New-York tribune., 1907-12-05
COST OF AUTO RACES
runs INTO THOUSANDS.
Dir. MoreU Says He Needs $50, ,o0o
for Stock Car Contest.

Robert Lee AiorrelI. chairman OF the auloH'o-
bile manufacturers committee Tor the sloch C0i
race in the spring, made some interesting s'0'
ynents Yesterday about the amount Oh IioiIeS
needed to handle big contest OF TINS k1iau, ,o 20
said that the race would cost about s5o'oVV Il
carried ont on the plans proposed, which VIII
exceed the cost of any previous automobile race
not excepting the contest for the NShoerp III Up Up
which required an expenditure OF close 10 s-V'VVV
Mr. Morrell, in commenting on the rules oL @ 'iie
race next spring and the entrance zee Oh sl'0'V'
said:
..Artoroobila enthusiasts should understand
the provision found in the rules compiled pE
this board setting forth the cost OF 'lle " eH.Is
fee, Whicn was fixed at SI"o A ArIasns Ill H.
automobile meet of international cfldrdctei C"i-0
for greater expenditure of money thah itS
name would imply. The Vanderbilt Cup con- coili-
mission OF 1865, of which was cnaFhialnG, 1n %
PENDED. as near as l remember. SIa'oV,
When we consider that this is foT one DAY Spo'
this sum of money seems TO be an ehoI iiIpu ~
outlay for the time given, nevertheleSs, pupl.t
safety and the natural requirements thdI nus nus
be attended to make il impossible 10 reouCe
that figure to any great degree. ., 49,,
The manufacturers committee has viewed the
situation carefully. Oiling a course OF some
forty-tvo miles. which will be required IN TINS
contest, will cost considerable sum IN excess
of what we called to pay in ISo'' me
policing. | have learned from experience, Iil"9I
be OF a character that will inspire commence
and afford. beyond any doubt, pubic sdieIH'
This figure Will exceed any previous cost III tile
history OF motor races, and if carried OUT on
plans ! now have will, believe. make the race
safe. sound and sane. -
The other bills that the committee faces VIII
bring the cost of this contest TO approximately
$50 6O00. The board conceded TO me the right 10
limit the number of entries to car Tor each
mile of the course. having in view the Salet!
of the entrants. This. therefore, would pracu-
calIy limit Us forty entries. Were we to nave
set the entry fee at $500 and the full compile
mcnt of cars started would have sum OF
$4,000 In the minds of many this would
he sufficient to speculate on the re-
turns Of the grandstand. but to my way OF
thinking. il does not seem conservative that we
should place the success of this race on a spec
uative basis.
The consensus Of opinion Of the board was
that ii contest Of this character would act as
one Of the greatest stmulantS to the Industry
that could possibly be devised, and 1t comes at a
time OF the year when it is most needed. Such
being the case. $1,000 was not too much TO eX-
pect from the entrants. particularly where
there was every possibility that this would be
reduced half of its face value by virtue OF the
returns from the earning power of the grand
stand. which realized in the Vanderbilt race
sum $4,000
The spirit of the board is 10 make this contest
one of the most successful ever held in the
industry. and to that end | shall bend every
effort 10 bring to successful completion
if | am untramnelled by expenses | am salts
fed that we viii find in April that the manu-
faCturers have made most profitable invest