Racing Sans One

The earliest sans serifs with a lowercase, around 1800 by Pablo Impallari and Rodrigo Fuenzalida’s account, had strong contrast between thick and thin strokes, probably because they grew out of the serif types of the time. Fashion then went the other way, toward monoline sans with almost no contrast, and contrasted sans faces have been rare ever since.

Digging through old specimens, the 2 designers stopped at Doric Italic and Taylor Gothic, both from American Type Founders in 1897, and at Charter Oak from the Keystone Type Foundry of Philadelphia, 1906. Racing Sans is their tribute to that forgotten line.

Contrast is the whole idea, fine hairlines against heavy main strokes, and it gives a headline some speed. 1 style, with discretionary ligatures, stylistic alternates and a stylistic set, Latin and Latin Extended. We would put it on a race weekend poster or a car magazine cover, big.