New-York tribune., 1908-03-18
READY FOR AUTO RACES
BIG CROWD IN SAVANNAH
Great Interest in Speed Contests TO-
morrov and Thursday.
lBy Telegraph to The Tribune J

Savannah Ga, March 17.-savannah Is fairly
overrun tonight with automobiliss. and the motor
fever to have broken out in Viruieht ioiiii
In anticipation of the two-day carnival tomorrow
and Thursday. The advance guard of the crowd
arrived today and the hotels and boarding houses
are full overHowing. The streets and stores are
decorated with flags and bunting. and the scene
is a gay and will be gayer by tomorrow Inc
railroad officials announced tonight that more than
eight thousand tickets to Savannah had been sold
during the day.
At meeting tonight of the drivers. officials ana
the technical committee of the American Autonfo-
bile Association plans for the races were made
The rules were modified to allow the ma
chimes to carry extra spark plugs. and the COM
mittee ruled against the two gasoene tanks on the
Lozier and ordered that each be only nall
filled at the start
The big grandstand. which will seat five thou
sand persons is completed, and every seat mas
been sold A heavy wire fence has been built to
prevent the crowd rushing on the course Sixty
policemen will be stationed along the home stretch.
while three hundred soldiers will be on duty in
the country section to guard the course ana keep
the crowd back
Two races at $50 miles each will be decided to-
morrow. The first will begin at 10 o'clock In the
morning. while the high powered cars will be sent
off at 2 o'clock in the afternoon On Thursday,
when the 3SO-nile race will be decided, Governor
Hoke Smith will be the guest of the city. On
Thursday evening the Savannah Automobile Club
will be the host at banquet to two hundred vis-
iting automobilists.
The course, eighteen-mfIs circuit has been
oiled and is in fine condition for speeding There
are number of corkscrew turns however which
means that the drivers must great Judg
ing by the work in practice the winner must travel
at the rate of fifty miles hour. Frank Leland
has made circuit in sixteen minutes which is
better than mile a minute. The final practice
this morning limited. the drivers did not
want to take any unnecessary risks with the races
hand.
Beginning at o'clock IN the morning,
other vehicles persons except those connected
with the races, will be allowed the roads OF the
course. Ambulances with physicians will be in
waiting at Thunderbolt and the Isle of Hope Fif-
teen telephone stations have been set up around
the course All the entered in the
in Savannah except the Matheson, Premier and
Cleveland. The second Isotta arrived this morn
ing and the course and showed up in fine
style.
Four cars will start in the first Tomorrow
Mr.. Zengle's 5ohorsepower Pennsylvania, which he
will drive himself; the +0-horsepower Thomas-De-
troit, to be driven by J. B. Loriner; a second 40
horsepower Thomas Detroit, to be driven by r. J.
May and the 24-horsepower AppeEson car to be
driven by Herbert Lytle
The 7o-horsepower Thomas to be driven By
George Salzman and owned by j. F. Kiser and the
so-horsepower Stearns. entered by E. H. Inman and
driven by +. w. Leland, the only two machines
entered for the Southern six-cylinder cup in the
afternoon.
A huge petition is being circulated by the school
If it would be granted.