savannah Races that were held in 1908, 191 0, & 1911. 1911, the year of E-M-F's victory was the only year in which Savannah hosted the Vanderbilt Cup Race, so interest in the race was high. The course, which had been hastily constructed in less than a month for the 1910 race, was prepared. The road surface was widened, oiled and repeatedly rolled. The curves were lengthened and broadened. The 17.14 miles were ready for record-breaking times. (Quaftlebaum, 88) The start/finish line on Waters Ave. near the intersection of 46th St. was lined with bleachers on both sides of the track. As the green flag dropped, cars, drivers, and riding mechanics sped down a 3.5-mile straight lined with spectators. At Montgomery Cross Road, a ninety-degree left-hander followed in .3 miles by an equally sharp right-hander had brakes screeching and drivers and mechanics leaning. Now on Whitefield Ave. the cars raced south for 3.9 miles to a hairpin turn before heading northeast on Ferguson Ave. A 4.6-mile straight awaited drivers on Ferguson, a road lined by trees dripping Spanish moss. A sharp left-hander led the cars onto LaRoche Ave. for 2 miles where a mild right-hander put the racers on Old Skidway Road. At 1.4 miles a ninety degree left led onto Dale Ave. Racers continued for 1.5 miles to a second ninety degree turn that was visible from the stands. As spectators roared their approval, racers crossed the start/finish line. In the case of the Tiedeman Trophy Race, this scenario would repeat itself nine more times before a winner was declared. (more laps to follow)
Sources : The Automobile November 30, 1911, pp. 939-940,
The Oldest Car in the Show
Quattlebaum, M. D., Julian K. The Great Savannah Races of 1908, 1910, 1911 Columbia, SC: R. L. Bryan Co., 1957.
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