On January 26, 1906,
Fred Marriott became the first person to drive an automobile more that two miles in a minute, when he was timed at 127.66 mph in the
Stanley “Rocket” racer on Ormond Beach, Florida. Exactly a century later, his great-grandson
Robert Landry, Jr., re-enacted
his feat (at a slower speed) in a 3/4-scale
replica Rocket built in 1971. Robert’s
remarkable resemblance to
his forebear gave spectators a sense of re-living history.
Thousands flocked to the beach for the centenary celebrations on January 26, 2006, sponsored jointly the the Stanley Museum and the City of Ormond Beach. Festivities began with a
flyover of vintage aircraft, followed by exhibition runs of vintage
steam and
gasoline cars.
Sarah Stanley, great-granddaughter of inventor
F.E. Stanley, owner of the original Rocket, also drove the replica, as did Robert’s brother
Steve Landry. Sarah’s sister,
Constance Stanley Boudeman, made a beach run in a replica Stanley Vanderbilt racer built by her husband Robert.
Celebrities turning out for the event included drag racing legend
Don “Big Daddy” Garlits, in his 1936 Ford hot rod, and vintage auto icon
Dave Brownell driving George Dragone’s 1914 Hotchkiss. Cameo vehicles included the
Leslie Special, film star of The Great Race.
Following the beach runs, members of the
Marriott and Stanley families dedicated a
monument to the 1906 speed record at Ormond’s
Birthplace of Speed Park. Chairing the events were Susan Davis
(driving) of the Stanley Museum and Dan Smith
(directing) for Ormond Beach.
During the week there were several
tours for vintage cars, including visits to St. Augustine and its
historic lighthouse.
Steam cars also
dedicated a preserved section of the historic
brick-paved Dixie Highway in Flagler County. At festival’s end, the replica Rocket was
whisked back to the Daytona USA museum where it will be on display until the next anniversary re-enactment.
