Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-08-20
WORLDS AUTO
RECORD BROKEN
BY CHEVROLET
FRENCH SPEED DEMON MAKES TEN
MILES IN s:56 40 AT IN
DIANAPOLIS.
AT THE WHEEL OF A BUICK.
Smashes Barney Oldfelds Mark by Six
teen Seconds-Strang Fin
ishes Second
100000 SPEEDWAY IS OPENED.

INDIANAPOLIS, Motor Speedway.
ind, Aug. 19.-One American track rec
ord was smashed to flinders in the first
two races of the inaugural day of the
indianapolis motor speedway. The new
track more than carried out the prophecy
OF its promoters when Louis Chevrolet
a the wheel of Buick, won the ten-mile
race, the second event on the programme,
IN the phenomenal time of S:56 40,
breaking Barney Oldfeld's former mark
of 9:12
The great car tore around the track
faster than any machine ever did in
America. Breaking away to good start
The hrencn speed demon led all the way
around for the ten miles. Louis Strang
was second and Bob Burman finished
third. making clean sweep for the
speedy buick
The first race was q five-mile affair and
the Standardization finished first and
second. Schwitzer and Wright were the
victorious drivers. A Buick, driven by
De Witt, was forced back into third
place by the speedy work of the Stod-
dard-Dayton. The time, 5:13 40 (cor-
recD was comparatively slow as it was
not quite mile a minute.
Oldfeld Makes Record.
Another American track record was
smashed when Barney Oldheld drove his
high powered Benz a mile in the phe-
nomenal time of 43 10 This record
was made on the One-mile straightaway
starting at the far turn and finishing i'll
front of the grandstand. The possibili-
ties OF this wonderful speedway are only
beginning to be demonstrated, and it is
expected that more records will be brok-
en- than even the most optimistic enthu-
siast hoped for
The third race, a five-mile event.
proved to be the closest of the four pre-
iminary events. wild Bob Burman
won the race with his Buick i'll 4 :45 80,
but only after fierce struggle with
BourQue in u Knox. The infinitesmal
margin of nine-tenths of a second sepa-
rated the two driving daredevils at the
finish. Starting together ats one machine
they tore around the track with their
hubs almost touching for the entire five
miles
Finish Is Spectacular.
At the end of the first lap they tore
down the stretch. side by side, causing
the immense crowd to 60 wild with ex-
element. Just ase they passed the tape
Bourque, throwing his machine wide
open, took the lead. but the Buick soon
caught him and the two continued their
mad career to the finish. Chevrolet i'll
a Buick finished third two and two
ten-mile free-for-all handicap proved one
of the most popular events of the day
and twenty starters faced Wagner at
the tape.
Cliff LITERAL, Standardization
mechanician, who was injured in an ac
cident on the way to the speedway
Tuesday night died this morning Lit
teraIl was riding in big racing machine
He jumped out Of his car and was run
over by the one Immediately following.
Summary of Races.
The summary:
Event No. Five miles stripped chassis
161 to go cubic inch piston displacement:
stoddard- Dayt3n, SSehwltze G. P hrfti s TOO
Velie. (StickneyD, also started.
Ten miles stripped chassis, 231 to 300 Gu
bic inch piston displacement; ,
Buick. (ChevroeD, first; Buick, (Strong),
second; Buick, Burman, third. Time, =
$50. Marmon, (Stillman); Marmon, Oar
ronn), Marion, (Ste!ty); Marion, (Monsonl,
and Marion. Crinkler), also started.
Ten Mile Free-for-all Handicap-Marmon
(StiIlman). handicap, 1:25. first; Jackson
Nynch), handicap 1870, second; National
Ajtken R RandieaP 2 fn2PG l'Ts
Iisp, Lozier (HeinaJ, standardization mil
lcrl, Buick (BurmaD: Knox Dennison),
standardization (Wright, and Stearns
Ford, finished as named;
Five Miles. Stripped Chassis, 3O1 to 400
Cubic Inch Piston Displacement-Buick
(F5urman). first: KNOX CBourquel second
Buick (Chevrole0, third. Time, 4:45 80
Buick (Strang,. Stoddard Dayton (MilleD.
Jackson Lynch). Jackson ELLIS, and
STANDARDIZATION de HymeD finished as
named.
The big grandstand was comfortably
filed with a crowd of automobile ehthu-
siasts from all parts Of the country. All
day Wednesday and this morning the
out-of- town devotees Of racing poured in
until this city was filled almost to over
flowing.
Crowds Fill Speedway.
The crowds filed out to the speedway
early and the cheaper seats had q com
Portable quota present long before noon.
Hundreds of automobiles were massed
in the immense parking space just u lit
tie way from the finish line down the
home stretch. 1t was here the real con
tests were expected. as the mile straight
away offered many temptations for the
arduOus speed.
The track was alive with machines in
the early hours before the races opened.
but shortly before noon the course was
cleared by force composed of 100 local
police and 100 members from the local
militia companies. Then only the grim,
hlrsiness-ike looking racing cars were
allowed on the track.