10/24/2009:
An automobile endurance race was announced on this date in 1908 between Fargo and Casselton. Early auto-enthusiasts frequently held such races in hopes of proving the endurance of each car model. Sponsored by the Chalmers-Detroit company, the announced race was to run 200 continuous miles, stretching four times between Fargo and Casselton. It was the climax to a national campaign by the company, and was to be held simultaneously in 108 different towns across the country. The company's campaign started three months earlier, on August 3rd, when they began driving their ‘Double Century' model car across the country. The car drove 200 miles a day for 100 consecutive days, covering a total of 20,000 miles. After crossing the country several times, drivers began driving the car back and forth between Detroit and Pontiac, Michigan, four times daily, until finally concluding the campaign in Detroit on November 3rd.
Dakota Datebook written by Jayme L. Job
Source:
The Fargo Forum and Daily Republican, Saturday (Evening ed.), Oct. 24, 1908: p.7.
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9403E6DB1739E333A25756C2A9669D946997D6CF