"Gentlemen, start your engines" (1952)

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

I am trying to see how far back the phrase "gentlemen, start your engines"
goes, and to determine whether any individual is said to be its coiner.
I would welcome any information about the phrase's provenance; the
earliest evidence I have so far is a 1955 book with the phrase as its
title.

Fred Shapiro

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Wendy let me in I wanna be your friend
I want to guard your dreams and visions
Just wrap your legs 'round these velvet rims
and strap your hands across my engines.
--Bruce Springsteen, "Born to Run"


   8 June 1952, NEVADA STATE JOURNAL, pg. 11, col. 2 (about the "Indianapolis Auto Race on Memorial Day"):
   About 9:25 a.m. cars were shoved from the pit area to their proper location on the track, and at 9:35 a.m. all cars were in place, the official photo was taken, and at 9:30 a.m. (Col. 3--ed.) starter Seth Klein said, "Gentlemen, start your engines."

   7 May 1954, FREDERICK POST (Frederick, Maryland), pg. 17, col. 2 ("the 38th annual 500-mile race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway"):
   Finally, the command: "Gentlemen, start your engines."