Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-06
OLD BIKE STARS
GOOD AUTO DRIVERS

The great success which has attended
bicycle riders who have become drivers
of racing autos in this country seem to
have opened up a new avenue of lucrative
employment for those interested in track
and field sports, and it would not be sur
prising if in the continued growth of the
auto racing game, particularly on tracks.
which promises to show a great increase
in competitors next season, great many
of those heretofore prominent in athletics
should turn to this new profession.
Cycling peculiarly fitted the success
full speed merchants to the task of driy
ing racing car. The quick eye. steady
nerve and endurance to stand the strain
of mental and physical forces are similar
in both lines of sport. Judgment of dis
tance, time and speed must be good and
the mind active to form accurate deci-
sions in an emergency. Strength OF arm
is also necessary, and this has barred
some of the jockeys from entering this
line of sport.
OF the old cycle champions Barney
Oldfield was one of the first to drive an
auto in races. He came into prominence
in Detroit about six years ago, and the
distinguishing characteristic OF always
driving In races with big black cigar
firmly grasped between his teeth mas
never been Initiated. although all have
otherwise tried to solve the secret Of his
great success as champion speed
breaker.
Oldtield has such a rare judgment OF
speed that 1t is said he seldom consults
the clock on the dashboard of his auto,
but, knowing the speed of his car. can
calculate to a nicely what 1t can do, at
the same time being thoroughly CONVEX
Mt fha inn of nprn1ftP6
certain turns or angles OF the track and
good generalship in driving In a race.
Tom Cooper. who was killed in an acct
dent in Central Park, but not through his
own carelessness, was another of the BIZ
cycle champions in the same school as
Oldfield. Good common sense and sound
judgment gave him success with racing
car. Eddie Bald. who held many cycling
records, had three or four years of train
ing as a driver before he turned his at
tention to the selling side of the auto in
dustry.
Joe Tracey, the Loco driver, who was
regarded as the best of the Americans
in the Vanderbilt cup race two years
ago, won his first 1aurels on the cycling
track. He is still regarded as one of the
best in the world. although he has taken
up the work of consulting engineer on
motor cars. Tracey, by the way. is a
great bookworm. and loves to reclte KIP
ling to his friends while shooting over the
road at a forty mile-an-hour clip. Tracey
says one of the rare enjoyments of all his
auto driving was when he was accompa-
MED In his practice stunts by clever mu-
stefan who ground out old melodies when
the car was at top speed, the music giving
peculiarly weird effect when blended
with the singing of the auto
Ralph De Palma. the Brooklyn boy who
drove one of the big Fiat cars In the Sa-
vannah race and who was close up at the
finish. gained his first experience OF track
work on a motorcycle. with which he put
up new speed records. Webb Jay, Waily
owen and AL Poole are others of the
cycling squad who have won further hon.
ors at the wheel OF a racing car.