New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-10-07
happened to a car without detachable rims it
WOULD haze lost the
MUCH CREDIT DUE WINNER.

haDDened to q car without QSldCHdDle Ilus IL
would have lost the race.
MUCH CREDIT DUE WINNER.
Much credit is due Wagner for the brilliant
race he drove. He took the lead on the first
lap which he covered in % minutes % seconds,
the fastest time made for the initial round, and
he never relinquished the premier position. Now
Iancia pressed him. Duray and now Je-
natzy but always the pointed bonnet Of the little
giant Darracq poked its nose along in the van.
Twice he had tire trouble. but little time 1T cost
him Like a bird he SKINNED the course, pur-
sued relentlessly by the iron demons behind, but
ALWAYS with a reserve force sufficient to keep
well out of reach. When Lancia and Wagner
crossed the line at the finish salvos of applause
rang out, and the intrepid drivers, knowing that
the race was run and won, waved a flourish to
the cheering stands.
All who have followed automobile road racing
here and abroad agreed that never before had
such a race been seen. few comparisons
drawn with the Vanderbilt Cup contests of last
wear and the year before will serve to emphas size
its right TO pre-eminence.
In 1904 there we're eighteen starters, of which
twelve were disabled. In 1905 the starters num-
bered nineteen. and of these eleven were dis
abled. In the race yesterday seventeen cars
started and only three dsab led which
means that fourteen were running and in good
order when the race was stopped. Had not the
crowd sWarmed onto the course endangering
life and limb of drivers and spectators. it is
proba BILE that all fourteen cars would have fin
ished within a reasonable time
SPECTATORS BLOCK COURSE.
Apropos Of the actions Of the spectators there
is room for criticism aplcnty. With thirty miles
of road from which to watch the race, with van
tage points and grandstands galore, it is we'll
nigh past human power to fathom the impulse
which drove the crowds to stampede upon the
death-pregnant space reserved for the thunder
ing chariots OF iron and steel. Blind and deaf
to the appeals and threats of the officials and
totally dsregardng the restraining ropes, men
and women and children took possession of the
centre of the oiled road at all the points of in
terest and refused to be cajoled driven away
save when the warning cry of Car coming
heraIded the approach of racer. Even then
the phaIanx remained solid until the fiery breath
of the iron steeds fairly blew a.lane through the
human maelstrom.
Commenting on this peculiar disregard of
danger. Tracy and Lanca voiced the following
sentiments after the race:
1t is hard enough for driver to steer a car
going from fifty to eighty miles an hour when
the road is clear When one must drive for
mile after mile into solid ranks of humanity the
strain becomes terrific. 1t is easy for a car
to swerve, so hard for densely packed crowd
to fall back quick enough to escape the effects
of a slight mistake on the part Of driver. Do
not the people know the frightful danger to
which they are so eager to submit themselves?
The same opinions were expressed by William
K Vanderbilt, jr., the donor of the trophy, and
Jefferson DemOnt Thompson. the chairman of
the racing board. Indeed. toward the close of
the race, when Wagner and Lancia and Duray
and Clement and Jenatzy making the last
two rounds of the course. the crowds became so
unruly that MI Vanderbilt threatened to call
the race off then and there if a freer course were
not provided for the racers.