The Washington herald., 1907-05-27
NOTED DRIVERS WILL RACE
Interest in 24-H0ur Championship
Contest at Benning.
MOngini Arrives in Town Ready for
the Match at Local Race Track.
Interest In Event.

Ralph Mongini, the famous Vanderbilt
Cup driver and hero Of many of the big
road races arrived ia the city last night
from Philadelphia, where be competed in
the twenty-four-hour championship race
Friday and Saturday Mongini led the
race in record time for the first three
hours. when a serious accident put his
machine out of the race. Mong,ni is here
to look over the Bcnning track where he
is to compete in the l0)-miie event on
! Decoration Day
II win be recalled that Mongini started
in the Vanderbilt Cup race last october
with a small bone I'm his right hand
broken. He made the fastest time of any
of the American cars in the elimination
contest, and was favored candidate for
the cup race before he crashed into a
telegraph pole al "Hairpln Turn and
was carried 10 the hospital Mongni iS
known as the Terrible Italian and
looks the part while driving. lie has been
in America three years. having first come
10 this country as relief driver for the
great Jenatzy. of the Mercedes German
team. Foxhall Keene employed him %
drive his s0-horsepOwer car in the
Ormoud Beach races. lie leaves for the
factory Of his car. in Wilkesbarre. to-day
to attend TO repairs on his car. He will
return Wednesday morning. Mongini said
that the Philadelphia contest was the
most grueliug in which he has ever com
peted. There were ten contestants and
each was driving the race Of his life to
land the manufacturers trophy and win
the most coveted race Of the year
| Robert Maynes. the winner of the TWEEN
/ ty-four-hour race. and his winning Auto
car. will compete in the local l0o-mnc
event Thursday. and the other circuit fol
1 lowers should be IN the city Tuesday or
/ Wednesday morning 10 try out the Ben
ming track The most important entry
/ received for the race from the spectators
| standpoint IS from Mrs J. n Cuneo, Of
New York the only woman race driver
/ in America Mrs Cuneo has won many
/ trophies on the track. and in the Atlantic
/ City and Florida Beach tournaments. and
! seems 20 possess the necessary nerve to
successfully guide one of the modern Jug
/ gernauts around circular track Howard
| Gill the noted Baltimore driver with a
new 6o-horsepower runabout. has been
entered. Gill is considered one OF the best
drivers in the country and has been
nominated 80 drive Stanley's new steam
racer in the Vanderbilt Cup race next fan
| The coming race meet is the second Of
/ the National Circuit Of the United States
Association, following the Philadelphia
/ twenty-four-hour meet, and marks the
| passing Of professional short distance
races and exhibition drives against
! records The association will feature long
distance events with drivers entered in
/ high-powered. stripped cars that are
| equally matched i'm their respective
/ classes. The new move IS receiving the
/ hearty support Of the manufacturers. who
/ sent outfits and forces Of mechanics to
/ handle the repairs Of cars in the twenty
/ four-hour race in Philadelphia. The 100
mile race viii be preceded by six short
i-distance races for local cars, and at $50
/ the big race will be started The present
record Is a few minutes over two hours.
and it is believed by experts that the dis
! tance viii be covered in two hours or
/ better. The track will be opened 10 the
lautomobilists on Tuesday afternoon for
/ practicing purposes.