The Washington times., 1908-11-22

SAVANNAH. Ga. Nov. M.-But two
days of actual preparations now remain
for the start OF the Grand Prize inter
national automobile race.
Monday and Tuesday alone remain as
practice days, although IL Is expected
that a great many drivers Will take ad-
vantage Of a pleasant Sunday 10 run
quietly around the course At IL O'Clock
on Wednesday morning, when the littll
Lancla car is sent across the line by
Starter Fred Wagner, the first light car
race OF international character ever held
in America VIII be on
Al . o'clock on Thursday morning
Rigalin. the CIement-Bayard. represent
ing France, will be sent away as No. /
in the contest for the gold prize cup OF
the Automobile Club of America. At
no previous event ia this country has
there been gathered such a galaxy of
automobile racing stars. holders Of rec
ords and men who have been in the
game since its beginning.
Expect rd-Breaker.
1t is the opinion of many authorities
that the automobile races TO be held on
the Savannah course on THANKSGIVING
Day and the day preceding will be the
greatest ever held on the American con-
tinent, and probably viii not be sur
passed for some time 10 come.
Although the great speed made by
Navarro in the Florio Cup race of
.seventy-four and one-fourth miles an
hour is not expected TO be eQualed. yet
IL is the consensus OF opinion that an
average Of seventy miles an hour may
be attained. over five miles an hour bet
ter than made on the Vanderbilt course.
The roads are in splendid condition
They are still rather oily. necessitating
the use of non-sl1id tires. 1t is expect
ed. however. that with the remaining
three days the surface may become dry
enough to allow the use Of nat tread
tires and the resulting higher speed.
II was at first predicted that the enorm-
Gus number of turns in the long course
would prevent a great average in com
parison with other road races held in
this country and IN Europe, but the
banking OF the turns has overcome this
objection
Look Askance at Banks.
The foreign cracks did not take kind
ly to the banking when they first saw
it, regarding 1t as an indication Of doubt
as to their ability TO skid around the
curves. It had been their custom to
approach the turns at high speed,
quickly apply the breaks, throw the
front wheels around slightly, and the !
whole machines sl1idded as on a pivot. |
This is. OF course. hard on tires.
The foreigners soon realized, however, /
that they can take all but two of the !
turns at nearly full speed, rounding /
them at a general average Of about I
dfty-five miles an hour. OF the thirty !
four turns. there are really only about 7
four which are extrem ely dangerous, ,
and all of these are in the village at the
Isle of Hope. The road is narrow, the !,
turns are sharp, and on one of them at /
least even the most daring driver must /
slow down 10 about 20 miles an hour to !
avoid jumping the bank into a Southern !
home yard. [
Easy for Light Cars.
The light cas- have only four turns to /
make, their course being a quadrilateral, 4
and there is nothing TO prevent their go
ing at full speed from the start TO the /
finish. At places the course is some /
what rough. but 1t is expected that this /
will be remedfed. The great work which /
has been done Dy the city oI savannah 4
In securing and preparing this course I
cannot be appropriated until II Is seen. /
After building the roads. in some places
them, IN others buying
property in order to eliminate danger at
turns, and the covering OF the course !
with $1,000 gallons Of oil. are mere de-
tails on paper. but a grand fact in real.
lty It is this fact alone and the man
ner in which the course viii be poIiced
that leads Savannah TO think that It
may secure other races OF similar I'm
portanee.
It Is known throughout the South, as
we'll as the North. that the Vanderbilt
race was nearly a failure. almost alto
gether. because the course could not be
kept clear. Robert Lee Morreu. chair