The San Francisco call., 1904-10-09
HEATH FINISHES FIRST
IN AUTO RACE MARKED
BY DEATH AND DARING

machinist, Antonio Bonderi, was under
the vehicle when it started without
warning and the rear wheels passed
over his body. His injuries are not Sc
rious, however
SPECTATORS ANIC-STRICKEN.
The machine owned by Z. r. Thomas
and driven by Hawley while making
one of the turns swerved from the road,
ran upon grass along the road and
narrowly missed crashing into tree
Spectators were panic-strickea, but the
danger soon passed. Later the Thomas
machine broke down and retired from
the race
Frank Croker's daring driving was a
feature that brought spectators to their
feet. After the fourth time around the
thirty-mile triangle, however, his ma
chine had sustained injuries that put it
out OF the running.
There was a continuous bursting of
tires at one point in the course that
aroused suspicion Investigation show
ed that a quantity of sharp nails and
broken glass had been thrown on the
roadway. To this cause was due the
retirement Of a number of the ma
chimes early in the race.
OF the eighteen starters but eight
remained in the race at the fifth round
Of the triangle, or when the race was
half over.
Heath covered the last lap of thirty
miles at the rate Of - miles an hour.
His average speed during the ten laps
was 50 miles an hour.
The four remaining in the race and
who were from two to three laps be-
hind at the finish, were called off with
out being allowed to finish, it being
found impossible to keep the crowd
any longer under control after the eX-
citing race between Heath and Gle
ment.
Heath passed Queens in the second
round in second place, having jumped
from seventh to fourth place in the
first round, and to second place in the
second round. At the third round Heath
finished seven minutes ana fifty-eight
seconds ahead of Gabriel.
At $50 o'clock Teste was first, Heath
second, Clement third and Gabriel
fourth. Heath, however, finished the
fourth round in the lead as to actual
time Hawley quit at the end of the
round.
SIXTY THREE MILES AN HOUR.
Heath continued to lead until the
eighth lap, when he was delayed by
trouble with his tire, and Clement
passed him. At the 150-mile point, at
the end of the fifth round, the standing
was: Heath first, Gabriel second, Glenn
ent third, Lytttle fourth, Teste fifth.
Heath's average speed in the first half
was siXty-three miles an hour.
Heath after the delay finished his
eighth lap and entered on the ninth at
terrific speed. Clement, who started
later than Heath, was now three min
utes in the lead, official time. The ex-
element in the grand stand began to
increase. Clement had only a lead Of
one minute and forty-eight seconds en-
tering the last lap, according to the Of
ficial announcement. Heath had gained
a minute on him, but it did not seem
that he would wipe out the two min
utes remaining.
On the two men came to the finish
line, the crowds cheering and yelling,
throwing hats into the air and wav-
ing handkerchiefs, coats and canes
on came the ponderous machines, puff
fing, chugging and snorting like Jug
gernauts-there was silence in the
crowd, the machines whirred, and
then one flashed across the line. 1t
was driven by Heath and was followed
one minute and twenty-eight seconds
later by Clement and Americas first
big race for automobiles had been
run.
The official elapsed time for the en-
tire course Of 800 miles is:
Heath, hours, &c inmates, 45 sec
onds; Clement, hours, % minutes, IS
seconds.