In the 1909 Santa Monica Light Car Race there was a Buick # 9, entered by the Howard Auto Company.
This was one of the first races for Charles Howard. Early on Charles Howard bet on the future of the automobile, buying a ticket to Detroit. There he finagled a meeting with Will Durant, the owner of Buick Automobiles and future founder of General Motors.Attachment 69914
Durant sent him back home to establish dealerships and soon Howard, at age 28, was in charge of the Buick franchise for San Francisco. Howard sold 85 cars in just one year, at the astronomical price of $1,000 each. In 1909, Durant showed his gratitude by giving him control over all distributorships in the western United States. Almost 20 years later he bought a cheap racehorse as he saw it had potential.
You can see that story in the movie "Seabiscuit."
p.s. Why were most US built cars RHD at this time in 1909 ?
(Ken H)
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