Joseph Tracy (March 22, 1873 – March 20, 1959) was an American

racing driver Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. In North America, the term is commonly used to describe all forms of automobile sport including non ...

Life and career

Tracy was born in Waterford, Ireland. A

British subject The term "British subject" has several different meanings depending on the time period. Before 1949, it referred to almost all subjects of the British Empire (including the United Kingdom, Dominions, and colonies, but excluding protectorates ...

, he emigrated to the United States at age 19, later becoming an American citizen. Tracy drove a Locomobile in the

1905 Gordon Bennett Cup The 1905 Gordon Bennett Cup, formally titled the VI Coupe Internationale, was a motor race held on 5 July 1905 on the Auvergne Circuit in France. The race consisted of four laps of the mountainous 137.35-km (85.35-mile) circuit, to make the total ...

, but was eliminated by a stripped gear after two laps. He later competed in that year's

Vanderbilt Cup The Vanderbilt Cup was the first major trophy in American auto racing. History An international event, it was founded by William Kissam Vanderbilt II in 1904 and first held on October 8 on a course set out in Nassau County, New York, Nass ...

race, finishing third - the best result for an American car in an international race up to that time. Tracy won the 1906 Vanderbilt Elimination Race, qualifying him for the Vanderbilt Cup held later that year. He had good finishes in both the Vanderbilt and Bennett Cups, and retired from racing after the 1906 season. Tracy was retroactively awarded a 1906

National Championship A national championship(s) is the top achievement for any sport or competition, contest within a league of a particular nation or nation state. The title is usually awarded by contests, ranking systems, stature, ability, etc. This determines the be ...

in 1951 by negationist sportswriter Russ Catlin.

External links

Dennis David GP History - Joe Tracy Bio

Vanderbilt Cup Race - Joe Tracy Bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tracy, Joe 1873 births 1959 deaths American racing drivers Irish emigrants to the United States Motorsport people from County Waterford