The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-06
BARNEY OLDFIELD
ON RAGING GAME
NOTED CHAUFFEUR TALKS OF
MILE-A-MINUTE SPEED.
He says It Requires Nerve, Good Judg-
ment and Thoro knowledge Of
Mechanics to Run the Big Machines
Inches Counted in Turning the Cor
ners Of Tracks.

Barney Oldfeld, whom many think
the greatest automobile driver in the
world, is in Minneapolis for the big
race meeting at Hamline on Saturday
afternoon. Altho daring, Oldield is
not reckless, and he appreciates the
Waterloo, for three or four Of the best
drivers in the east, plotting cars Of tre-
mendous horsepower, will try to knock
the crown from the smiling Barney's
head
| Oldfield is a character in more ways
than one, and his readiness to meet
anyone with his famous Peerless Green
with every one. He is perfectly I'M
assuming and talks in most interest
ing way about the automobiling and
plotting the powerful juggernauts at
breakneck speed. He is a man Of
medium height, but of powerful build
He was a champion bicycle rider and is
very strong physically.
1T Takes Courage.
negotiating the ellipticaf tracks, Old
field said:
The matter of making turns is
something the people who do not drive
automobiles cannot understand When
one is going at the raet of mile a
minute or better, turns must be made
SO quickly that the Judgment as to the
distance must be made accurately. If
one gets off a few Gnches it means that
the car will go eight or ten feet out
of the path.
| "Great accuracy and much Judgment
must be exercised. [ have good eyesight
and have trained myself as to distance,
and what success I have attained is
largely Que to nv eyesight not failing
| me- | + it. InQS IT anaiHonf
wear goggles with common glass
over my eyes, but the face does not
need any protestion. Ones face will
stand great deal without suffeing.
1.-The main thing about driving AGAR
is for the driver to keep his head SO he
been frightened at times, but have al
ways managed to keep my head. It re-
CURED some nerve, of course, and after
the accidents I have had I went or
driving and have since the st. Louis
accident made all by faster scores.'
! How It Feels.
| Asked how it feels to ride fast he
| "That is a question almost every
one I have met has asked me. The
. fact of the matter is, do not know.
suppose could tell all kinds of Ibea1
stories about how it feels to move
faster than a mile minute, but the
truth Of it is that I have become ac
customed, to it; I formerly. rode a bi
cycle and made fast records. Then
took UP the motorcycle and went fas
on that, and when automobiles came
out l took them up, and as they wer,
made to go faster I kept on going fast
Ell myself, SO [ really have become &C
eustomed to it: I could not describ
how it would feel for one not used t,
: | S11a L
never, take anyone with me. It make
an additional weight, and accident
may happen, and it would grieve m
greatly to have any one injured or hur
while riding with me. have ha
, some hard knocks myself, but I CUES
: a good constitution and a strong bod
has helped keep me from being killed.
Mr.. Oldfeld says that he studies hi
cars carefully and is constantly tryin
to find some way in which he can max
improvements or suggest some change
to the makers. He thoro1y understand
the machine
!; Should Know Cars.
!; Every one who runs a carr OLD
field says, "should thoroly understan
/. it. There are persons in every plac
and doubtless. in this city who have n
r business driving an automobile. The
simply. know how to turn the lever
and make the machine start or stop, Q
increase speed, but do not understan
the real workings. Such people are i
: constant danger and are liable to hu1
J others as well as themselves. Their
. should be and will be eventually, law
providing that drivers Of cars are PROF
erly equipped. For the safety Of TIL
public men are not allowed to ru
street cars or locomotives unles. the
!, understand them, and there is no re;
r. about the machinery of an automobi]
e should be allowed to drive one.'