1903 Packard Model K-S Gray Wolf

During the very early 1900s, racers took to the beaches to set time and speed records, along with an assortment of racing. Daytona Beach was a popular favorite, with many important milestones achieved on its smooth, hard sand. The Packard Motor Company got in on the action with their Gray Wolf racing special.

The car fell in the medium weight limit category which had a limit of 1430 pounds. The car was shipped to Daytona from Ohio in a crate, which tragically got lost. It was later found in Tennessee. When it arrived at Daytona, it was joined by many other interesting types of vehicles. Many were in the shape of bullets or cigars; some were nothing more than a seat attached to a stiff frame with an engine mounted in the front. The Gray Wolf was a wedge-shaped vehicle that had a pointy front and rear end and bulged slightly in the middle to accommodate the driver.

The car had 24 horsepower, a two-speed transmission, a pressed-steel frame, and tires that measured 34x3.5 inches. The total package weighed a mere 1,310 pounds.

The Gray Wolf showed little difficulty in displacing the Winton Special's five-mile record. A second run was attempted a short time later, on January 3rd. There was a strong breeze, suitable temperature, and well-groomed sand which offered ideal conditions to shatter its prior record. It traversed the five-mile course in just 4:26.1 minutes.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2008