The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1909-06-24
DARE DEVIL AUTO DRIVERS IN
THE BIG EVENT
TODAY.
MATSoN YESTERDAYS HERO
Wins Contest for Small Machines In
. Chalmers Detroit over Crown
Point course-Robertso Second In
Locomoblle.

| the great race of the small machines
won by Joe Matson in the Chalmers.
| Detroit yesterday the great crowd
here for the automobile race today
was wild with enthusiasm as the big
cars started on their mad dash.
It was estimated 100000 persons
witnessed the race yesterday at points
along the 23-mile course and 1t is be.
lieved to-day that at least $4,000 more
are watching the big machines as they
dash around the course.
The soldiers are having great
trouble keeping the great mass of peo-
pie off the track and reports have
been received that others have been
'injured.
To.day's race is the most severe
| test of machines and drivers in the
history of stock car racing in Amer.
! lea. Twelve cars-two Locomobiles
two Appersons, three Bucks, two
Stoddard-Daytons, two Knox and a
F. |. A. T.--are entered. The cars are
of 40 or As horsepower. The race is
at II laps-395.59 miles.
Matson In Great Victory.
Mstson piloted a Chalmers.Detrolt
BLUE Bird" to a brilliant victory over
Is rivals in the 233.mile contest. The
race was for light cars only and while
OF great Importance in itself, was
generally considered as preliminary to
the race of the big cars for the Cobe
| Cup, over the same course, to-day
and the uhannnn n
any save the most trivial injuries to
drivers were fortunate circumstances
attending the winning of the Indiana
trophy by Matson.
The field numbered 16 cars at the
start, the Ford and Renault having
withdrawn. The leading trio finished
as follows
chalners.Detroit( (Matson) .4:31:2t
loeomoblIe (Robertson).. .4:3e:o3
Marion (Monsen). ...... .4:42:o3..
The time of the other cars was not
taken as they were tagged of the
course after the first three had
finished
Crowd Cheers the Finish.
When 1t became apparent, as the
initial race in the two-days' contest
drew to finish, that the victory lay
between Matson, Robertson and Mon
sen, the affair increased in dramatic
Intensity, each of the leading candi.
dates was deserted on the hilltop to
the south where the oil-stained road
fringed by two gray streaks of light
er earth az the side seemed to meet
the horizon, the cheers of the specta.
tors began. They reached a climax
when the grim-visaged pilots and
swept by the grandstand.
The race, which was an hour late
in starting, owing to the belated ar
rival OF the auto-trucks for the
transportation of the militiamen to
their station around the course, was
finally got under way when Starter
Frank Wagner slapped Maisonville,
the Corbin driver on the back and the
machine shot across the line. The
remaining cars were dispatched at
minute intervals.
Strang In an Accident.
The second lap brought about the
downfall of Louis Strang, who was
admittedly the fayorite driver before
the race because OF his previous sue.
cesses in other parts OF the country.
He covered the first lap In fine shape
in 24:32 3-5, but half way round on
the second, he was put out of the con.
test by the sudden necessity for using
his brake. He had pursued a car for
several miles, and, thinking he was
about to have an opportunity to pass,
he turned loose with his best speed |
He had not room TO go by however,
and to avoid crashing into the car
ahead, he applied the brake so sud. |
denly that his transmission gear was
stripped from the rear axle.
Matson, who finished the first lap !
In an apparently hopeless position, I
steadily forged to the front. Matson
was forced to relinquish his lead for
a brief period at the end OF the |
fourth lap, when Knipper forged |
ahead by the scant margin of two |
seconds, with Poole a close third. |
From this time on Matson was never |
in danger, as he steadily increased his |
lead until at one time he was eight |
minutes ahead of the field Matson's |
teammates were unable to maintain
the tsrrsdc pace. Knipper dropped |
out OF the race at the end of the fifth |
lap, and Poole encountered many diff |
culties In his sixth round, which oc.
cupied so minutes.
stutz and Maohlnist Hurt.
Stutz. in Marion, made desper.
ate race and was we'll up when he |
blew out cylinder, just north of the |
grandDtand, during the eighth lap.
His car ran into the shallow ditch at
the side of the track, but he and his |
machinist escaped with few bruises. |
TaN NIaHL Gaaa 60 Dale.