The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-03-30
BIZ AUTO RACES
 ARE POSTPONED Barney 0IdfeId to Appear on Monday Afternoon PARADE TOMORROW NIGHT Rain lnterferes With the Plans of the Local Automobilists-oIdfeld
 Tells Why He Is
 Racing.
PARADE TOMORROW NIGHT

GiOunuS on account Ol the NOhliAuooS rains. The local automobile enthusiasts in charge of the big racing meet had hoped up to yesterday at noon to pull the races off on the scheduled time, but early in the afternoon such was found to be impossible. Instead the entire meet was postponed until Monday afternoon at 8 80 o'clock It is believed that by then the track will have dried out and that everything will be in good condition. The Eliminated parade will take place Satur- day night. starting from Capitol park at 8 o'clock.
 According to popular opinion, Barney Oldfe1d is a speed crazed monomanlac; a motor-mad enthusiast who juggles with life and death for the bare sensation of the thing; a crack-brained youngster who risks life and limb for the tawdry title of champion motor pilot; notoriety seeker who takes desperate chances for the cheap reward that cheering crowd can give.
 Barney Oldield the man. says he is none of these things, and tells his own story to prove it. Barney is clever talker, and has a way of using his clear brown eyes in convincing manner. The man is absolutely frank in all he says Whatever else he may be, he is no fakir. This is his own story. told yesterday afternoon to group of local enthusiasts, while loungng in one of the easy chairs in the Hillman lobby, as he nervously chewed the stump of a big black cigar:
 Knows Racing Is Dangerous.
 'If there is a man in this country who has keener appreciation than myself of what it means every time l drive mile in less than a minute on circular track, I want to see the color of his hair. They say I am fool; they say I am a reckless driver; a wild man-I know they do for I have heard them.
 They say a man would not take such a chance unless he were half crazy, and I want to be quoted as saying that all these people are dead wrong. There is just one consideration in the world that tempts me to risk my life every time I drive and that one consideration is money. I am firm believer in art, but I spell 1t with a capital M and end it with a Y.
 i've been riding too long to care much about the crowds or their cheering. l used to be bicycle rider and a champion ir my class. That was eleven years ago and I am only 27 now. The crowds don't tempt me to take chance. Don't you think it for a minute. Now, stop and think the matter over. I'm champion automobist alright. I go through the fence some day. Oh, I know its coming if I stay in this business. and we may as we'll look the matter squarely in the face-I go through the fence and the boys come out to get me.
 "Thev'lI pick me up and maybe some of them will say, It's too bad because Bar ney was good fellow and few may go as far as the cemetery with me, but what does all this get me? I tell you I am as much aware of the desperate chances take as the most timid little woman in the grand stand who was never in an automobile in her life. I'm in this game for money. and nothing else in the world. The championship. Bah, that's a detail and only figures because it helps to draw the crowd to see me work. Glory don't get you anything when your neck IS broken, or when your left leg is wrap ped around your neck and tied in fancy bow knot. It's the money, gentlemen, the money.
 Must Make More Money.
 .I want to get out of this business, but I haven't as much money laid away as I ought to have, and l must make so much before l can quit. You see a fellow leading the sort of life l have been fol- lowing the past few years must of ne- cessity spend lot of money and form expensive habits that cannot be shaken off If I quit the game with s25,00O it would not last me long. So the real reason I am driving over these soft sur faced running tracks, and taking all sorts of chances, is because l have set my figure and need my share Of the gate receipts of a big lot of meets to bring my pile up to the mark. The fault does not have to be with the driver little flaw some where in the steel-the crystaliz- ing of bit of metal that never shows the least weakness until 1t snaps and then it's too late-a tire that blows up on the turn and there you are. Oh, I'm not a fool, and if you call me reckless driver you insult my intelligence. l Know what I'm doing, and why I'm doing It, and money is the answer. You see am perfectly frank about it.
 ''Tm not egotistical to think there are no other drivers of ability in the coun- try There are lots of them. All I want is to have the credit given me for being the first man in the country to drive racing car a mile under the minute on circular track. I showed them it was posslDle, and after they watched how l made the turns without shutting off and saw it was not an impossible task they took fair chance and America had good track drivers.
 Expects to Quit Soon.
 But I don't intend to stick to 1t. I value my life as highly as anyone does. Some day I'm going to quit just like this.' and here he snapped his fingers, and they'll wonder why Oldfield quit the game. You fellows will be wise then-youll know Barney has made his pile and will never drive again-not for a million
 Message for MT Oldfield,' sang out a bell boy, pageing the champion, who was wanted at the telephone. Barney ex- cused himself and hurried to the booth. In the party who had composed Oldheld auditors was travelling man from To- ledo, the home of the daring motoris. The drummer spoke up. Gentlemen, the sad dest part of the whole business is that a year ago he told me the same story. He was going to quit when he had made enough money Since then he has been in two fatal accidents with long hospital