Fisher's Premier Vanderbilt Cup Racer

This article is an artifact of limited value. It is a story about the Premier Motor Car Company racer Carl Fisher commissioned for the 1905 Vanderbilt Cup. The car was built during 1905 to Fisher's specifications. Fisher was determined to prove that American car companies could compete with Europe's best. This was most certainly a stretch as the products of France (Panhard, Clement-Bayard, Darracq, Hotchkiss, De Dietrich and others), Germany (Mercedes) and Italy's Fiat were clearly years ahead of American technology. Fisher asked for a huge air-cooled machine of over 900 cubic inch displacement. Premier delivered. Unfortunately, in an amazing lack of attention to basic facts, the car exceeded maximum weight regulations by some 300 pounds. Despite Premier mechanics drilling dozens of holes in the thick iron frame, the machine never met the requirement. Vanderbilt Cup officials denied it entry and the car was turned away despite Fisher and Premier taking their protests to newspapers through advertisements to state their case. The car was raced on one occasion, at a track meet in Chicago where it prevailed in a minor handicap race with Fisher driving. The machine is on display today at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's Hall of Fame Museum. Don't give this article too much credence, but it does note an important footnote to the story of Carl Fisher.