Cactus Derbies

Car races across the deserts promoted road building.

When the first horseless carriage sputtered and jerked into Arizona soon after the dawning of the 20th century, there came a demand for better roads. In order to promote highway construction, road races–called Cactus Derbies–were staged between Los Angeles and Phoenix. Drivers competed on roads that were often no more than wagon trails. There were no gas stations or garages, so the drivers had to pack any essentials they might need on the car. A riding mechanic accompanied them, just in case the car broke down (and it frequently did).