Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-10
ROBERTSON WINNER
OF AUTO ROAD RACE
Covers 200-MiIe Course at
Fairmount Park in
3.38.58 as.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, October o.
| Travelling at terrific rate Of speed over
| the beautiful eigpt-mile course in Fair
| mount Park this afternoon, George Rob
| ertson, hero OF many classic automobile
| events, won the 2OO-mle stock chassis
| road race in a Simplex car from a field
| Of twenty-one automobiles, handled by
| some Of the most expert drivers in the
| country.
| The complete result Of the race was as
| follows.
| Course, 200 miles, eight laps to the mile,
| twenty-five times around.
First prize, one thousand dollar-cup and
$500. won by George Robertson, in a
| four-cylinder, 9O-horsepower Simplex.
Time, 1855 As.
Second prize. $3.50. won by Bert Ding
| ley. in a four-cyhnder, 40-horsepower
| Chalmers-Detroit. Time 3.44.2O.
Third prize. $3.50, won by H. L. Hard
| ing, in a four-cylinder. 492-horsepower
| Apperson. Time, 352.17 ITO.
Fourth prize $780, won by J. Parkins,
jr.. in six-cylinder. 6O-horsepower
Chadwick. Time. 3.55.31 10.
Fifth place. (no prize). Louis strang. in
a four-cylinder. 4o-horsepower Isotta.
Time, 1864 2-5.
Robertson's fastest lap the second, s.35.
Fastest lap Of the race by J. F. Betz,
1 poer in fme 5 made on the
thirteenth lap.
Robertson Has Easy Time.
Robertson seemed to have an easy
time with his car all the way. Bert Ding
ley In a Chalmers>D Detroit was also go
ing we'll. The leader was not permit
ted to let up his pace at any stage
Of the race.
The winners car worked perfectly. Only
once during the long contest did Robert
son have to come to a stop. That was
at the end Of the fifteenth lap. when he
replaced rep d., couple Of tires and replenished
Harding, in an Apperson. also drove
beautiful race. He stayed we'll up
with the leading cars and pushed into
third place on the eighteenth lap. where
he stayed to the finish.
1t Is estimated that more than q quarter
of million persons crowded both sides
OF the eight miles Of roadway, said to he
one Of the most dangerous courses in the
country. The weather was perfect for
the sport and not a serious accident mar
red the big race.
Haynes Hit Telegraph Pole.
E. o. Haynes, in an American car,
struck telegraph pole on the eighth lap
at the dangerous Hair Pin" curve at
Sweet Briar. He and his mechanician
were thrown out and only slightly hurt.
The only other accident reported was
when Malin Leinau was approaching the
grandstand In an Acme car. A rear tire
few off. went up in the air and then shot
Into the stand, striking a boy.
The youngster was rendered unconscious,
but was quickly brought around by a
member Of the emergency medical corps.
fnc h. eli
The race was run under the auspices
Of the Quaker City Motor Club with the
ofdcial cooperation Of the city of Philadel-
phia, and was the second affair Of the
kind held by. the club.
The time made today by Robertson,
who also won the race here last year,
was % minutes faster than the initial
event. The money derived from the sale
OF seats and parking privileges for auto
mobiles netted q handsome sum. and will
be distributed among four local chari-
table institutions.
The course was cleared at IL am, when
500 policemen. assisted by nearly the en-
tire force Of park guards, took charge Of
burn and other distinguished men of the
city were early on hand.
Start on Stroke Of Noon.
IL o'clock. The cars were sent away at
iA1SSA SaiD VI uILoSh oCCohOS u6 last Cur
was we'll on it's way when the first car
an American. driven by Robert Drach,
made its appearance at the upper turn
half mile from the grandstand.
Drach had started second. He was given
q cheer as he passed the stand first. But
he gradually dropped behind.
The first incident of the race was q tire
blow out on the first lap by the Selden
car, driven by Charles Young. He soon
got under way, but did not figure among
the leaders at any time.
The first car to drop out OF the race
was Lozer. driven by Joseph Seymour.
This car met an accident halfway around
on the first lap and was unable to con-
tinue.
The third lap proved a thriller for the
immense concourse of spectators. j. r.
Betz, third, an amateur driver. in Sim
pick, had fallen slightly behind because
of tire trouble. In order to make up for
the loss of time he let his big ninety
horsepower machine out to the limit.
Best Time Over Course.
He took the curves at hair-raising
speed and shot by the grandstand like a
hurricane. When his time was put up 1t
showed that he had gone over the course
of eight miles in minutes and 81 Sec
onds, better than a mile minute.
The crowd in the stand gave a great
cheer. Betz did not hear 1t, as he was
out of sight.
The time for the lap proved to be the
best of the race.
BY this time Robertson began to attract
attention. He took the lead on the sec
ond lap, closely followed by Drach, In
the American, and Betz. Chevrolet, In a
Buick. was also coming up strong.
Round and round Robertson went. Each
lap placed a few more seconds between
himself and his nearest competitor.
On the sixth lap Dingley took second
place with Betz third. Dingley held 1t
for only two laps when Len Zengle, in a
Chadwick passed him.
The contest for second position was
keenly fought until the fourteenth lap.
Then Dingley again went into second
place, and never lost 1t.
Harding moved up to third place on
the eighteenth lap and held it to the end.
Chevrolet dropped out of the race be-
cause Of a broken valve on the twelfth
lap.
Robertson Hard at Work.
Robertson's face was glued to the course
ahead he passed the grandstand on
each round, but his mechanician waved
his hand as they passed. The crowd
gave them a cheer when they stopped for
tires, Oil and fuel on the fifteenth lap,