when was this racing started?
In the early 20th century.
Turtle racing
Turtle racing initially became a popular pastime in The Bahamas in the early 20th century. 
when do painted turtle eggs hatch in minnesota UNANSWERABLE what is a painted turtle? It is the most widespread native turtle of North America. why is it named so? It's generic name is derived from the Ancient Greek words for "gold" ("chryso") and "freshwater tortoise" ("emys"). what do they eat? They eat both plants and animals. are there any other species looks similar to it? Yes, the red-eared slider. how important is basking for it? It regulates its temperature through its environment by basking. can they be brought up as pets? Yes, they were the second most popular pet turtles after red-eared sliders. what are its other uses? In the Midwest, turtle racing is popular at summer fairs.
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Turtle racing [SEP] History
Turtle racing initially became a popular pastime in The Bahamas in the early 20th century. The earliest known turtle race to occur in the United States took place in Chicago in 1902. Dubbed "The Strangest Race Ever Run" by the Chicago Daily Tribune, seven turtles raced across a lawn while being ridden by small children. Although spectators attempted to lure them toward a finish line with cabbages, they were not able to coax the turtles to move in a straight line. A turtle race that took place in 1911 gained notoriety due to the participation of several celebrities, including playwright George Ade and former Massachusetts Governor Ebenezer Sumner Draper, who organized a race between two large turtles while passengers on a Caribbean cruise.