The Indianapolis journal., 1903-06-20
TRACK WAS DANGEROUS
COOPER-oLDFIELD MATCH RACE
POSTPONED UNTIL TO-DAY.
Races for Lighter Machines Were
Given. Earl Fisher and Frank Moore
Winning-To-Day's Events.

run their five-mile automobile match race
at the State fair grounds yesterday after
noon, which was to have been the biggest
event of the first days programme of the
Indianapolis Automobile Associations big
meet.
The track too soft The ive-mile
handicap was also declared off and will be
run to-day If the track is in condition. Only
three OF the seven races scheduled for yes
terday afternoon were run-the twO-mile
motor cycle, fve-miIe 2.O00-pound class. and
the three-mile motor cycle handicap. The
other events will be run to-day.
Nearly 1.0oO persons watched the races.
Rain" checks were given out when the
judges declared the last four races off, and
II ii does not rain the managers CT the meet
expect an enormous crowd at the fair
grounds.
The track was so slippery at o'clock.
after the three hours OF rain, that neither
Oldfield. who holds the worlds record, nor
Cooper, the New Yorker. would risk his
life by going into the race.
The dangerous condition of the track for
such driving as those two racers will do in
their match race, was easily seen when
Cooper started a three-mile exhibition run
while Oldheld was getting his machine into
shape for the race.
Cooper did a mile in Ills and then quit.
To make the turns safely he had to drive
on the outside OF the track all the way
round and then. he says, 1t was entirely too
risky for racing. When he came the
stretch his machine swerved back and forth
over at least a quarter OF the track. The
fairly held their breath until the big racer
got TO running safely. AS soon as the ma
9hlns eodld be 9 st99PPsd Go1Per FetgGned sd to to
impossible TO have the race. Ali the heats
will be run to-day. This will be the best
event on the programme
The best race was the five-mile event for
2.Oo-pound machines The race was won
by Earl Fisher. driving Dr. Hodges's Win
ton; Maurice Derango, the French chauf-
Ieur, won third prize with DIR. Jamesons
Peerless, and Edgar Apperson, of Kokomo,
won second with one of his own machines.
III. r. Dixon, who drove General, small
machine. was distanced by nearly half
mile by Fisher. Fishers time 7:2S 2-5;
AppersOn's, 1888 1-5; Derango's, 1855. Fishers
fastest mile was done in 1:27 2-5 and his
average time was % 3-5.
For nearly the first mile Derango led the
race, with Apperson close behind him, Dix
on third, and Fisher behind them all. De-
range had at least thirty-five yards the
start of Fisher.
FISHER GAINED RAPIDLY.
This unfavorable start did not bother
Fisher at all, however, for he began gain
ing rapidly on Derango as soon as the line
was crossed BY the end of the first mile
he pulled into second place, and Apperson
took the lead. Derango dropping back to
third place.
Fisher kept right on gaining. and the
best work DIR. Jameson's Peerless could do
was not fast enough to keep the big Winton
from getting into the lead On the last quar-
ter of the second mile Fisher passed Apper-
son and literally began 10 run away from
the second mile Fisher pulled away from
Apperson until, at the end OF the race, he
was nearly quarter of mile in the lead.
three miles and beat him by 10 40 seconds.
Dixon was about half a mile behind Fisher
at the finish He far behind the win
uers after the first mile.
The two-mile motor cycle class. no weight
limit. was won by Harry Weller in 4:l0.
indianapolis drivers. Weller led the race
both laps.
The five-mile for 1,2Oo-pound class ma
chimes, though slow, on account Of the
heavy track. was a close match between
Frank Moore, of Indianapolis, and H. v.
Dixon, of Cleveland, who won second prize.
Moore's time was 9:16 and Dixon's 9:17A.
Moore drove a General. The other entries
IN the event were II. q. Wilcox, of Lapel,
Ind, and ]. A. Moore, of Indianapolis. Will
cox took third prize Frank Moore led the
than three machine lengths behind at any
time. Wilcox. and Joe Moore were also in
the race in good shape, but did not drive as
well as the winners of the'two first prizes.
The second best event on the programme
Tor this afternoon Is fve-mile match
race between DeIango, winner of third
prize In the five-mile event, and Earl Fish
er. winner of the event There will also be
another five-mile match race between Kiser
of Dayton, and Wideley OF Indianapolis.
The five-mile handicap of yesterday and the
tbree-mile handicap on to-day's programme
will be converted into a grand handicap.
The racing association has offered ST. 900
will attempt to secure the prize to-day.
II It does not rain to-day the track should
be fast as it dries quickly and rollers
were used on IL last night.
-To-day's Programme
First-1,2O0 pound class, open to Olds
Ramblers, Cadillacs, Franklins, Generals,
Honmans.
Second--Three-mile match race between
Louis Derange, driving Peerless, VS.. Earl
Fisher driving Winton.
Thfrd-First heat five miles, 81 900 match
race Barney Oldfield VS.. Tom Cooper.
Fourth-Five mile pursuit race. George
Weidely. driving Premier, VS.. Earl Kiser,
driving Pirate i.
Fifth-FiYe-mile owners race 1000
pound class. 20 horse power or less
Sixth-Second heat five-mile match race.
Barney Oldfeld VS.. Tom Cooper.
Seventh-Grand five-mile handicap open
to every first or second place winner in
previous events.
Eighth-Third or final heat Gf necessary
OF Cooper-Old1eld match race