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Reading
Brass-Era Balls
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First Turn

Brass-Era Balls

 Casey Annis

As you’ll read in this month’s Racecar Profile, I recently had the great honor of being invited to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to test drive the mighty 1909 Blitzen Benz. This was an event that pegged a lot of firsts for me: My first trip to the Speedway; My first drive in a land speed record holder; and not insignificantly, a test drive in the oldest racecar I’ve ever driven. Having driven this 21.5-liter behemoth, I have to say that I now have an even greater and deeper appreciation for the daring men who pioneered our beloved sport. To say that they possessed “testicular fortitude” does not do them justice.

CaseyUnless you’ve driven an early pre-war or Brass Era car, you can’t really appreciate how totally vulnerable and exposed you feel when driving one. It’s a very strange and oftentimes unnerving feeling—if you’re used to more “modern” racecars—because first off, you feel like you’re sitting 10 feet up in the air! And compared to a vintage formula car, where your butt is at best 2 to 4 inches off the ground, you might as well be. In these early cars, you have to climb “up” to get in them.

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Brand (Benz)Decade (1900s)Featured (First turn)Featured (Racecar Feature)Grand PrixPeople (Fred Marriott)Place (French)Racetrack (Daytona)Racetrack (IMS (Indianapolis Motor Speedway))

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Casey Annis
Steve Natale has been playing with cars ever since he was old enough to first hold a matchbox car in his hand. A lifelong enthusiast of anything old with an engine in it or wheels on it, Steve has been active in the hobby for over 35 years. Currently he owns a successful marketing company with his wife Mary, is an automotive photographer, blogger and writer for several automotive magazines and regular contributor to various automotive websites. Steve has attended vintage car events and visited car museums and collections around the world.
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