The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-09-16
BY JOHN B. FOSTER.

NEW YORK, Saturday, Sept 15.-FoT
the third successive year the annual con-
test by motor cars for the Vanderbilt
Cup will be held this fall over the course
on Long Island, on Saturday, October 6.
Prior to that, on Saturday. September
%, the eliminatory trials, TO decide which
of the American cars shall compete
against the foreign cars, VIII be held
over the same course.
Fifteen cars will compete in tho elm
ination trial. Among them are some of
the best known automobiles which are
made in the United States, and several
makers who have never entered before
Will try this year TO ind a place among
the elect for the grand race on October 6.
For the Vanderbilt cup there viii be
four teams. representing Germany, Italy.
France and the United States. The
French and Italian teams will be repre-
sented by five cars, the German by three
and the American by five. or course 1t
is impossible 10 tell what five will repre-
sent the United States until after Sep
tember %.
The distance around the course is 29.5
miles in round numbers. That may not
be quite the fractional figure, but it is
correct enough 10 give the reader an idea
of the mileage that must be traversed on
each lap OF the course. AS all cars which
finish must take ten laps, both In the
elimination and cup races. IL is apparent
that about 295 miles will have to be run
before a motor car can hope TO be hon.
ored by merely finishing the required dis
tance. which has proved In the past no
mean task.
May Be Some Fast Trips.
1t is barely possible that the course
will occasionally be taken in thirty min
utes. 1t will depend largely upon the
condition of the roads and the ability OF
the cars to surmount TWO rather steep
hills which have been included In this
years route. but which have never been
a test in the race before Ten laps at
unlimited speed would mean three hun
dred minutes of time. or about five hours.
1t Is not at all probable that the race
will be run that quickly, as that is the
minimum limit, and there VIII be delays,
because OF tire trouble and because OF
other accidents, OF more or less moment.
which may happen TO some OF the cars.
but 1t would not be surprising II the con-
test were finished In about Six hours,
II some machine is fortunate enough to
run through IN good condition. Those
that scale walls or smash into telegraph
poles will be numbered with the "also
started"
A motor car race over highways which
are partially adapted to 1T is the most
thrilling contest imaginable IN all sport.
IL IL were possible TO conceive an oval
race track. with q circumference OF
thirty miles. with eighteen locomotives
running upon II at the rate of sixty miles
an hour, trying TO pass one another at
times and taking all manner of risks TO
do so, conception would be had OF what
motor race Is like.
Were track TO be specially built for
that sort of thing however 1t would be
free of hazards, such as wicked turns,
stone walls on curves, telegraph poles in
opportunely placed where sliding car
would be likely to catch it's axle and
throw the unfortunate driver and mech
anician to almost certain death, low en-
banl1ments, over which q car speeding
at full rate would be likely to plunge
and railroad crossings which act some
what like springboard and give a speed
ing motor an upward jump and n for
ward plunge of four or FIVE feet. All
manner OF things like this happen on the
Long Island circuit, and yet it is con-
sidered to be tolerably fair course, as
natural highways go.
A Hobby Of the Rich.
When the first Vanderbilt Cup race was
held In the United States a great many
people thought that it was rich mems
pastime and not poor mems pleasure.
There was some opposition 10 1t on Long
Island, but. as IL happens, most OF the
race runs through the property OF those
who favor that sort of thing, and when
II came TO n test before the county off,
Gals the race carried the day, eXcept