A Billionaire and Beach Racing

A Billionaire and Beach Racing. . , This Volusia County beach access is named for a part-time Ormond resident known as “the richest man in the world.” Through his Standard Oil empire, John D. Rockefeller controlled U.S. refining in the late nineteenth century. One commercial photo of the tycoon had a caption explaining: “He is a figure of some historical importance because his very name stands for trusts, for combination of capital and for monopoly.”, In his last years, Rockefeller came to Ormond Beach for health and golfing. He bought a home (dubbed “The Casements” after its distinctive windows) and lived quietly in the community. Following his death in 1937, the house had many owners and finally became a cultural center., Like other residents and visitors, John D. Rockefeller enjoyed watching beach races. Starting early in the twentieth century, motor sports pioneers used the hard sand here for timed trials and races, and the Ormond-Daytona racecourse saw many record runs. No wonder it is called the “The Birthplace of Speed.”