Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-26
RACERS TO TRIM
FOR AUTO MEET
DRIVERS OUT FOR BLOOD AND
GLORY
Motorcycle Events Have Been Called
off, as Sanction Could Not
Be Obtained from Fed
Grafton

This afternoon and tomorrow Barney
oldfeld will have to defend his Aitle OF
champion automobile track driver of
the world. The program arranged for
Ascot park promises the best speed
carnival for motor cars that has ever
been pulled off in the west.
Gus Seyfried has the White Flyer
running under a steam pressure ex-
ceeding a thousand pounds to the
square inch, and has been doing the
mile faster than any other car ever
driven here except Barney Oldtield's in
past meets, when Barney made his
records.
Hughie Hughes is looking to make a
reputation here that will place him IN
the front row of the front rank, and
promises to let the Christie car out
for all the track will stand. Charlie
Soules is peeved and will do his utmost
to rout his enemies with the fast flying
Stearns that he intends to pilot.
In the stock car class he has a fast
car as well, as he will have practically
a duplicate of his racing car.
Fred Dundee and Seyfried hope to
make a cleanup in the stock car
classes, as well as against the speed
monsters.
Final tuning was done on several of
the cars yesterday at the track, while
one or two went out to the Pasadena
boulevard, so that they could work
without the public getting line on
what speed they were making.
That some of the cars will come near
the present worlds records is claimed
by those who have been watching the
tryouts. The track Is in very good
shape, and already the cars have gone
around as fast as So seconds for the
mile
All of the drivers declare that they
will get more speed out of the cars in
the actual competitions, but that the
risk in making faster time is unneces-
sary for the tryouts
The motorcycle events that 1t was
hoped could be arranged have been
called off, as 1t was impossible to get
a sanction from the Federation OF
American Motorcyclists, and to have
ridden would have made outlaws OF the
| boys The accident to Raymond Sey-
mour would have tended to eliminate
one event anyway, as the machine was
a complete wreck so far as wheels and
tanks go, and there was insufficient
time to put 1t in trim again.
The machine was the same one that
was brought out here for Derkum to
ride, and that it was not totally
wrecked has been a surprise to those
who saw with what terrific force ii
was hurled along the track in its SEN
sational fight with Seymour clinging
to it as it turned somersaults through
the air.
Billy Ruess and his force sacrificed
all chances on their turkey dinner and
prepared Lady Maud" the Pope
Hartford that Ruess will enter in the
stock events for a speedy run.
Fl. A. Huene and his crew worked
far into the night before Christmas
and all day yesterday, tuning the trim
little roadster for it's race of today
The street railway cars will run direct
to the gate, and ample facilities fur
nished for taking care of the crowd
The grand stand win be free and
| everybody but those whose duties re-
! quire them to be on the track will be
| kept within the fence.
There is some prospect Of Charlie
Soules driving the "Blue Bird" If the
| Western Motor Car company will per-
I NIT its entry. It was hoped that il
would be possible for Bert Dingley to
come south to take part and drive the
car, but it developed that he was not
available.