Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1906-02-18
RECORD MAKERS
READY To RACE
BIG DRIVERS PLANNING FOR
COMING SEASON
Manufacturers to Support Game and
Indications Are That American
CoIors Will Come to Front
internationally

Many of the foremost drivers of the
country gathered in Chicago, for the
automobile show last week and as II
result much racing comment was in
order, expression being given to plans
which are developing as regards the
coming season.
That the American manufacturers
are going to thoroughly support the
racing game is evident from their talk
and it is believed that American colors
will be carried to the front on several
of the big international events.
Orlando WebSter'S announced inten-
ton of driving a car in the Vanderbilt,
as well as the French race, is followed
by another, Edward c. Bald, once the
champion cycliSt of America, declaring
he has been promised q car which Will
carry him not only in the Vanderbilt,
but in the international as well. Ever
since Bald quit the bicycle for the new
game he has had an itching to demon
strate that he is as good a driver as
any now at the wheel in this country.
Unfortunately for Bald, the people he
drives for have not had the racing bee
and his efforts have been confined to
events for stock cars and hill climbs.
Now, Bald claims, they are going out
after bigger game and he has been
promised a car built on strictly racing
much fame as he did on a bicycle.
Bald comes to the Pacific coast with
the intention of trying for the coveted
Los AngeleS-S San Francisco record,
probably the blue ribbon road record
now that the Chicago-New York fever
has abated. Bald has Instructions to
stay on the coast until he is success
full. After that he will go direct to
Hartford to tune up the big racer
oI, he fo 10 n
him by that time.
Oldfleld to Road Race
Barney Oldfield, too, is anxious to
try his skill in road races, something
he has heretofore avoided for track
work. But the sidetracking of that
branch of the sport because of the ac-
cidents to Kiser, Jay and Oldfield, has
caused Barney to seek for adventures
elsewhere. He is planning to have a
try for the Vanderbilt races, it being
announced that his people will give
him four racing cars for next summer,
the stable including machines for track
as well as road use. Oldfield still
clings to the belief that track racing
is not dead, asserting that as long as
the people will turn out to see such eX-
hibitions promoters will be found will
ing to run such affairs. He admits it
is tame sport from the spectators
standpoint, however, because of the
lack of competition.
Earl Kiser is another who was in
Chicago and brimful of racing enthusi-
asm, despite the accident that cost him
a leg. However, he wants none of the
old style of track competition, it being
his idea to compete in pursuit races, in
which the drivers start from opposite
sides of the track.
Webb Jay, who nearly lost his life at
Buffalo, has an aching to get into the
game again, but his plans so far have
not included any track racing. Instead
he is reported to be figuring on some
road work and it would not surprise
any one if he went after some road
records. 1t is said he has been talking
of challenging some of his rivals to a
dash across the continent a la Megar-
gel, but so far this is only in hazy out
line.
Clemens Will Try for Record
Jap Clemens of Indianapolis. the old
bicycle man, who surprised the talent
last fall by breaking the twentyfour
hour and 1000 mile track records, has
several novelties up his sleeve, he says,
and it may be he will strive for more
| long distance marks-some that are not
now on the books, like 1000 mile trial
against time.
At the show were several motorists
who came from the Ormond meet and
all of them spoke with enthusiasm of
the records made over the beach. 1t
was the opinion of Herbert A. Citizens
of Chicago, who officiated as starter
in the time trials, that the steamer
driven by Marriott is faster than the
gasoline car handled by Demogeot. He
pointed out that this was demonstrated
in the mile trial in which the Yankee
driver cut the mark to :2S 1-5. He
would have won more laurels in the
two mile minute race, Citizens thinks,
had it not been for an accident. Mar
riott drove in the feature with broken
gauge, which cut his steam pressure
down from 1000 to 800 pounds. Even
handicapped this way he was only
beaten a second by Demogeot. With
his car running in its usual form 9th
ems figures the steamer would have
maintained the :2S 1-5 clip for the full
two miles.