The morning journal-courier., 1908-05-28
FAST TIME AT
YALE AUTO RACES
Machines Climb Steep Shingle
Hill, West Kaven, at Speed
Of Almost Mile a
Minute.
Over Five Thousand People Witness
Some Daring Driving Around
Dangerous Curyes-Nar-
row Escapes.

In one or the best conducted and
most complete auto tournaments that
has been run off in this section, ac-
cording TO Emanuel Cedrino winner of
the second race at Briarcliffe and who
was entered to drive in the races held
yesterday at the Shinge and Barney
hills In orange. The Yale Automobile
club entertained fully 5000 interested
spectators and furnished sport to the
owners and drivers Of "a cars. The
races which We're of the, hill climbing
nature we're all that could be desired
and by the manner the drivers swung
their cars around the many dangerous
curves on the course thrills enough TO
satisfy everyone for the trouble they
took to climb the hill in the intense
heat of the day were furnished.
Perhaps no better place could be Sc
lected IN the state for such a test OF
endurance ana skill! as ;he one chosen
by the club for yesterdays meet. From
the start 10 finish the roadway wound
uphill around curves and through cuts
OF solid rock and was only about a
trine over 250 feet short OF mile. At
the start, which was II the standing
order and get away at a signal. 1t went
Immediately up hill The first thing
was a curve. then a decline which gave
srought the cars to a level perhaps 800
yards long which finished In a series of
sharp turns which made almost a per-
feet letter IS" All view of the turns
and track at the start Of these curves
is cut off by high ledge of rock
through which the road is cut and the
drivers were compelled to trust to the
clerks OF the course, VINO were stations
ed about 100 yards apart with flags, for
guidance, From the finish of the curves
the course went up the steep Shngle
hill and with one more sharp turn near
the top the finish was reached.
At the triple curves above mentioned
the most excitement was furnished
Fully $500 spectators had gathered
there to watch the cars round 1t and
they were given their I'll of exciting
moments When the cars swing around
one bend, into another, skdding some.
times off the roadway, then within an
inch or two OF the telegraph poles that
lined one side of It. rlehted themselve;
only to repeat the performance on the
next turn, many a breath was held ai
| those watching the darinA drivers fell
that catastrophe was coming. Not al
accident happened to mar the sport o
the day howeve9, although seyera
close calls were recorded
Perhaps the closest of these was
that had by n b, Whitfield of thi;
city who was driving an Oldsmobile
Of 336 cubic inches cylinder volume
He got away from the start and over
the first and second hills at a 40 milt
clip and started to round the IS
with increasing speed, The first curve
was turned all right but when hC
came to the second the car sldded
throwing the rear end almost squaralJ
across the road and in rightng it Mr.
Whitfield appeared to be going head
on into telegraph pole. Every one
Of the thousands Of spectators were
! vi lIeH lttl III al lHsldllL tHp"Glllt
a fatality, but with great skill ht
turned the machine out and spec
away up the next and last hill. Al
ter he had passed the marks of hi
wheels were measured to the pole ant
1t was found that he came within
three inches of banging into it. Th'
only other close call was that of G
II. Townsend in Thomas car Afte
rounding the curves in safety MI
chain slipped and jumped off and th'
machine wobled, finally ending right
side up in the ditch alongside th'
road. The accident put him out o
the race.
Conditions for the race were almos
perfect. Although the sun was aX
ceedlngly hot a cool breeze swept Owe
the hills that made even the specta
tors who couldn't get shade almos
comfortable. The rain of last nigh
nut the roadway in just about th
proper trim and not until the car
had gone over 1t many times did tn
dust begin to rise, Then 1t came il
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