Auto Races

Written By Dino DiPietro

Here’s a detailed history of the Bridgehampton Carnival automobile races from their inception through 1921 🏁

🎪 Origins & Purpose (1914–1915)

  • The Bridgehampton Fire Department began organizing a summertime Firemen’s Carnival in 1911, which expanded in 1914 to include automobile (and motorcycle) races, transforming into a major local spectacle

  • These races served as fundraisers—supporting causes like the Red Cross, library, playgrounds, and by 1915, raising around $600

🏎️ Early Format & Course (1914–1915)

  • Initially, they ran two 35-mile races for 30-horsepower cars on public roads, starting and ending on Main Street, winding through surrounding farmland

  • By 1915, entries included both “sporting” wealthy drivers and local young men, including a notable win by 17-year-olds from Amagansett driving a modified Ford Model‑T

📈 Expansion & Evolution (1916–1919)

  • Held annually over a four-day Carnival, with auto racing typically on Saturday

  • The race length expanded to 50 miles by 1919, with a larger course and significantly greater local interest

  • In 1919, non-racing Carnival attractions included baseball, vegetable shows, conservation booths, etc.

  • That year, Bridgehampton’s carnival was dubbed a “monster event,” featuring favorable weather, booming attendance, and even a minor scandal—Officer Edwards's automobile was stolen during proceedings

🛣️ Course Layout

  • The original race circuit followed a roughly rectangular, 3-mile loop on dirt roads: Main Street → Halsey Lane → Pauls Lane → Ocean Road → back to Main Street

🏁 Notable Drivers & Vehicles

  • Early years featured modified Ford racers; by 1919, unique entries appeared like Mr. Breese’s self-built race car

  • In 1915, Vivian Parsons was lauded for skillfully piloting his small vehicle to victory in a “free-for-all” race

  • The inaugural 1915 race winner was Maynard Parsons driving a Pope-Toledo

💰 Charitable Impact & Local Benefits

  • Proceeds funded essential community improvements: in 1919, Carnival revenue enabled the Fire Dept to purchase its first motorized fire truck

  • After World War I, organizational focus shifted toward broader community infrastructure—like establishing a fire station and Community House

🛑 Conclusion: Final Race in 1921

  • The carnival races continued uninterrupted from 1914 until 1921, when escalating costs and shifting community priorities led to their discontinuation

  • The final Carnival in 1921 marked the end of Bridgehampton's era of street racing—but laid groundwork for the post-WWII revival in 1949

🗓️ Timeline at a Glance

1914 First auto races added to Firemen’s Carnival—two 35-mile races on public roads

1915 First winner (Pope‑Toledo); $600 raised; young local participation

1919 Course extended to 50 miles; massive crowds; notable theft of Officer Edwards’s car

1921 Final year; ceased due to rising costs and focus shift

These early Bridgehampton Carnival races set a precedent for open-road motorsport in the region—eventually inspiring a revival and the creation of a permanent circuit post-World War II.

Dino DiPietro