In 1911, auto racing cards marked an important early milestone in motorsports collectibles. The standout release that year was the T36 Auto Drivers set produced by the American Tobacco Company. Widely regarded as the first mainstream trading card set dedicated exclusively to actual auto racing drivers, it featured 25 base cards (with multiple back variations bringing a master set to 100 different cards).
The colorful, artist-rendered portraits highlighted prominent racers of the era, including legends like Louis Chevrolet, Ralph De Palma, Bob Burman, and others who competed in events such as the inaugural Indianapolis 500. A companion 1910/1911 Turkey Red Automobile Series (T37) focused more on the cars themselves rather than the drivers. These tobacco cards were inserted into cigarette packs to stiffen packaging and boost sales, helping popularize the exciting new world of automobile racing among collectors during a time when the sport was rapidly growing in popularity. Today, they remain highly sought after by pre-war card enthusiasts.
1911 American Tobacco (T36) “Auto Drivers”
The 1911 T36 Auto Drivers set, produced by the American Tobacco Company, is considered the first major trading card release dedicated exclusively to automobile racing drivers, featuring 25 colorful artist-rendered portraits of top racers of the era such as Louis Chevrolet and Ralph De Palma.
1911 American Tobacco (T36) “Auto Drivers”