George Robertson (racing driver)

George Hepburn Robertson (November 22, 1884 – July 3, 1955) was an American racecar driver.[1] His father ran one of New York's first big garages and Robertson grew up surrounded by Mors, Panhards and other cars.

George Robertson
Robertson after his 1908 Vanderbilt Cup win
BornGeorge Hepburn Robertson
(1884-11-22)November 22, 1884
New York City, U.S.
Nickname"Smiling George"
DiedJuly 3, 1955(1955-07-03) (aged 70)
New York City, U.S.

Career

Robertson raced a Christie, a Hotchkiss, and a Simplex, as well as a Locomobile with which he won the 1908 Vanderbilt Cup. This victory was the first in the Cup by an American driver in an American car, the legendary "Old No. 16".

For the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup, he was the captain of the Benz team but sustained arm injuries in a crash while showing a newspaper reporter the Long Island course and was forced to retire from driving.

In 1921, he served as Duesenberg's team manager in their victory of the French Grand Prix at Le Mans as Jimmy Murphy drove the first American car to win a Grand Prix held in Europe.

Robertson was involved in the construction of Roosevelt Raceway and acted as its manager when the Westbury, Long Island circuit hosted the George Vanderbilt-sponsored Cup in 1936 and 1937.

In 1951, racing historian Russ Catlin officially revised AAA records with championship results based on all AAA races from 1902 to 1915 and 1917 to 1919. This had the effect of changing the 1909 champion from Bert Dingley to George Robertson.[2]

Death

Robertson died in Beth Israel Hospital in New York City on July 3, 1955, aged 70.[3]

References
  1. "George Robertson". ChampCarStats.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-27.
  2. Capps, Don (March 29, 2010). "Case history: John Glenn Printz and the struggle for the past" (PDF). Rear View Mirror. Vol. 7, no. 6. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-10-10 – via Forix.autosport.com/8w.
  3. "George H. Robertson, ex-race car driver". Newsday. Melville, New York. July 5, 1955. Archived from the original on 2023-05-20.

General references


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