The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-06
Denver Motor Car COMPANY Al.
so Writes of Contest.
ON STREET NEXT DAY.
Topeka Made Car Only One That
Could Appear.
The Others We're All High
Priced Cars.

Inc smith Automobile company has
just received two letters concerning
the wonderful showing made by the
Great Smith car in the Denver 800
mile endurance race. One is from
G. A. Clark, the Topeka man, who
drove the car-his first race-and the
other from the Denver agency which
entered the Great Smith in the race.
The letters show clearly the meas
ure of triumph achieved by the Tope-
ka built car. Driver Clark's letter is
as follows:
Denver. Col, June 5, 1908.
The Smith Motor Car Co., Topeka,
Kan:
The writer feels that he should
write you concerning the wonderful
race saturday, as he drove the car and
ana can perhaps give you an idea of
the splendid work the car did in the
race than anyone else. 1t was an en-
durance race in every sense of the
word. The course at it's best would
nave been very poor and the heavy
rains Just few days before had made
it far more difficult. Our car was the
lowest priced car in the race We
were running against the highest
classed cars on the market, such as
the Locomobile, Thomas and others
built for racing, and the general opin-
ion OF those that knew the course was
that our car would be out of the race
before two laps were made but it was
one to finish out of three of the eight
cars that started. The other two were
the Locomobile and the Thomas Blue
Bird that competed in the Briar Cliff
race and had they allowed the two
cars to finish the ten laps in place of
calling the race off in the eighth lap
we would have second place, as the
Locomobile was all in and could have
N mi ed he 20
| running cool and smooth as when she
started. Our only trouble was in the
magnetic getting out of time and one
tire being defective and blowing out
on the start of the second lap. This
was the only trouble experienced and
the magnetic slipped in the seventh,
| laying us out one hour and fifteen
minutes; but even with this trouble,
the 262 miles were covered in just
eight hours and nine minutes on the
lap where the magnetic went wrong.
The first thirteen and one-half miles
| was covered in just 16 minutes. This
was the worst part Of the course. At
| many times a speed of more than six
| ty miles was attained. The car GER
tainly made great showing and peo-
pie that never heard of the car before
are coming in to see it and remark
what a good showing it made in the
race when much higher priced cars
went to pieces and were completely
out of the race. There were some for
| ty or fifty thousand people saw this
race and it was certainly a good thing
for the car. 1 will write to you again
within the next few days when I have
recovered from the long and hard ride
of last Saturday-eight hours at the
wheel going at the speed we were,
over such roads was endurance for the
man as we'll as the car.
Hoping that you are pleased with
= IN hi ~,
6. A. CLARK.
The Denver Motor Gar company
tells more of the details of the race
and the long, difficult course. The let
Denver, June 8, 1908.
The Smith Motor Car Co., Topeka,
Kansas.
Supplementing our wire date with
reference to the Rocky Mountain En-
you something about the course in
order that you may have better ap-
probation of the remarkable showing
made by the truly Great Smith car.
The course over which the cars ran
was a regular country road full of
holes, long stretches of sand. a few
fairly stiff grades, several bridges In
poor condition, many mud holes and
several nasty turns.
The cars were two Thomas sixties,
two Colburn cars, a thirty and a forty,
a Thomas forty, Locomobile sixty
and the Great Smith forty Another
car entered but could not stand the
roads and broke down the day before
the race and could not be repaired in
time.
Special mention should be made Of
the Thomas forty, known as the Blue
Bird which was awarded first place.
All the dealers as we'll as most of the
motoring public assert that this was
in no sense of the word a stock car as
it was put out for racing purposes,
having contested in the Briar Cliff as
we'll as the Savannah races. All Of
those who entered in the contest just
finished have protested against the
action of the judges in making a de-
cision of the Blue Bird on the grounds
that it was not a stock car.
Our belief in the Smith car was al