September 7, 1896 – The first automobile race was held on a closed-circuit track. The course was at the Narragansett Trotting Park in Cranston, Rhode Island. The race competition itself was won by a driver named A. H. Whiting interestingly enough in an electric car built by the Riker Electric Vehicle Company.
That company was founded by a man named Andrew Riker who created the Company in Brooklyn in 1888. In 1894 he built his first four-wheel car by putting a pair of Remington bicycles together powered by an electric motor.
That year he also began building an electric racer that competed against gasoline cars and proved that the electric car could defeat a combustion engine in a short-span race. The economy of fueling it and the longevity of how long it would run before recharging were issues that engineers 125 years later are still coping with.
To find more great daily sports history make sure to check out the Sports Jersey Dispatch and Pigskin Dispatch.
More From Sports History Network
Jim Schmitz: USA Olympic Weightlifting Coach
Born in Ukiah, California, in 1945, Coach Jim Schmitz has been involved in weightlifting
Wilfrid Smith: From the NFL to Global Recognition
You may have heard of him… But then again, it’s likely that you have
Kent McCloughan: The Forgotten Architect of the Bump-and-Run
Land on Kent McCloughan’s page on Pro Football Reference and it’s likely that you’d
Legendary USMNT players with the most World Cup goals
The World Cup heads to America in 2026, returning to North American soil with
What Historical Upsets Teach Us About Line Value and When to Trust the Underdog
The most memorable moments in sports history are almost always upsets. Leicester City winning
The Best Esports Games for Online Betting in 2026
Esports keeps growing in 2026, both in audience size and in opportunities for online
The Difference Between Social Casinos and Real-Money iGaming Platforms
In recent years, the digital gaming landscape has expanded significantly, offering players an array
What’s The Right Amount of Weight Training?
I recently heard a weightlifting coach say that overtraining doesn’t exist. That’s a very
