Philadelphia’s Simeone Automotive Museum has expanded its collection with the addition of a new, rare, treasure, a 1907 Renault Racing Roadster (above, Bob Goldstein photo courtesy of the Simeone Automotive Museum) that was one of 10 originally imported by William K. Vanderbilt to assist his early-century plan to jump-start auto racing in America.
All 10 cars — the museum says possibly 11 — found homes with wealthy Americans and continued the winning tradition forged by Renault’s victory in the 1905 Paris-Madrid contest that is recognized as the first auto race to be called a “Grand Prix.” As time passed, several of the cars disappeared because, essentially, no one cared, but in the 1920s, the duo of George Waterman and Kirk Gibson began collecting old cars, and were able to find a few serious racecars that they saved from demolition. In 1928, Kirk Gibson was able to acquire this particular car, and it has remained in his family ever since!
Now, Gibson’s son, Kirk Jr., has decided to give his cherished Renault a permanent home at the Simeone Museum, where it will be on display alongside cars of similar history and heritage. For complete information, please visit www.simeonemuseum.org
