Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-27
SPEEDING AUTO
SOMERSAULTS;
DRIVER UNHURT
CAR GOING NINETY MILES AN
HOUR LEAPS INTO AIR
CHAUFFEUR RETAINS SEAT FOR
FIFTY FEET
No Other Accident Happens at Ascot
Park Races-souIes Breaks 25-
Mle-Record - odfeId Is
Beaten by Hughes

Five thousand spectators held their
breath yesterday afternoon when the
White Flyer with Gus Seyfried at the
wheel, somersaulted for fifty feet on
Ascot park track.
Seyfried had gone around the track
for two or three miles to warm up his
engine and got a high temperature Tor
steam, when at last he gave the signal
he was ready to go mile against
time.
Across the tape he flew at a speed
estimated at ninety miles an hour. AS
he went into the turn he was in the
middle of the track, and it soon was
seen he was going to have trouble In
getting around the turn without hitting
the fence. Seyfried evidently realized
his peril, for he threw the wheel way
over to get down to the inside of the
turn As the car skidded he steered
still farther to the left and the wheels
cramped. In an instant the front TIRE
on the right hand wheel was wrenched
loose by the terrific strain on it, and
the rim caught in the soft track. Like
a flash the car dug it's pointed nose into
the ground and somersaulted through
the air for fifty feet with Seyfried stlu
in his seat.
AS the car struck the earth, bottom
side up, the rider was under IL, anu
there seemed to be no possibility Oh
his escape from being killed. AS the
car bounded into the air he fell free
and the car somersaulted again. Three
times the car rolled, end over end,
leaning high in the air each time.
Finally it lay still and flames burst
forth from every portion of the car.
Seyfried picked himself up fifty feet
from where his racer lay wrecked and
ran to see if he could save his car
dagtFOUp1 h1If the flames
were leaping high into the air an IN
slant after it fell.
An immense crowd sWarmed on the
track after the accident and it was
with difficulty that path was made
flor the ambulance which took Seyfried
to the paddock. The only injury that
he sustained was the rupture of a
small sore on his forehead. He scarce
~ was bruised. His escape was mar
velous as it seemed impossible for
him to 20 down under the car and get
out alive.
25-Mile Record Broken
No other accident mared the days
meet and the crowd of thousands were
well satisfied with the program. The
last event was run off after the acct
dent. finishing just at dusk Charlie
Soules in a stock Stearns broke the
worlds track record for twenty-five
miles, doing the distance in 20 minutes
SO 3-5 seconds.
A Mitchell and a Marmon also were
i'm the race but they did little more
than get in Soules way, as they were
Tapped several times by the speedy
Stearna After the first three miles
Soules drove four miles, all of which
he did in 1:Ol.
Barney Oldfield drove an exhibition
mile in 56 2-5, showing he has not lost
his nerve. He took the turns at hair
raising speed, but even then did not
drive fast enough to beat the time of
Hughe Hughes in the Christie car
The freak was sent around the track in
an exhibition SO 3-5, which is frac-
ton under Oldfield's best mile.
Soules drove the Stearns racer in l:Ol
in an exhibition and 1t was when Sey-
fried was out to do his mile that he
met with the accident.
Oldfield and Hughes in the first elm
nation heat of the sweepstakes drive a
rather tame race after the first two
miles. as Hughes did not get any
speed out of the car and was beaten
more than half mile. Oldheld's time
for the five-mile heat was 4:54 40.
The first race of the day was for
stock cars costing $500 or less, and was
won easily by the White steamer. The
Marmon lead for the first two miles
but was passed by Dundee in the
White and handily beaten. The Marmor
finished second.
The second event was a novelty race
for five miles, The first mile was tc
he done with drivers only in the car
Az the end of the first mile the cal
nicled up three passengers at the tape
and went for the second mile Twice
the load was taken on and then left
after being carried mile.
1t was very amusing to see the mer
scramble aboard while the cars were
under way and then try to get of
while il was still in motion. Several o.