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In 1931 the Bendix Aviation Corporation decided to offer a trophy for a transcontinental air race from Los Angeles to Cleveland in connection with the National Air Races. The Bendix Trophy Race is a free for all. There are no limitations on horsepower. The Race may be flown non-stop or with stops enroute. The Trophy and $25,000 in cash prizes are awarded to the pilots making the fastest elapsed time.

We believed that this Race would benefit aviation by providing peace-time incentive for our civilian and military aviators to improve their skill and to gain experience under exacting flight conditions. We also felt that this national high speed contest would act as a spur to aircraft manufacturers because of the prestige and advertising value attached to having built or supplied parts for a plane capable of winning this event.

How well these hopes have come true is illustrated by the increasingly higher speeds which have almost placed the East within commuting distance of the West Coast.

The first Race, flown in 1931, was won by Lieutenant General James H. Doolittle, then Major Doolittle. Flying a civilian-built "Laird" plane he covered the 2,050 miles in 9 hours and 10 minutes at an average speed of 223 miles per hour.

In the years which followed speeds were pushed upwards until in 1939 the distance was flown in 7 hours and 14 minutes at 282 miles per hour.

The Bendix Race is open to pilots of both sexes and on two occasions the ladies have been victorious over the best of the nation's male competition. The team of Louise Thaden and Blanche Noyes won in 1936 with Jacqueline Cochran the winner of 1938.

During these years the quest for speed in racing made important contributions which were reflected in the superiority of our air power during the War. These developments included flush riveting and improved finishing methods for fuselage