The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-08
|AUTO SK|DS into
POST IN FAST RACE !:
Machine, a Ford Car, Bad.
ly Wrecked and Driver
Painfully Injured.
TERRIFIC PACE
OF RUNABOUTS
Auto Races at Fair Grounds
/ Course Attract Large Audi
:. ence and Afford Some
Thrilling Sport-Ford
Runabo,1t Wins in
Fastest Time.

FaSCeSt Il lnlG-
The series of automobile races at the
| the auspices of the Richmond Automo-
| tilc Club, for the benefit OF the Home
for Incurables. attracted a crowd OF
about $500 people to the track. netted
a snug sum for the local charity, and
furnished some excellent sport. Five
races were run, but owing to the
scratching of some of the entries and
the premature starting Of one or more
races, there were fewer competitors
| than the raoe card Indicated. g
The sport is a novel one In Rich
mond and was a decided success from
| a popular standpoint. The running
was terrific in several Of the races.
and notably in the runabout contest.
| which was won in minutes 4S sec
|onds. or an average for the nile or
/, one minute and twenty-one seconds
on an oval track. In the free-fo all
at least one mile was run In about the
same time The fact that the contest
between runabouts was the fastest of
! the day was a surprise. 1t being ex-
I pected that the e-for-all would pro-
| duce the best speed record and the
most thrilling race.
4 Tho only accident Of the day occur
! red in the free for -all race. The Ford
A four cylinder fifteen horse power car.
owned by the Virginia Automobile
/ Company, and driven by Howard B..
q Van Lear. of Salem, N. j., yeered Into
the fence on the fourth lap when Just
a beyond the three-quarter pole, badly
damaging the machine and throwing
|young Van Lear out. Assistance was
Immediately : rendered the injured
Arlver by the physicians present, and
:. he was brought to the paddock near8
the grand stand. Examination dcvel-
oped the fact that his injuries We're &
mot serious, consisting OF a bad bruiseS
!. Ion the back just over the left kidney
!. land two scra tches on the face. The
a Gllnnchine was. sprintinE att ay ~ uriopsA
/. clip when the wreck occurred Van
: Lear in talking Of the occurrence Saf-S
! forwards, said:
, 1.-The dust was binding and was
! unable to see the fence distinctly Ia
lrounding the turn the rear wheel on
, 1.-The left skdded and collided with the
post and was thrown out"
) Machine Rips Up Seven Posts.
! The impact of the cars was SO great
that seven posts were broken off be-
I. fore the machines impetus was stop
ped. The machine, which was valued
at about $500, was badly wrecked. the
sup erstructure or body being smashed
: and the rear axle twisted and bent.
s tt is far from q total wreck, how
| eyer. How young Van Lear escaped
being dashed to his death is ineXpli-.
cable to the spectators. This was the!
:, only mishap to mar the sport, and 1t
). was comparatively slight,
!, OF the five races run, the first brought
= out five runabouts, and really aHorded
lIi-. aoorc ftN fhar
: were Buick cylinder. twenty-five
), horse power machine, owned by the
Motor Transfer Company, end driven,
Iss by &C. Codd ington; two Ford four
- cylinder machines. owned and entered
: by the Virginia Automobile Company;
! Ia Maxwell two-cylinder, twelve-four-
= teen horse power, owned by S. Stage.
= and Cadillac single-cylindar machine.
Is Fastest Race of Day.
y Immediately following the shot tho
two Ford machines forged to the front
le and made tile pace. never losing the
le lead in the furious tive-mlie sprint, No.
Sc closely following No. l, The Buick
i'd finished third. about three furlongs be-
Is hind the winner, with the Cadillac
Or bringing up the rear. The Ford ma
is chine never swerved nor abated it's
st speed, running as smoothly as a we'll
G conditioned piece of machinery could
! move. The race was a procession from
ca the start. Time: First, GAS; second,
ID G:55; third. 7,4S. gi
The second race, five miles, for tour
he ing cars costing $4,000 or under. only
is brought out two competitors, a 1907
four-cylinder, thirty-horse-
he power, $4,000 machine, owned by the
to Motor Transfer Company and driven
ch Iby William C. Lipscombe; and White
es steamer of twenty horsepower, 1906
n model II. Another White Steamer fail-
lg ed TO get to the starting line before
he the machines Were sent away. The
to White Steamer, model i, won the race
easily, though at first tho Autocar was
apparently winner, The Autocar tooi
the lead at the shot and held it by
~ fun furlong to the first mile, and
he then until tile mile and a half, when
a. the White forged ahead, The Auto
le car came to dead stop. and when
w y, 1t started again It was too late to re-
~ cover the lost distance, The Whito
machine finished the five miles nearly
mile ahead of its competitor, which
was evidently somewhat disabled, Time,
eight minutes,
Il DR.. Mnclcnn Wins Pretty Race.
The third race. for Hurtns cars cost.
ling $4,000 or under, brought out only
;e two machines--a Buick two-cylindel
TWEEN nty two horse power car, owned bS
the Motor Trnmsfe Company and driven
by C. G. Coddington. and Franklir
four cylinder twelyeshorse- power car
/. !. owned by DR.. II. $. MacLean and
ma driven by ~, C. Lipscomhe. The t@r
or got OFF well together, the Buick taking
les tho lead and holding y to the frs
:. nile, where it was leading by ove'
~ 200 yards The Franklin began TO dc
II, yelop speed then. and In furious pas,
A. overlook and passed the Bulck- at th'
ii. ,tI, sna a hale most The Buick bai
on ''''to 49,. -, ,,,a ,.a,a ia \ !.
an. Rah ~ epeS" A.i'i, t - ,.,
of beautiful one 70 the seroho mlle, VIII
ho the Franklin leading by scant lO
Yards. Around and aroupd the t~t