The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-22
GREAT DAYS RACING
Thousands Thronged the Track
Stopping the Races.
Machines Run at Furious Pace
Bat Have Few Accidents.
Several Foreign Machines En-
tered for October s Contest.


prevented the completion OF the elinni-
nation race to select i've American
racing automobiles to take part in the
race for the Vanderbilt cup, after
three OF the cars had completed the
>race. Joseph Tracy. who won the race,
Hubert Leblon second and H n.
Harding, third, were the only racers
who were allowed to cover the entire
course They thus qualified their ma
chimes for the cup race and the judges
selected machines driven by Herbt B.
Lyle and Walter Christie as the other
two to represent American manu-
facturers in the big race.
Crown Throng the Track
When Tracy crossed the finish line
OF the 297 miles journey. after a sen
sational race in which he made one
circuit of the course at a rate of mile
a minute including nine turns, the
great crowd of spectators which greet
ed him with a roar of cheers thronged
down upon the course and engaged in
a scramble to see and congratulate the
winner. LeblOn and Harding, who
were on the tenth and last lap had to
drive their cars almost into the throng
In order to get across the finish line
but the other racers. who were far
behind were unable to force their way
through.
Perceiving that the action of the
crowd would prevent fair finish of the
remaining two Quaiifiers. ". K Van
derbilt. Jr-, the donor of the cup and
the judges ordered the race stopped and
held a meeting to select the other two
cars TO qualify, Lyle and Christie were
chosen because they were in fourth and
fifth positions when the course was
biockaded. Iawen was pressing Chris
tie closely for the fifth place.
) Tracy's Fast Time.
IEaCy's time for the entire course
was hours p minutes and 45 seconds:
that Of Leblon hours 81 minutes and p
seconds; Hardingfs hours % minutes
go seconds.
notwithstanding that the course was
regarded as more dangerous than that
over that which the cup race was run
last year and the drivers sent their
powerful machines over it. at a speed
at times as high as 80 miles an hour
and around sharp curves, only one IF
the racing cars was reported to have
been smashed and from that the dri-
Yer Mongini and his mechanician es-
capped without serious injury. Twenty
miles from the starting line the car
driven by MongIm burst a tire and turIi-
ing out of the road crashed into teie-
graph pole and was badly damaged.
Mongini was thrown out but landed
safely.
We're Several Accidents.
There were numerous minor accidents
TO the machines, chiefly damage to the
tires so that the racers were traiIed out
a long intervals over the course and
many had not half completed the dis
lance when the winner finished.
Throughout the greater part of the
race the contest for first place lay be-
tween Tracy, Leblon and Lyle. Lyle
led the others in elapsed time for the
first two rounds. Leblon then took the
lead. but aIteruated for the leadership in
each round with Tracy until the tenth
and last lap and Tracy chung to his lead.
Tracy scored the sWiftest record for
the lap of the day, covering tie 29-T1
miles in % minutes and SO |3-5 seconds.
This was in the sixth lap
Never was there a more orderly gath
ering of spectators than that which
thronged at vantage points along the
course to witness the running OF this
race.
The start was scheduled for s a. m.
but the spectators began to gather even
before midnight. Before the sun rose
almost the entire course presented an
unique spectacle Clustered about the
starting line was great park Of auto
mobiles and strung along the crooked
course We're many hundreds more.
Camps Along the Road.
knowing that it would be hopeless
to Try to secure sleeping quarters at
any of the little villages, the spec
tators formed camps along the road
side for miles where they found park
- ing places and many even brought
Ncamping outfits to prepare breakfast
lights of their cars marked the course
long before daylight
Hundreds passed the waiting hours
in sleep in their cars. No circus ever
invited a more motley gathering than
those assembled in the villages along
the line
The big grand stand on the south
side of the course midway between
jericho and Mineola was crOWdtd
when the cali for the first starter went
up There were u starters and the
nfst was sent away promptly at s a.
m with Ernest kee1er driving it.
The cars and drivers got away in the
following order.
No 1-Keeier. 500 O'Clock; George
M. smith. entrant
No. Little. Sol: A A. Pope.
No S-Mongini. 6302i G. a. snider
No 4-Callios. 6703 2-5; E. r
Thomas.
No. 6-Lebon. 6:O4.06. c. A. Coey
No Roberts. 6:05s05; K s
Hcupt
No. S-Francer, ..07; Q. S. Lear.
No 9-Christy. sos: Walter Christy
10. 11ZLawen. 6.10i W. G. Miller
10. 12ZTraey, 6:11; S. T. Davies. jr
No 14THarding. 6:12; Joh1
Haynes
No. 16-BeIden. 6:14; J. z. Stone.
Car No. . finished the first round IL
advance, doing the z9.71 miles in s:
minutes SO seconds.
The arrangements made by thg
managers Of the Nassau hospital an
pear more like preparations for BAT
tie between two armies than provision
IN connection with a contest of spees
and skill. Eight ambulances were SEN