Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-03-24

America will take very kindly TO con-
tests Of this description, as they are
very much more exciting than ordinary
cycle racing. as a very much higher
rate of speed Is attained The sight OF
four or I've men travelling at 40 miles
an hour around very highly banked
track provides as much excitement as
the ordinary man requires.
SO far as France IS concerned Of
course, the roads there lend themselves
particularly to the purpose, and special
racing machines are constructed TO OBJ
tain the highest possible speed. II Is in
teresting to note mere what tremendous
jumps have been made In this respect
within the last two or three years. From
four horsepower In 1895 the horsepower
Of the competing machines has Increased
10 20 horsepower In 1899, and In this
years races on the continent there Is
every probability OF carriages fitted
with 25 to 30 horsepower taking part:
and when the word "tnls" will be writ
ten | do not know. In some OF the re-
cent races an average speed Of over 10
miles an hour has been maintained over
a long distance, which means that on
certain portions Of the journey speed
OF nearer 20 miles an hour must have
been accomplished TO make up for the
necessary loss Of speed in hill climbing
at other parts OF the Journey.
AS a competitor myself on a motor
cycle In the last race-Parls 10 Bor-
deauxI had a good opportunity Of judg-
ing the amount OF nerve, endurance and
GOODNESS required In these road races.
Travelling at from So to 40 miles an
hour, smothered with dust and tired be-
yond all endurance. passing or being
passed by the highly powered racing
carriages, with over 100 competitors taxi
ing part, It was brought home to my
mind that 400 mile race was not child's
play. and that the winner had some
thing TO be proud about,
And what sight the start OF great
French automobile race Isl The COM
petitors. arriving on the low built, pow.
erful racing carriages, clad in leather
for protection against the cold, goggles
and masks for protection against the
dust and possible rain. the roar Of the
motors, the excitement of the crowd,
the daring and expert handling Of their
machines by the competitors on motor
cycles endeavorlng TO get 10 their re.
spective starting stations. the starting
signal being given and the mad scram-
bic 10 get TO the front by a hundred
keen competitors-all 90 to make up
as exciting q scene as can possibly be
imagined.
The drivers on the carriages have, as
rule, only G small seat for themselves,
and the accompanying attendant has TO
lie down on the floor, so as 10 offer as
little resistance as possible TO the air.
The motor cyclists crouch down on
their machines until the body lies par
allel with the top tube. also with the
same idea OF offering no resistance to
the wind. and on and on they CO. mile
after mile, 100. 200. SOO 400 miles, toward
their goal.
Personally I have experienced and can
imagine no keener sport than automo-
bile racing.
II is an impossibllty TO carry out au-
tomobile road races in America on the
same lines and In the same manner as
on the continent owing to the roads.
In France and Germany. where the best
roads have been built for military pur-
poses where the surface Is as smooth as
a billiard table and where the gradients
are so even. very high speeds are OBJ
tainable.
Regarding track racing, however,
there IS no possible reason why the
sport should not be taken up right
away. You have the tracks, and surely
you must have the machines. AS for
the people, my experience In England
makes me answer for the American
public that no one would be more en-
thusiastic than they after having had
an opportunity Of witnessing a good
race between good men mounted on
( powerful racing tricycles In keen COM
petition.
Reverting TO the continental racing
this year will lend additional interest
in this direction from an American
point OF view. The cup presented by
Mr.. James Gordon Bennett to the Au-
tomoblle Club de France for competition
between the various national automo-
bile clubs will be competed for in June.
The race will be from Paris to Lyons.
Sil miles, and great contest is ex-
pected Mr. Winton and Mfr. Riker are
representing the Automobile Club Of
America and win make an attempt TO
win the epp FOR America on machines
OF their own construction: but France
does not intend TO be beaten. and the
well known French chaffeurs, Cheyalier