The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-07
German Drivers Capture First
Three Auto Events.
LOWER TRACK RECORD
French Racers Make Desperate
Effort TO Win.
Lautenschlager, the Victor, Is
Given Great Ovation.

Dieppe July Almost a million
people today saw German drivers cap
ture the automobile honors of 1908.
They got the first three places in the
Grand Prix race, while another Ger
man cut down the Dieppe track rec
ord by enc hour and forty-five min
utes. The race today was the most
exciting since the Grand Prix was in
augurated. A terrific pace was set at
the start and three Frenchmen. Szisz.
Thery and Bablot, and Wagner. an
Italian and Salzer, a German beat the
lap record, made last year in the first
round. In the second round Nazzaro.
driving a Fiat. forged to the lead, but
the strain soon began to tell on the
leaders. Tire trouble then developed
and a strong wind. at times reaching
the proportions of half a gale. that
blew straight in the faces OF the
drivers as they came down the sea leg
of the triangular course forced re-
duction of the pace and put an end
to the hopes entertained early In the
day that the record of last year would
be broken.
Lautenschlager in his Mercedes
drove steadily and took the leader IN
the fourth round when Nazzaro
dropped back owing to damned clutch
and he made his position to the
finish. The English drivers never
were prominent from the beginning
and Strange. the American. driving a
Thomas car, after finishing the fourth
round next to the leader, disappeared,
After the fourth round the ltaians
also dropped out and never were in
the race.
The French. however, kept up the
struggle. but one by one their crack
drivers like Szisz in Renault and
Duray in a Lorrain, succumbed and
left only Thery in Brazior to see
the fight out Thery is the veteran
who won the Gordon Bennett cup in
1903. He was closely pressed by
Hemery and Handiot, two other
French veterans driving Benzes Ger
man cars. In the fourth and NTH
rounds these five cars swept around
the course with the regularity of clock
work In the next round however,
Thery had a tire accident and the last
hope of the French witnesses was
gone.
The Frenchmen found much consola-
ton in the gallant conduct of Hemery,
who finished second. When the race
was about half over a stone thrown ny
flying wheel struck and broke his
goggles and piece of glass was driven
into his eye. He continued to the trl-
bune and there his accident was made
known But he refused to quit after
surgeon had given an injection OF co
caine to kill the pain he resumed his
wheel and continued to the end.
Two men were killed. They were
Cissa, who was driving a Panhard and
his machinist. They were crushed I'M
der the car.
The German victory is naturally not
very popular with the French. but new
ertheless thousands cheered Lauten-
schlager as he came in winner. As
Lautenschiager was escorted to the
presidential box. where he was con-
Graduated by NJ. Jaurin under secre
tary of the interior. who represented
President F'ailleres, the band played the
sWacht Am Rhine" Baron Won Zulem
president of the Automobile club of
France sent a telegram to Emperor
William announcing the success of the
German drivers.