World War II in Europe left both victorious and vanquished countries devastated; yet within weeks of the end of hostilities on September 9, 1945, an automobile race was held in Paris’ Bois de Boulogne. This presentation addresses the questions: where did the financial and material resources for an active post-war racing program come from, and perhaps even more importantly, why were they expended in what many might regard as a non-essential- or perhaps even frivolous - activity?

Skip McGoun is the William H. Dunkak Emeritus Professor of Finance at Bucknell University and was a long-term Visiting Professor at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia and at the University of Donja Gorija in Montenegro. He has presented and published on the history and culture of finance as well as automobile history and culture and served as Area Chair of the Vehicle Culture Section of the Popular Culture Association.

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00:00 Post-War Racing Revival 01:18 The State of Europe Post-WWII; Early Post-War Races
03:28 The Constructors: Britain vs. The Continent
05:29 Financial and Material Resources
13:14 The Influence of Nationalism and Sentiment
15:34 Adrenaline and the Need for Speed
18:53 Conclusion, Reflections and Q&A Session 27:48 Closing Remarks and Credits

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This episode is part of our HISTORY OF MOTORSPORTS SERIES and is sponsored in part by: The International Motor Racing Research Center (IMRRC), The Society of Automotive Historians (SAH), The Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Argetsinger Family.