It seems incredible by the standards of 2020, but the 1903 Paris to Madrid Race was such an incalculable calamity and had amassed such a loss of life that it was cancelled after the first day. In an era when the most powerful cars in the world made less than 100hp how could this happen? Too many people, too few rules, too little knowledge of what these machines were capable of, and ultimately no precedents to follow.
One day of racing set motorsports back nearly three decades, claimed the lives of internationally famous businessmen, soldiers, and kids. Four classes of cars scheduled to leave a Parisian palace at 3:30am turned into a spectacle the likes of which the world had never seen before and was fearful of ever seeing again.
Through the sounds of the cars that were there, the first hand accounts of competitors, and the news reporting that was done around the world, we tell the story of the 1903 Paris to Madrid Race, or as it was known then, "The Race To Death".
4.3 The Greatest Race You've Never Heard Of: A History of Bahamas Speed Week 1954-1966
4.2 The Wild History Of INDOOR Drag Racing In Chicago During The 1960s!
4.1 Drag Racing's Darkest Day: The 1969 Yellow River Drag Strip Disaster
3.7 Origin Story: How Stock Car Racing Was Born In Los Angeles Circa 1934!
3.6: Consumed: The First Ferris Wheel and How It Ruined The Life Of George Washington Ferris
3.5: Cold War Crushers: The Awesome History of The Air Force Heavy Press Program
3.4: Fastest - An Oral History of the 1992 Hot Rod Magazine Fastest Street Car Shootout
3.3: Beating Hitler With Combines - The Epic Story of The 1944 Harvest Brigade
3.2 Small Blocks vs The World: The Wild Story of The 1971 Questor Grand Prix
3.1: Unstable - The Deadly and Explosive History of Headlights
2.5: Rip Tide: The Incredible and Dark History of The World‘s Water Speed Record
2.4: 1,000 Ton Sucker Punch - The Wild Story Of WWI Q-Ships
2.3: Too Fat To Fly: The Crazy Story Of How Super Speedway Big Rig Racing Was Born!
2:2 - Truckin' Amazing: The Story of WWII's Red Ball Express
2.1: Suicidal Speed and Splinters - A History Of Board Track Racing In America
1.28 Out Of Gas At 41,000ft: The Unbelievable Story Of The Gimli Glider
1.27: Twisted Steel and Sex Appeal: The Weird History of Staged Locomotive Wrecks 1896-1935
1.26: Under Pressure: The Story of Bill Lear’s Steam Powered Race Car That (Never) Ran The Indy 500
1.25: A Race To Oblivion: The 1927 Dole Air Derby
1.24: The Best Worst Ship Ever - The Story Of The SS Great Eastern
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