New-York tribune., 1906-10-03
CUP CARS IN PRACTICE.
EleUen DriUers Ont, but SloSC
Rounds We're the Order.

Although the Vanderbilt Cup course was In
wretched condition yesterday morning. owing TO
a resprinkling OF oil and the rain that fell on
Monday night. eleven drivers had their racing
cars out No fast rounds were made. as the
drivers did not care to take any UNNECESSARY
chances.
With the exception OF Christie. all the Ameri
can candidates were out. John Haynes. IN the
s0-horsepower Haynes machine. which fin
ished third in the elimination trials, made one
round in 80 minutes and 30 seconds. Joe"
Tracy, IN the locomobile. made one round IN
4S minutes and 30 seconds. Lawwell. IN the
11O-horsepower Frayer-MiIler, made a slow
circuit. lie Blon. in the 110-horsepower Thomas
car. had trouble with his spark coil and the
armored thread on the right rear tire. which was
nearly torn off when the machine returned TO its
quarters.
The best time was made by Louis Wagner in
the 1SO-horsepower Darracq. 1t was his first
appearance on the Nassau circuit. and he made
lap in 20 minutes and % seconds. 1t was
daring drive, for the conditions OF the roads
made the car bump and skid In most alarming
way. Albert Clement kept his racer indoors and
watched the practice In a touring car. He was
amazed at wagner's driving. and said that he
was taking great chances
Elliott F. Shepard made two circuits OF the
course in "a minutes As seconds and 40 minutes
80 seconds respectively. George Heath made
one round In the Panhard car IN "A minutes
while Jenatzy was satisfied to race over the
short stretches.
Elliott F. Shepard had narrow escape at the
railroad crossing near the Jericho pike. He
was driving his Hotchkiss car at terrific speed.
and when within one hundred yards or the Cross
ing the fagman signalled an approaching train.
The train was so near that an accident looked
unavoidable. but Shepard. with quick presence
Of mind, threw on his high speed clutch. and
Just managed 10 clear the tracks.
FoxhaTl P. Keene had several men working on
his car yesterday In hopes OF repairing It IN TINA
for the race on Saturday. 1t said that there
IS still a possibility that the may start.
Lytle. who went 10 Hartford to bring back the
POpe-Toledo car, arrived here last night and I'M
mediately left for the Pope-Toledo quarters at
Bulls Head with the racer.
lie Blon. who will drive a Thomas car, was
talkative when he got back to his quarters. He
said. in speaking of the race:
TITS largely luck that wins. OF the ten best
drivers In the world each one will throw on the
power. put on the brakes and take the turns in
exactly the same way and at exactly the same
moment-that is, providing that cars are all
equally good. Who said daredevil driving wins?
No one who knows his business drives that way.
Good driving means absolute sureness, and sure
ness comes only from great experience. That tS
why have the advantage over the American
drivers. We have been in the game longer. II
we fail, it's almost always a matter OF luck,
as 1 say, and one cannot manufacture luck. as
does q car. Inen, TOO, persons are apt 10
think when they see a driver making his sew
enty miles hour in the race. that he is tre-
mendously excited. He is keyed up OF course.
SO that after the race his head will feel like
bursting boiler, but he is really cooler and more
collected than the most bored spectator. His
nervous times are when he is sitting quietly
over a cigarette and a biz OF coffee. for then he
worries. The minute his hand touches the
wheel he becomes part OF the machine. just
as cold blooded and Just as devoid OF emotion
as the steel that makes II up. I will be glad
when dts over, not for fear OF the outcome.
but because OF the unpleasant tension In the In
tervaL"
The New York Motor Club VIII erect a large
tent adjoining the grandstand for the use Of it's
members and their friends the night before the
Vanderbilt Cup race. 1t will accommodate one
hundred persons. Several out-of-to town clubs have
been invited TO il. among them the Buffalo
Automobile Club and the New Jersey AutOmo-
bile and Motor Club.