Page "United States Grand Prix" Paragraph 8

The Grand Prize was not held in 1913, after Long Island's bid was rejected, and Savannah refused to provide sufficient prize money.

Oval racing on board tracks had taken off in the United States, to the detriment of road racing.

For 1914, the Grand Prize and Vanderbilt Cup were staged in Santa Monica, California, on an course, with the start / finish straight along the Pacific Ocean.

The field was primarily American entries ( 12, against 5 European entries ), and the Americans dominated, with Eddie Pullen's Mercer winning by over 40 seconds.

In 1915, the race shifted to San Francisco, in conjunction with the Panama – Pacific International Exposition.

With the outbreak of World War I in Europe, almost all of the drivers and cars were American, except for a few cars imported earlier.

The course was set up around the Exposition grounds and nearby oval track with a boarded main straightaway.

Heavy rain began two hours into the race, covering the circuit in mud from the extensive flower arrangements, and warping the main straight's boards.

Dario Resta in a Peugeot cruised to a 7-minute victory, and followed up a week later by winning the Vanderbilt Cup.

For 1916, the Grand Prize returned to Santa Monica.

The race would be a part of the AAA National Championship, which carried a 4. 91-liter displacement limit.

Although the limit for the Grand Prize was 7. 37 liters, no large-displacement cars would enter.

The race was the penultimate round of the championship, with Dario Resta leading Johnny Aitken after his Vanderbilt Cup win.

However, both cars would be out before halfway.

Although Aitken took over teammate Howdy Wilcox's car for the win, the AAA awarded points only to Wilcox, and Resta took the championship.