New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-03
THE MOTOR CAR ROAD RACE.

AS-AN@--
The selection Of New Jersey as the scene of
| the next automobile road race for the Wander
bilt Cup Is in some respects peculiarly appro-
pirate New Jersey was the pioneer state in
the building of improved roads, and now claims
greater proportionate mileage Of such high
ways than any other. It's first considerable
stretch OF rural macadam was for a number OF
years the fayorite scene Of bicycle road racing
and Is probably more closely associated with
the record of such sports than any other piece
of road in America. 1t may be added, on the
other hand that the roads Of New Jersey, most
OF which were built for n lighter and slower
traffic than that of touring cars have been in
iured in an exceptional degree by automobiles
and that speed regulations probably have been
and are more frequently and excessively disre-
garded and with more disastrous effects, there
than elsewhere.
The enormous magnitude of the automobile
industry must be assumed to Justify the hold
ing Of road races for the purpose OF exhibiting
the different types OF machines and testing their
speed and other qualities. The manufacturers
OF automobiles are moro dependent upon such
methods Of exploitation than the makers of
most other goods. What the use of piano
forte for advertising purposes by a great player
Oh the concert stage is to the makers Of that
instrument is the winning Of race by an auto
mobile 10 the makers OF that machine. It is.
therefore, desirable that these contests shall be
held under the most favorable conditions and
we must express an increasing doubt as 10 the
possibility of securing the best conditions on tho
public roads, no matter how good those roads
may be- They are not wide enough to permit
cars 10 run abreast or to pass each other with
safety, and so, instead OF starting a number OF
cars together, horses are started on q race
track, it Is necessary to send them off singly
rfo 4h,1c ;y,ir, tho
tacle, of one Of its most attractive features. To
see cars run by sngly, several minutes apart
is not comparable with what it would be to see
them speeding side by side. Again, no matter
how carefully the road Is guarded, there Is
always possibility that some person or animal
will get upon 1t during the race, and recognition
Of that danger must have q more or less dis
quieting influence upon contestants. There must
also be considered the expense Of calling out the
militia to guard the roads, the considerable and
sometimes serious inconvenience which IS caused
to the public by the sequestraton of the high
ways for private purposes the animosity against
automobillng which Is produced in many who
are thus Inconvenience, and the always present
danger of mourning heavy damages by reason OF
some mishap which might cause injury to per
sons or property.
All these disadvantages Of the common roads
would be avoided by holding these races on a
specially constructed and inclOsed course, such
as has often been proposed in this country and
such as has been constructed and put to sue
cessful use in England. In addition, q private
course would possess certain marked advantages
which 1t Is impossible to enjoy on the common
roads, such as having the roadbed in gradients
ETC., expressly designed for the testing Of auto
mobile efficiency, the starting and running of a
number of machines abreast, and the POSSIBLE
ity Of having all parts of the course though sew
eral miles in extent, in plain view from single
central grandstand. The cost of constructing
such course would be considerable, though It
might not greatly exceed the extraordinary ex-
penses entailed by repeated contests on common
roads, and the great popularity OF it apart from
Its uses for occasional road races would prob
ably make 1t profitable investment. The mag
nitude of the industry and the wealth OF those
interested in automobiles as makers and as
users would certainly seem to make it feasible
TO establish courses expressly and exclusively
for their use. The automobile has been re-
garded as the harbinger of "horseless age"
1t seems an anomaly that now, dozen years
after the Introduction Of that interesting and
valuable machine while there are still hun
dreds of courses for the training, exhibition and
racing OF horses, there is not yet single one for
automobiles In this country.