New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-10-05
THOUSANDS WILL WATCH.
Lancia, Wagner and Tracy FaUorites
for the Speed Test.

The international automobile road race for the
cup offered by William K. Vanderbilt, tr., will be
held tomorrow, ten times over circuit OF Mas
sau County, Long Island measuring 70 IL miles,
or a distance Of 297 miles The race Will start at
o'clock and eighteen or nineteen cars VIII 10
sent off at one minute intervals IN what prom
tses 10 be one Of the most remarkable Jesus VI
extreme speed since automobile racing mas De-
come 4 sport ., o.o.os
Germany. France, Italy and the United 0'1'e
niu bA renresented in the race. the three last
named by teams of five men each. Germany WIZ
oniv be represented by three cars or posSioiS
+,yo 20 FoxhaU p Keene Is unable TO get MS us
Dfarcedes repaired in time. Most or the ma
cbirea were built at enormous cost win SPeeu
ss the dominating factor. and II "ouio lo' W
surprising If some new records for ROAD ra'ii'e
xvara made before the winner is cro"neu speeN
king tomorrow ..,,ous
p1ars hav. been made to handle an enormous
crowd Every seat and box IN the oliicid4 st"A
s+end has been sold, while the sInaler s'14'u
bui1t nv private individuals have re" seats TO-
Parking space for those who VIII go u 'ie
n automobiles is already at premium Vino
$50 20 eat or sleep was engaged long
- .. 9abu,ous prices so that the latecorlerS
al h,,,a IN sleep In chairs or not at all II 10
<o % cav that two hundred thousand persons
u sae the race from various parts VI 'i'0
oo,,rse as the speed fever has oecolne iiiAoo
Tho most skilful and daring drivers 40
world will be at the wheels or the E0ii -
Including Lancia, Navarro 'eha.'' er.,-
c,.,,or,t Tracy. Heath. lie Blon' ElhotI > 0iep
- ord E,oxhau P. Keene, all OF "Hoi' -" .to
80 prominently IN the big ROAD laoe -
uieo Ito IN \ Fiat car, representing 1taly' IL
the individual favorite IN most qua - bts
-, .a,,, the race last year will never 1orse' No
md
I,iob mt him out of the running "IleIA Sa~t
ennearances he had the race salely VIZ n,rrarn
or oncia Wagner, who Will drive 20 - 90
10 LII r-rasarting France, which won the L"C0
49, ,,ear &C. favored while Tracy III IilT 80
mobile who won the elll sniioars Who hope
weeks ago does not lack for folloWe[S, ubo
s on american victory. George He5aHLnn;; VII VII
Won the first Vanderbilt Cup race III Io" H. sae
drive a Panhard car, ana h"iiS S"p
NV INi,Iiaro K. Vanderbilt, jr who has away as
been deeply interested IN auIoIno 1 The hone of
ms offered the cup which Is now lLe p I9 -
no55;tention in January 1904. 1t was his idea 10
hold a big international road race WIN 1870, d -
iHT finder 1ti the deed of gift the cup was to be
raced for in America two years IN SUI q, tba
Thereafter the contest was TO take pace III &c
country from which the winner came. a repte
sentative Of France won both the hTst AitS 1
second races but the Automophe C4up "a
France declining TO conduct any event wherein
France was limited TO a certain nunloer OF en-
tries the cup reverted to Afnerca' il 81 re 1oS6
sentative having been next highest IN the 1910
summary. -. ,,,o
The trophy is classical IN form and massive.
with simple decorations. The shape Oh inc
crp was suggested by some Of the unique yes
sells found among the silver treasures or Bos-
ooreale which date back to 10 A. D. !nciudlns
the wooden base. it stands about thlrty-one
inches high. The bowl contains 4Sl ounces OF
sterling silver and has a capacity or more thaA
ten and q half gallone. A portrait of Mr.. Van
derbilt in his 00-horsepower Mercedes at Or
rnond Beach is worked up in bold relief on the
front OF the bowl. while on the back appears the
inscription. as follows: -
Challenge Cup Presented by William X Van
derbilt Jr to the American Automobile As
sociation Under Deed Of Gift, To Be Raced For
Yearly by Cars Under 900 Kilos"
Six years and six months only is the age Of
automobile road racing in America When
those who were present at the now historic
Springfield Babylon-Springhsld of Satur-
day, April IA. 1900. look back, they win realize
that the event certainly modest begin
ming. which none imagined would develop into
the great international struggle OF 1906. Even
those who were present at the birth Of the new
sport have lost sight of its crude start, and 1t
Is amusing to read the accounts of this initial
contest held by the Automobile Club OF America
on Long Island, which seemed TO make itself
the natural testing ground for the growing auto
mobile The cup for the race was offered by
Leonce Banchet, a member OF the Automobile
Club OF France.