Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-11-26
AMERICANS BEATEN
N MAD AUTO RAGE
Only Three American Cars Re-
main in Race When Course
is Half Covered
pAREDEvlLs DEFY DEATH
pAREDEWLs DEFY DEATH
Twenty Car. start in 400 Mile Race
Made Slippery By Heavy Fos-AlI
| Records Expected to Go to Smash
/ Ono Car Hits Tre. and Drivers Are
!, Seriously Injured.

morning in q dense fog. The race was
postponed from o'clock, the hour
originally set, but as the fog did not
show any signs Of lifting, it was de-
cided to make the start regardless Of
the dangerous atmospheric conditions.
Twenty cars were In the race and were
sent away at one minute intervals, as
follows:
No. Clement -Bayard, French.
No. 2-Lozier, Am erican.
No. 8-Simplex, american.
No. 4LBuick, American.
No. 5-Chadwick, American.
No. 6-Fiat, Italian.
No. Acme, American.
No. S-Benz, German.
No. 9-De Dietrich French.
No. 10-Renault, French.
No. 11-National, American.
No. 12-Italia, Italian.
No. Clement -Bayard. French.
No. 14-Fiat, italian.
No. 15-Benz, German.
No. 16-Renault, French.
No. 17-Ltala, italian.
No. 1S-Fiat, Italian.
No. 19-Benz, German
No 20-Itala, Italian.
The cars will cover course measur-
ing twenty-five miles, sixteen times.
before the race is completed.
A Notable Race.
Conducted under the auspices of the
Automobile Club Of America, with the
nd nj
racing associations, today's, race has
taken rank with the most notable mo-
tor events planned on either side of the
Atlantic, and is the longest and most
difficult race ever arranged in this
country. Notable moi: only for the spec
tacular 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 speed for Amer
dcan rOadWays.
With strong Gordon of militiamen
thrown about the course and acting un-
der martial law, the drivers Of the
competing cars have been given the
protection of an absolutely clear path
way. All the sharp turns have been
heavily banked and cemented, and
everything that could possibly induce
record breaking speed was done. There
were frequent long stretches that per-.
unitted use Of the last ounce of power
in each throbbing engine, and where
the drivers predicted that maximum
of more than 100 rniles per hour will
be attained. At other points there were
difficult, sinuous and serpentine path
ways that tested to the fullest the ca
pabilities Of men end wheels. The
course has no "hail:-pin turn" so ia
mous along the Vanderbilt route. but
1t has an appendix curve" just before
the cars enter the long home stretch,
where it was expected the fastest time
of the race would be accomplished.
Business in Savannah was entirely
suspended today and the city proper
was deserted long before the hour set
for the start. All along the course
crowds gathered and there were the
usual congestions about the dangerous
curves where excitement Is always to
be found.
Fog Makes Course Slippery.
The fog left the course damp and
slippery in spite Of quantities Of sand
which were scattered over the black
oiled surface late yesterday afternoon.
All the cars put studded nom skid tires
on their rear wheels There was much
speculation before the start as to
whether or not the slippery course
would interfere with the expected
record breaking speed expected from
the drivers.
The fastest time ever made in a long
distance road event is credited to Eel
ice Navarro, who started today as driv
er of No. s. In the Florio cup race in
Italy this year Nazarro, ldriving the
same car as today, made the startling
average of 74.3 miles per hour for the
entire 32S miles covered. In the grand
prix race in France this year the av-
erage speed of the winner for the to-
tai distance of AIS miles was sixty nine
miles per hour. The, record for the Eu-
ropeana grand prix is 70.9 miles per
hour, made in 1907 Again it was Naz-
AFRO, who set the mark. Szisz, driver of
No. 10. was winner of the grand prix
in 1906.
The American road record for long
distance was set this year in the Van
derbilt cup race by George Robertson,
who maintained an average of more
than sixty-four miles per hour for 258
miles. Robertson did not have mount
in today's race. Louis Wagner, a
Frenchman who won in 1906, was today
driving No. Ia, while Victor Hemery.
another FrenchrAan. who captured the
cup In 1905, today is driving No. s.
Other than the $4,000 gold cup and the
$4,000 purse to the driver of the WIN
ming car today there are many other
prizes at stake. For second driver there
was purse of $4,000. and for the third
$1,000. for the fourth $50. and for the
fifth $3.50.
The exact measurement Of the course