Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-12-02
ASCOT TO BE
AUTO SPEEDWAY
RACE TRACK WILL BE TAKEN
OVER BY DEALERS
FINEST COURSE IN THE WORLD
IS PLANNED
Check Posted to Bind Transfer from
Horsemen to Motor Car Enc
thuslasts-Fourteen=
Year Lease

Los Angeles will have the finest race
course in the United States for auto
mobiles If the present plans OF group
OF capitalists are consummated--hno
there is every prospect that they
will be.
The proposition is to lease Ascot park
for a term of fourteen years at stated
price of s32. 600, which includes all Of
the improvements and the water plant
which has been paying $4,000 year
It is planned to cement the track and
bank the turns so steeply that very
high rate of speed can be maintained.
The only other cement speedway In
the world that will compare with the
proposed track at Ascot park is the
famous Brooklands track Of England.
on which all sorts of speed, dust and
economy trials are held at frequent IN
tervals.s
Los Angeles cannot be estimated, as 1t
will mean that all speed trials of i'm
portance win be held here and that all
track records for America will be made
on the Ascot track, which may prove
to be the fastest in the world.
With the lease goes full control of the
track and premises, which includes
some fifty acres of realty, including the
valuable water plant.
Auto Dealers in Control
line W III NC COAApOoC0 u
members Of the Automobile Dealers
association of Southern California, and
all automobile races will be held under
their auspices. The Motorcycle club of
Los Angeles will have the same access
to the track as the Automobile asso-
citation and will be able to hold the
fastest track racing here of any place
in the world.
A certified check was posted yester-
day with the directors of the Los An
geles Jockey club, and the deal is prac-
tically closed, as the three directors
who were at the meeting control the
majority of the stock. George Rose,
Cy Myrick and w. e. Dunn were at the
meeting yesterday afternoon, at which
time it was decided to accept the
proposition of #. g. Fenner and his
associates to lease the park.
Work will be begun as soon as the
negotiations are completed, and 1t Is
expected that the track will be ready
for a race meet as early as January l..
At present the Brooklands track is
the only place where scientific tests can
be made of motor cars on ideal track
for high speed.
1t will naturally attract more atten-
ton to Southern California and the
press reports will be read by that class
of people that are the most desired
for this section. AS the various con-
tests will be held under the auspices
of the Dealers association of Southern
California and no clique or individual
dealer viii have an opportunity to pro-
mote his cars to the exclusion or dis
advantage of any other make, the track
ought to prove extremely popular and
profitable.
Agricultural park had many disad-
yantages that could not be overcome
and Ascot track in it's present state did
not prove fast enough to be attractive,
but with a cement surface and highly
banked turns it will prove to be. the
most highly favored speedway of the
United States and place Los Angeles
at the front as a center for motor car
events.
Captain Harmon D. Ryus will prob
ably be the manager of the track. He
did not deny that there was a deal
pending, but stated that 1t had not
been closed, and that until 1t was he
would not like to be quoted.
"If you will wait until tomorrow /
will give you a good story" said Ryus.
"but to say anything tonight would
be premature"
IT was learned however, from an
authoritative source that check had
been posted and accepted by the three
directors who control the majority or
stock. and there is little If any doubt
that the deal will be contaminated to-
day and the control of Ascot park will
mass from the hands of the Los An
reles Jockey club into those of the
group of capitalists who are backing
Captain Ryus in the venture which will
undoubtedly prove a winner for the
automobile trade of Southern Califor-
MIA.