Barney and Ralph

This image of a program cover for a Barney Oldfield - Ralph De Palma match race was provided by Wayne Caroll Petersen, the great-nephew of Oldfield's wife Bess Holland. Oldfield and De Palma were the keen rivals of the age and staged these mano y mano contests which were extremely popular with fans. These occurred for the most part late in Oldfield's career in the wake of World War I. Most storied perhaps were the contests where Oldfield drove his Harry Miller "Golden Submarine."