Help Edsel Ford find this punchbowl and have it inspire young minds to the allure of motorsports at the Henry Ford. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)Motor Press Guild's April Meeting - Edsel Ford Wants This Bowl!
At the just concluded April luncheon of the Motor Press Guild, Edsel Ford, one of the great-grandchildren generation of the founding family of the Ford Motor Company, asked everyone in the room full of writers and broadcasters to find this punch bowl!
Henry Ford's first race car ... "Sweepstakes". Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)
"Sweepstakes" was powered by a 538 ci, 2 cylinder, 26 hp engine. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)This punch bowl was the trophy that Alexander Winton had hand-picked for his participation in a race won by Henry Ford. This was the first race Henry Ford had won and started Ford Racing 110 years ago.
"Sweepstakes" in race form. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)
The race originally was scheduled to be a 25 lap race but was scaled down to a 10 lap race due to the fact that only seven teams were able to make it to the starting line. Henry Ford built a car that featured a 2 cylinder, 538 cubic inch displacement engine that developed 26 HP, named "Sweepstakes" ... custom made for the race.
The pass of Alexander Winton by Henry Ford that allows Ford Racing to claim its first ever trophy ... the punchbowl trophy. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2011)This bowl was sold at auction by the predecessor house to Sotheby's on October 17, 1951 without knowing its historic value to the Ford Racing legacy as the very first trophy won by Ford Racing and Edsel would like to bring it back home to display at The Henry Ford Museum.
... notes from The EDJE