Alexander Winton was an automobile industry and automobile racing pioneer. Born in Scotland, Winton came to the US in his 20s and became a prominent bicycle maker in Cleveland, Ohio, before transitioning into an automobile innovator. Among his many distinctions, Winton originated the automobile industry in the United States when he sold a 1 cylinder Winton car to Pennsylvanian Robert Allison in 1898.Winton was the founder and head of Winton Motor Carriage Company of Cleveland that produced the well-known Winton Bullet cars. Winton motor cars pioneered the 6 cylinder car in America as the company began producing the more powerful cars in 1907, while competitors were focusing on 4 cylinder cars.

 

Not just a car maker, Winton was a distinguished racer and record setter. In 1900 Winton represented the Automobile Club of America in the 1900 Gordon Bennett Cup race, becoming the first American to represent America in a European road race. Then in 1902, he set the world’s mile track record in Cleveland.

 

At the inaugural Ormond-Daytona tournament, Winton was the star. He drove the Winton bullet to the fastest mile ever made in an American automobile in Ormond. When Winton and his Bullet entered the 1 mile event, all other competitors withdrew – knowing that victory was inevitably Winton’s.