Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1909-08-25
killed IN AUTO RACE.
eAuRouE, KNOX DRIVER, AND
HoLcoMe, MEcHANicIAN,
CRUSHED UNDER CAR.
CAUSE WAS NOT AsCERTAINED
oldffeld and Chevrolet Break I and "a
Miles Records Several ORA
matte Episodes Mar Open
ing Of the Auto Races.

1ndlanapOlis.-Tw lives were lost
and two records broken during the
inauguration of the Indianapolis mo-
tor speedway. William A. Bourque.
driver OF the Knox car in the ESQ mile
race, and Harry Holcomb, his me-
chanician. were killed in the frinzied
cernival of speed.
Barney Oldfield, driving a high pow.
cred Benz. covered a mile in 49, sec.
onds. breaking De Palma's mark of 81
seconds, and Louis Chevrolet, in a
Buick, negotiated ten miles in the
marvellous time of 1855 40, cutting
Oldfield's time Of 9:12. Both of these
are new American track marks.
Robert Burnman, in a Buick, won
the ESQ mile race, the feature of the
day, and the contest that cost Bour.
que and Holcomb their lives. The
winners time was 4:33:57 4.10-slow
because of the many accidents that
marred the race. The Stoddard-Day.
ton (Clements) was second in 4:46:O1
$40 and the National (Merz) finish.
ed third in 4:52:39 10. Another Ma.
tional with Kincaid at the wheel was
the only other car of ten starters to
finish the long grind.
The death of the two men caused
the American Automobile Association
to issue an ultimatum to the owners
OF the big track that certain changes
must be made or the sanction for the
event will be withdrawn. The Ameri.
can Automobile association demands
that the track be freed from the many
and dangerous ruts, which are said to
be unavoidable in a new track, and
that every inch of it be thoroughly
oiled and tarred.
Only short portion in front OF
the grand stand was oiled and the
dust on the other parts is blamed for
the collapse of two drivers in the
long race-Louis Chevrolet and Fred
Ellis-who were blinded by the dense
white mist that covered the major
portion of the track.
Two records. were broken and the
first day of the immense track proved
fair to be an unqualified success, when
pail was cast over the crowd of
100000 speed-mad spectators by the
sudden death Of Bourque and Hol.
comb.
The Knox car was in second place,
with Burman, in his Buick, leading
and had covered nearly $50 miles
when the crash came. While coming
down the home stretch, the car sud.
denly swerved and tore into the fence
at the left of the track, turning com
pletely over and pinning it's two oc-
cupants beneath It. Both men were
alive when taken from under the i'll.
fated machine, but Bourque died in
the ambulance on the way to the
emergency hospital. Holcomb lived
a few minutes longer, but was dead
soon after he arrived at he hospital.
Stories as to the cause of the &C.
cident vary and no one will ever
know what really caused the car OF
death to swerve from the track. Ac.
cording to the story told by Private
Frank Brandoor, Company H, Second
regiment, Indiana National Guard,
who was nearest to the scene of the
accident and had narrow escape
from injury, something caused both
men to suddenly turn and look be.
hind. AS they did so, the steering
wheel slipped from Bourque's hands,
and he threw his arms helplessly in
the air. Then came the crash.
One of the rear wheels was found
few hundred feet from the scene of
the accident and this has led to the
advancement of the theory that the
axle nuts on it had not been properly
frightened when the machine had tax.
en- on new tire shortly before. The
men probably felt the wheel slipping
off and after they looked behind they
realized their helplessness to prevent
an accident