Henry Ford, standing, and Barney Oldfield in 1902, with the
“999” racing automobile.

On January 12, 1904, Henry Ford set a land-speed record of 91.37
mph on the frozen surface of Michigan’s Lake St. Clair. He was
driving a four-wheel vehicle, dubbed the “999,” with a wooden
chassis but no body or hood. Ford’s record was broken within
a month at Ormond Beach, Florida, by a driver named William K. Vanderbilt; even so, the publicity surrounding Ford’s achievement
was valuable to the auto pioneer, who in June of the previous year
had incorporated the Ford Motor Company, which would eventually
go on to become one of America’s Big Three automakers.

 
Henry Ford (1863-1947)    Berna Eli "Barney" Oldfield |
                                            (1878-1946)

The 999 today at The Henry Ford Museum.