This is the story of how the very first motor race was held on the island.
In this article series about Sri Lankan motorsport history, we journey back to the early 1900s to see how the first seeds of racing were planted on the island.
In Ceylon, automobiles initially arrived as a luxury—something novel and daring that only a few pioneers could afford. The earliest motor vehicle to reach the island was an 8-horsepower steam-powered Humber Rover, registered simply as a “Rover”. It was introduced by Edgar Money in February 1902.
Two years later, in 1904, G. C. Gnapp imported the first petrol-powered car, a 5-horsepower Oldsmobile. By that time, there were no more than 21 motor cars in the whole of Ceylon. Yet, small groups of enthusiasts were already gathering to share their fascination with this new mode of transport.
In November 1904, one such group established the Automobile Club of Ceylon, with Brigadier General C. C. L. Money as president and Harold North as secretary. This club laid the foundation for organised motoring on the island and would soon witness the birth of its first-ever motor race.
Since the number of automobile owners was still small, the earliest competitions were modest affairs. However, in 1905, the Automobile Club of Ceylon organised the first motor race in the island’s history.
Only four cars took part in that historic event, driven by E. J. Hayward, G. C. Gnapp, Reverend Stanley Bishop, and A. T. Shank.
Though small in scale, this little competition marked the beginning of a new chapter in Ceylon’s story — one of curiosity, courage, and a love for speed. It must have been an exhilarating experience for those early drivers, who raced not just for victory but for the sheer thrill of motion on those dusty colonial roads.