Evening star., 1905-09-24

/ there were times when he only seemed to
hit the high spots In this road. bounding
along like ship In q stormy sea. He says
II he had time@to bring his mind to the
swaying and rolling OF his vehicle he
might get seasick. His main feeling is thae
he wants speed, speed. and more speed. 70
eat up the yellow ribbon OF road ina, ina,
In long races on the road he fails to have
any particular sensation, his whole tdea
being conferred in keeping the car on the
smoothest part OF the roadway.
George Heath, the winner of the Van
derbilt cup last year. said that he always
suffered with nervousness for week after
q long race. and had great difficulty In get
ting sleep. Although q man OF Rrea.
wealth, ne is fascinated by racing. and viii
be contestant this year. In talking with
| q reporter recently. a racing man said;
Il have so often been asked the question.
How does 1t feel to drive a racing carr
that look upon 1t as one of the stereo.
typed questions, which up to the present
time have in no instance adequately an
swered to any ones satisfaction. for then
simple reason that have never taken the
trouble to analyze my feelings when driV-
ing.
Zone has q very wearing experience the
week before the race, when IL Is necessary
to be at the factory and overlook the final
work on the car just before it Is ready Tor
the road Early In the morning until late
at night one is at 1t A little spin OF nan
whole car then pulled to pieces, another
wearying walt until 1t is ready TO go out
again. through some small point having
to be changed: then out again TOT usis
minutes run. and again the car has TO DC
taken down.
.T remember a friend of mine while was
waiting with my car at the start or q race,
which I eventually won, asking me no" :
felt and I could only reply that was eX-
ceedingly bored. Ofcourse, this feeths goes
immediately one is really started, and as
the car settles down into her speed one laea
dominates-namely, to get over the srouhe
as quickly as possible.
'sThe incidents in driving are so neetiis
and varied that at the end OF race !. ~
almost impossible to recall them, aitheusaa,
the time OF occurrence they appear OF vital
Importance to the driver slight hesita
ton of the motor or apparent slipping OF
the clutch are things in themselves TO nake
the driver of the car fear and tremp!e tha'
his troubles are commencing cnokeo-up
lubricator, and In Imagination the Whole en-
gine is fred and he is stopped beyond an
hope of finishing the race. l think really
the most tiring strain throughout a race Is
this dread of something happening to cause
delay, and the most comforting sensation
that of hearing the vicious spit OF the four
cylinders, steady and regular. above the
roar and rush Of the wind
Undoubtedly driving a racing car for
prolonged period has curious effect on the
driver himself. With the possibility of WIN
ming well within reach erimness almos,
inhuman dominates his actions. 1t would
be asking him to achieve the impossible 10
go through those binding dust clouds In
passing a car in front, il this task were set
him In cold blood. The cxhiaration of speed
is necessary before the chances are taken
and the corners shaved.
THE car In front must be passed: every
seconds delay is a second lost, and the
faster car catches Its opponent. the driver
calculating all his chances on the opportu-
mites presented by the road and pushing
his front wheels alongside his opponent "A
moments suspense-the two cars seem to
nang together-and the victor Is by and
away again. 1t is but an incident however.
forgotten in the next incident OF passing
another car. And underlying all the effort
and governing all the movements of the
driver is uncertainty--that uncertainty OF
not knowing whether everything is going
we'll with him to the end