Willie K. Vanderbilt jr.

A native New Yorker, Vanderbilt was the scion of one of the most respected and wealthiest families in the US. In addition to equestrian and yachting sports, he was particularly fond of automotive sports and was himself active at a high level. In 1904, as a racing pioneer, he provided material for headlines on several occasions. On the Daytona Beach Road Course in the city of the same name in the US state of Florida, the multimillionaire, who was as fearless as he was talented, set a new one-mile speed record of 148.54 km/h in a Mercedes 90 hp racing car at the end of January 1904, as well as seven US bests over distances from 5 to 50 miles.

This enhanced the reputation of the up-and-coming brand and secured Vanderbilt jr. a place in motorsport history just as much as the Vanderbilt Cup he founded in the same year. The cup, which is a good 75 cm high and cast from pure silver, represents the first significant trophy in American motor racing and is presented to the winners of the races tied to it until 1968.