Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-29
SPORTS OF ALL SORTS
Oldfeld Defeated Vanderbilt
in Exciting Auto Race.
NEW RECORD M A DE
o'BRIEN AND RYAN TO MEET In
LONGER ROUND BATTLE.
Baltimore Shooters Won-Rough Rid
ing at New Orleans - Brush
Don't Want Davis.
NEW RECORD M ABE

Barney Oldfield, an American. driving an
| American automobile, won the one-mile
championship at Ormond, Fla, yesterday
| from William X. Vanderbilt jr., who drove
| a car of European make. 1t was joyous
occasion in the American camp when the
| Winton Bullet. No. 2, built for the interna-
| tional cup race last year, in which it was
| rank failure, shot over the mark victor
| by three seconds. beating the Mercedes.
one of which won the cup race last year.
| Vanderbilt was beaten by three seconds at
| the finish, but that does not tell the story
| of the hard struggle down the wavy beach
! along the edge of the in-rolling waves in
| fog which obscured both cars.
| Spectators along the course. which start
| ed at Daytona and ran southwark, told OF
| a struggle side by side to point some dis
| lance beyond the half-mile point. Oldheld
was barely leading to that point.
Then Vanderbilt threw in his fourth speed
and the machine was clogged with too
large a gear for the engines. Oldield shot
away one hundred and perhaps one hum
dred and fifty yards before the millionaire
could get back to the third gear. which had
been keeping him at least even.
At the finishing point there were many
anxious men, including Winthrop E. Scar
rift of the Automobile Club of America, be-
cause the haze on the course obScured the
view. Suddenly out of the gloom up the
stretch was heard sound as of heavy ar
tillery as the two great monsters with their
| daring drivers came rushing on.
Nearer and nearer came the sound, and
then from the mist shot the two machines,
with Oldfield leading. Tom Cooper sat be-
side Oldfeld and frantically waved his
| arms the long rakish bullet went owe;
the tape just three seconds ahead of Van
| derbilt.
He made no excuses then and it was
from a private source that the information
came in regard to the gears.
The final time was 46 Sos, which Old
| field had beaten in a heat when he defeated
Stevens and Bowden in 43 seconds, new
compe titive record for the world. The
mark set by Anglers on the Dourdan road,
46 seconds. was thus brought to America
and to Floridas course. Anglers after do
ing 46s. tried over a. dozen times to lower
it and failed. Without wind and with the
course wavy, which scattered loose sand
over it to bunch when the breakers rolled,
this record of AZ seconds must stand as a
competitive record of great excellence.
Stevens gained the right to start in the
final heat through being second in the fast
est heat HI. L. Bowden was second in the
first heat to Vanderbilt, who won in
4S 45s.
Vanderbilt also won the first heat of the
five-mile race for gentlemen drivers. The
timing instrument was not installed and no
time was taken.
No other races could be run because the
tide rose.
There were unnecessary and vexat,ous de-
lays in running the races yesterday, and not
one-third of the program was run off. The
events will be carried over until today, and
the meet must necessarily go into next
week.
Today Vanderbilt and Oldheld and Bow
den meet in the fifty-mile championship
race.
William X. Vanderbilt. jr., said last night
that his racing would be sold at the
close of this meet. HIS object in selling is
not known, but it is probable that he will
seek new and faster car for next year, as
ne has agreed to again compete at Ormond.
board next season, and as such may take
trials.
Next years meet is assured by subscrip-
lions taken Wednesday night for the events
the thousands of dollars subscribed to be
devoted to the purchase of handsome cups
w. h. Vanderbilt, ir., heads the list with
$500. N NJ. F'lagler adds 5000 Mrs. Howard
Gould. $3.50; w. G.. Brokaw, $3.50; S. d.
Stevens. $50; J. III. Hoadey $3.50; A. d.
Proctor, $3.50; c. G. Burgoyne, $3.50; J. w.
Masury, $50; III. l.. Bowden, $3.50; James
L. Breese. $3.50. and Talmage Hand 500.
One of the most interested spectators of
the races yesterday. standing in the crowd
on the beach, was Gov. Jennings of Flor
ida, who is an automobile enthusiast. San
tos-Dumont was also present, and he took
a spin in the machine of w. G.. Brokaw
up and down the beach. declaring it the
greatest automobile route ne ever rode
upon.