The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-26
Racers Started at 9:45 This
Morning in Dense Fog.
TWENTY FAMOUS CARS
Most Daring Drivers in the
World at Steering Wheels.
German Car Leading at End of
the Fourth Lap.

Savannah, Ga, Nov. 26.-The Grand
prize automobile race was started at
9:45 o'clock this morning in a dense
fog. The race was postponed from 6
O'Clock the hour originally set, but as
the fog did not show any signs of lift
ing it was decided As minutes later to
make the start The 20 cars in the
race were sent away at one minute
intervals.
Down a vista of 4O2 miles of circling
roadwayS, sleek with oil and danger
ously alluring in their invitation tc
that full throttled speed which car
rieS always its inSeperable menace to
life and limb, 90 of the most daring
drivers of racing automobiles this
newest of pulse-quickening sports has
ever brought together, lined up for the
start for the first American Grand
prize race today and looked through
weather beaten goggles toward goal
that glittered with a cup of beaten gold
and a purse of $4,000 as a portion of
the winners share in the honors of a
hard set victory.
Conducted under the auspices of the
Automobile Club of America, with the
sanction and approval of the European
racing associations, todays Grand
prize has taken rank with the most
notable of motor events planned on
either side of the Atlantic and is the
longest and most difficult race ever
arranged in this country. Notable, not
only for the spectacular fame of the
drivers and the records of victories
behind the cars that entered the list
of starters, the race has been looked
forward to as settling new record of
speed for American rOadWayS.
Everything that could possibly con-
duce to record breaking speed has
been done The Savannah Automobile
club, cooperating with the Automobile
Club of America. has had charge of
the preparation of the course, which
lies partly in the city limits, but runs
most of it's distance over convict-built
roads of Chatham county.
The course laid out for today's
race has few equals in it's wealth of
scenic beauty There are frequent
long stretches that will permit of the
use of the last ounce Of power in
each throbbing engine where the
drivers have predicted that
maximum of more than 100 miles an
hour will be attained. At other
points there are difficult pathways
capabilities of the man at the wheels.
The course has no "hairpin turns" so
famous along the Vanderbilt route,
but it has an appendix curve" just
before the cars enter the long home
stretch where probably the fastest
time of the race will be accom-
plished.
Leaving the starting line on the
home stretch the course leads to the
left around a nearby turn and enters
Bluff road. From the White Bluff
road the course leads through the
lanes of deciduous trees. and then en-
ters the three miles and a half of ar
row flight speedway offered by the
especially constructed Ferguson ave-
nue.. This road so feet in width was
cut through virgin forest and is
lined on either side by starwart pines.
The ever changing scenes of the
course lead next through lanes of
palmetto palms, through the front
yards of complacent citizens in and
out among towering trees of oaks,
and there is at last a turn into the
stretch which leads to the finish
The onrushing cars were visible for
a mile or more down the stretch to-
day to the thousands gathered in the
grandstands which were constructed
at such angles to give the spectators
a view of the course as far as the
elbow where the flying contestants
flashed into view from time to time
Business in Savannah was entirely
suspended today because of the races
and the city proper was deserted long
before the hour for the start. All
along the course the crowds gathered
and there were usual congestions
about the dangerous curves where
excitement is always to be found.
Many country folk. most of them col
ored, came from the nearby farms and
plantations in covered wagons drawn
by mules and made a picnic of the
DAY, eating sugar cane, singing and
dancing.
The cars were sent away from the
starting line at one minute intervals,
the big blue C1ement-Bayard No. l.
with Rigal at the wheel leading the
long procession of powerful racing
machines.
The order Of start was as follows.