Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-27
Course Excellent one.

The course laid out for today's race has
few equals In its wealth Of scenic beauty.
There are frequent long stretches and some
sinuous serpentine pathways. The course
has no "hairpin turn so famous along
the Vanderbilt route, but Il has an "ap-
pendix curve just before the cars enter
the long home stretch. The onrushing cars
were visible for a mile or more down the
stretch today to the thousands gathered
In the grand stands. which were con-
structed at such angles as to give the
spectator a view OF the course as far as
the elbow" where the flying contestants
flashed into view from time to time.
The five cars entered I'm the name of
France are all Of royal blue. the six Italian
entries red. the three German cars white
and the six American entrants all with
white bodies and red running gear. The
French cars consisted Of a team of two
Clement-Bayards, a second team of two
Renaults and an Individual De DIETRICH.
The six Italian entrants were made up OF
two teams Of three Flats and three Italas.
The three Germans all belonged to the
Benz team. The American cars were all
individually entered, there being a Lozier.
a Simplex, a Buick, a Chadwick, a Ma
tlonal and an Acme on the list.
Road slippery ut start.
There was much speculation before the
start as to whether the slippery course
of the morning would interfere with the
record-breaking speed expected from the
drivers. The fastest time ever made in a
long distance event is accredited to Fellce
Navarro, who started today as the driver
OF the Italian Fiat No. 6. In the Florio
cup race in Italy this year Navarro. driv-
ing the same car as today, made the start
ling average OF 74.3 miles an hour for the
entire JOS miles covered. In the Grand
Prix cup race of the Automobile club of
France this year. the average speed OF the
winner for the total distance OF as miles
was 50 miles an hour. The record for the
European Grand PrIx is 70s miles an hour.
made in 1907, and again it was Navarro
who set the mark, Szisz, driver OF Renault
No. 10 in this race, was the winner Of the
Grand Prix in 1906. |
The American road record for long dis
lance was set this year in the Vanderbilt
cup race by George Robertson, who main
tanned an average OF more than sixty-four
miles an hour for the 25s miles.
Robertson is the only Vanderbilt cup
winner of the last three years who did not
have a mount In today's race. Louis was-
ner, the Frenchman who won in 1906. was
today a member Of the Italian Fiat team
driving No. II. while Victor Hemery, an
other Frenchmsn who captured the cup in
1905, was today driving the German Benz
car No. s. H.. Hemery was the decided
favorite in the betting, with Navarro second
choice and Wagner third.
FRvorite ana Prizes.
The American hopes in the race, accord
Ing to the experts who talked before the
start, centered in the Chadwick six-cylinder
car, driven by While Haupt, a mere boy
In years and experience as compared with
the foreign drivers.
Other than the 5000 gold cup to the
owner and the $4,000 purse to the driver
Of the winning car today, there were many
other prizes at stake. For the second driver
there was a purse OF $4,000. for the third
81, 900, for the fourth $3.50 and for the fifth
a consideration of $3.50.
Representatives of various foreign asso-
Citations acting with the Automobile Club of
American in the conduct Of the race. were
given seats Of honor in the f'Royal box"
opposite the judges stand today.
The exact measurement Of the course
used today is 1918 miles. The sixteen laps
to the race bring the total distance I'D to