Caleb Bragg

Caleb Smith Bragg (November 23, 1885 – October 24, 1943) was an American racing driver, speedboat racer, aviation pioneer, and automotive inventor.^[1] He participated in the 1911, 1913 and 1914 Indianapolis 500. In speedboat racing, Caleb won three consecutive APBA Challenge Cup races in Detroit from 1923 to 1925.^[2] He was a co-inventor of the Bragg-Kliesrath brake.^[1]

Caleb Bragg
Bragg at the 1912 Indianapolis 500
Born	Caleb Smith Bragg (1885-11-23)November 23, 1885 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Died	October 24, 1943(1943-10-24) (aged 57) Manhattan, New York, U.S.
Champ Car career
7 races run over 5 years
First race	1911 Indianapolis 500 (Indianapolis)
Last race	1915 Vanderbilt Cup (Panama–Pacific)
Wins Podiums Poles 0 1 0

Early life

Bragg was born on November 23, 1885, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Cais C. Bragg and Eugenia Hofer who were wealthy.^[3]

Education

While at Yale University, Bragg became interested in automobile racing.^[3] Bragg graduated from Yale in 1908 and took a post-graduate engineering course at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1909.^[1]

Racing career

On October 5, 1912, Bragg driving a 14 liter F.I.A.T. S74 took 1st place at the 1912 American Grand Prize race, the seventh and final race of the 1912 Grand Prix season. It was held at the Wauwatosa Road Race Course near Milwaukee, Wisconsin and was sanctioned by the Automobile Club of America.^[4] Caleb Bragg won by over 15 minutes over Erwin Bergdoll and his 9.5 liter 37/90 hp Benz. Bragg's average speed was 68.397 mph (110.074 km/h).^[5]

Later career

During World War I Bragg became interested in flying airplanes and in 1916 he flew his first solo flight; he later set airplane records for speed and altitude.^[3]

Bragg developed a braking system with Victor William Kliesrath called the Bragg-Kliesrath brake. They formed a company in 1920 and Ethel Merman was his personal secretary before she became famous.^[3] They sold the company to Bendix Corporation in the late 1920s.^[6]

In speedboat racing, Bragg won three consecutive APBA Challenge Cup races in Detroit from 1923 to 1925, in 1923 with Packard Chriscraft and the 1924-1925 races with Baby Bootlegger, the 29-foot mahogany wooden speedboat designed for him in 1924 by George Crouch and built by Henry Nevins.

Personal life

Bragg died on 24 October 1943 in New York City, New York.^[1]

Motorsports career results

Indianapolis 500 results

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired 1911 39 35 — — 37 24 0 Crash in pits 1913 19 1 87.340 2 15 128 1 Pump shaft 1914 21 9 92.970 7 19 117 1 Camshaft Totals 269 2

Starts 3 Poles 1 Front Row 1 Wins 0 Top 5 0 Top 10 0 Retired 3

Gallery

• 
  Bragg in his Mercer

References

1. "Caleb Smith Bragg, Dies. Flier, Auto Racer, Pioneer in Automotive Field. Also Noted as an Inventor and Speedboat Pilot". The New York Times. October 25, 1943. Archived from the original on November 8, 2017. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
2. "Caleb Smith Bragg". Early Aviators. Archived from the original on 2017-11-08. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
3. Kellow, Brian (2008). Ethel Merman : a life. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 9780143114208.
4. Ward, Harry (October 6, 1912). "Young millionaire racing driver is winner of classic". The Washington Times. Archived from the original on 2018-07-31.
5. "American Grand Prize". ChampCarStats.com. Archived from the original on 2017-10-10. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
6. Schoneberger, L.A. "Pat" Hyland; edited by W.A. (1993). Call me Pat : the autobiography of the man Howard Hughes chose to lead Hughes Aircraft. Virginia Beach, VA: Donning Co./Publishers. p. 147. ISBN 9780898658736. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)