While many drivers have lost their lives on the track, racing probably saved Rene Dreyfus, not just from death but also from a fate even worse. Rene was born May 6, 1905 in Nice, France. He grew up during automobile racing s golden era and learned to drive before he was nine years old. He purchased a Bugatti and began racing in 1924, entering amateur events. During the next five years he won many of these and finally entered the Grand Prix of Monaco in 1929. This was his first professional race and he won his class and finished fifth overall.
Dreyfus was well aware that works drivers always had an advantage, as the factory cars were always faster than the cars available to private entrants. Dreyfus devised a plan whereby he could compensate for that advantage. The factory cars always had to pit for refueling. So if he could avoid that by mounting additional fuel tanks on his car he could run the race without a fuel stop. This strategy would then level the playing field. So Dreyfus not only mounted extra fuel tanks but he also implemented a device that would allow him to refuel without stopping.
Rene won races all over Europe in competition with the icons of the era such as Caracciola, Varzi and Nuvolari. Then in the 30 s racing changed in Europe. Hitler had taken over Germany and intended to use motor sport as a propaganda tool to promote the superiority of the Aryan race. Consequently the German racing teams were nationalized and Germany began producing the most advanced cars and hiring the best European drivers on their teams, one of whom was Louis Chiron. As Dreyfus was Jewish, he would not be acceptable as a member of a German team. So he had to rely on cleverness and daring to offset the German advantage of superior equipment.
In 1937 driving for Delahaye, Dreyfus risked his life by his flat out driving to defeat the German team. Then in 1938 he entered the Grand Prix at Pau and finished ahead of the famous German driver Rudolf Caracciola who was driving a Mercedes Benz silver arrow. World War II erupted in Europe and Dreyfus joined the French Army. In 1940, the French government decided to enter Dreyfus in the American Indianapolis 500 and dispatched him and a partner, Rene Le Begue, to the United States along with a Maserati. In the meantime, the Nazi troops occupied France. The French government told Dreyfus to stay in the United States as since he was Jewish and had humiliated the German teams on the racetrack, he would be in grave danger if he returned to France. Thus racing saved Dreyfus from the fate of many of his countrymen in Hitler s ovens and concentration camps.
Dreyfus went to New York City and started a French restaurant. Then when America entered the war he joined the U.S. Army. After the war, he and his brother started another restaurant again in New York.
Dreyfus did some racing when the war ended. He entered the 1952 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 1955 12 Hours of Sebring. He also wrote a book about his experiences entitled My Two Lives Race Driver to Restaurateur.
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