Happy Thanksgiving from Georgia Motorcycle History!
It was this week 100 years ago that Lee Taylor from Middleton, Ohio claimed the checkered flag on Savannah's Grand Prize course at the Savannah 300 mile endurance race. A field of 32 competitors entered the 2nd annual event, including factory teams from Merkel, Indian, Excelsior, and for the very first time in history Harley-Davidson. Taylor's victory demolished Bob Perry's previous record by 20 minutes and succured for the Hendee company a 95% success rate in the 1914 national racing season. Irving Jenke placed third atop his Harley-Davidson 11k and in doing so became the companies first ever official factory racer to podium. The story of the 1914 Savannah 300 is overflowing with tales of daring, tragedy, curiosity, and speed. Find out more about this historic event along with countless others inside the pages of Georgia Motorcycle History: The First 60 Years 1899-1959 available at
www.GeorgiaMotorcycleHistory.comLee Taylor just after crossing the finish line in 1st place at the 1914 Savannah 300 endurance race. Atlanta's Harry Glenn and his mechanic/friend Nemo Lancaster stand in the background after having been flagged out with mechanical issues. A special thanks to Darryl White of the Indian Motorcycle Museum of Australia for sharing the photo.
