The evening star and Newark advertiser., 1907-12-21
MOTOR PUFFS

automobiles. The latter class of business
men feel that they must enter Into every
thing open in order to hold their own
against the American makers, who are
rapidly coming to the front
The opening event OF the season will be
a stripped stock touring car race at
Savannah some time in February. For
this contest the State Of Georgia and the
city of Savannah are willing to help along,
and it is promised that the ten miles of
shell roa s. where the race will be run,
will be protected by soldiers.
The Automobile Club of America has
taken the active and complete manage
ment of tho meet at Ormond, which is
to be held the first week in March and
has adopted rules which will mean an
enormous entry list. for the reason that
freak car will be eliminated from all con-
tests. Following this event viii be the
motor boat race down the canal for the
Commodore Allen trophy, from st. Au-
gustino to Lake WORTH and the week FOL
lowing win come the usual motor boat
tournament on Lake Worth. road race
from Jacksonville to Miami, a distance OF
sse miles, and for the better part over uIl-
tried roads, will close the month of Marcn.
It is not improbable that this road race
will be followed by a twenty-four hour
race to be held on Ormond Beach. This
race has been suggested by Emanuel Ced-
rlno, of the Fiat Automobile Company, VINO
scored the victory in the twenty-four hour
race at Morris Park, closing the season OF
twenty-four hour races Of 1907.
Cedrino proposes to race four hours daily
for six days placing the cars under con-
troll at the close of each days run, and
this has met with general approval. mas
much as he has opened the contest IN a
sportsmanlike way to all cars, the race
may be on,
Following this contest will come the
stripped stock touring car race over the
roads in Westchester County, lately
planned by the manufacturers commit
tee, heading which is Robert Lee Nor
rell and Tom Moore. In May, Atlantic
City and Cape May will enter the lists for
q week each, on the beaches at these
points. In June 1t is not at all improb-
able that the American Automobile Asso-
citation, through its technical committee,
will promote stripped stock touring car
race over ideal Indiana roads. In July
the fifth annual tour of the American
Automobile Association will take place,
and 1t is not at all improbable that the
first annual gathering of the American
Automobile Association with brake con-
tests, dust contests, and gymkhana sports
will take place. During August there will
be frequent track contests and twenty
four hour races, and In September and
October interest will centre In the Van
derbilt race, the elimination trial and
in other contests proposed for these
months. Altogether the season will be a
very lively one.
fa
Jacksonville to Miami during the month
of automobile and motorboat racing In
Florida will be opened to the ambitious
motorboat. The suggestion has been
made to Senator" Morgan that the con-
test be opened and that the combination
automobile and motorboat be allowed to
compete. The suggestion was made by
Charles S. Wells, of Spooner & Wells.
Inc. Mr.. Morgan Immediately commend
ed it, and the race may be opened to
Generai Cuttings latest production. 1t
is thought that in the long run the am
phibious boat. neither automobile nor mo-
torboat, but little of each, might have a
chance. since 1t would be possible for this
boat to take to the water when the land
seemed impossible. The automobile-motor-
boat travels on both land and water. and
IN Florida this Is particularly applicable
The boat will travel but eight miles an
hour. the automobile, and both are one,
hardly much faster, so the contest would
be mighty interesting.
That the importers mean to enter the
held and give the American makers a run
for the glory in automobile competition
now seems altogether certain, and added
interest has been created in the contests OF
the coming year by the announcement.
Inc races for 1905 have been literally en-
tered by the importers f automobiles and
the Americans dare not remain out of the
contests. The. lists will accordingly fill
rapidly. The Fiat Automobile Company
has declared its intention, through E.
Rand Hollander, of entering every oeen
race. The Fiat company, in the past, has
always been an active contender ane it
mas no intention, during the regime OF the
newly formed company, OF retiring from
the Held OF competition. Tn the past Mr.
Hoilander has always been live wire The
f1at company has spent fortunes each wear
IN aiding competition and has shared
honors with the leaders in the field. The
great success of the Fiat In Europe during
the past year, when II won every great
event of the season with Nazzaro at The
wheel, will place it in the front rank in
every contest.
There is universal demand for a stock
touring car race at Ormond at a reason
able distance and demand has been made
upon the. Automobile Club of America that
such contest be put on the list. The
original program Of events did not include
such a contest and the makers and the
agents howled with dismay. The agents
of all well-known cars practically demand
such a contest and the A. c. A., having
taken charge of the meet must meet the
popular demand. There is a suspicion that
Robert Lee Morrell, as chairman of the
manufacturers committee Of the race in
Westchester County, will prevent an auto
mobile race of the stripped touring car
variety at ormond in order to help along
the race in Westchester County. AS a
mater of fact, the makers are more than
willing to enter at Ormond to give the cars
trial before entering in the North They
are also willing to enter a race at Savan-
nah to give the cars a trial for Ormond.
from which point the trip to the North
will be made for the race Of Tom Moore
and Robert Lee Morrell.
F. ED SPOONER.