Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-26
AUTO CONTESTS
BOOST INDUSTRY
RACES TEND TO DEVELOP
RELIABILITY
Tours Prove Expensive, but Are Re-
garded as Most Beneficial
Advertising Me-
diums

With the Automobiles of Los An
geles eagerly discussing the prospects
of further races and special matches,
such as the Santa Monica road race,
and the air rife with rumors of chal-
lenges the question has been brought
up as to the value of such contests.
While it Is admitted that it is a clean,
wholesome and exciting sport, the most
important feature that is brought to
light is that such contests are of great
benefit to the automobile industry.
Another great advantage is that
where such classic events are held
there also centers the attention of the
automobile world. And Southern Cali
fornia is rapidly attracting the atten-
ton of the motor world, and many
agree with Dick Ferris in his recent
statement that two such events of the
nature of the Santa Monica races could
easily be conducted in this section each
year
1t is a well known fact that the good
roads movement in Los Angeles has
received more notice through the me-
dunn of motor journals than from any
other source, and such advertising is
desirable by any enterprising city.
Races Encouraged
It is certainly hoped that the pro-
posed match between the Locomobile
that other matches and races will be
advocated. for Los Angeles proudly
bears the distinction of being the par
adse of automobilists."
A prominent autoist in speaking OF
the subject yesterday said
I'm the opinion of some people there
is nothing like a contest to try out a
car. Others regard contests as quite
useless, believing that blshed
makes, this is--do not need to be tried
out.
Some of the latter go further and
say that even If need existed to dem
onstrate the efficiency and reliability of
car, contests, as at present organized,
would shed no light on the subject.
1T will scarcely be denied that the
car of today has no need to be tried
ous Before it is placed on the market
1t is subjected to the severest possible
tests, and its makers know pretty well
what it is going to do when 1t finds its
way into the hands of the public AT
the same time, it is fact that contests
have frequently revealed shortcomings
or weak points in cars that are already
on the market and giving excellent sat
isfaction.
"This, however, is past history and
not likely to be repeated. so great has
been the Improvement in all the stand
ard makes.
another argument in favor of con-
tests is that they provide facilities for
trying out new models. 1t is not nee
essary to give this argument any very
serious attention. In the first place,
few makers would care to put an eX-
perimenta car in such a contest as the
A. A. A. tour, for example, and take the
risk of its doing all sorts of undeSir-
able things in the presence of business
rivals and a vast number of other peo-
Pile who are devoting their attention to
the contest.
1.-The risk quite overbalances the pos
sible gain. and for this reason the mat
ter may be dismissed without further
argument 1t may be added that most
makers prefer to do their trying out,
where new models are concerned, in
semi privacy, at least.
There remains the third argument
in favor of such contests. IT is a double
one, combining matters of business and
pleasure. The contention is that such
tour as that which started from De
troit en- route to Denver is publicity
stunt and pleasure jaunt.
1T is both, but a tour of this kind is
almost entirely a trade enterprise, and
the pleasure end of it, were it footed
up, would be found to be about the
costliest pleasure jaunt ON record. and
for this reason if for no other, it is
sheer folly to regard it as such.
THE real purpose of the tour is to
secure publicity. 1t Is good advertis-
ing-good for the automobile in gen
eral, and for the makers whose cars
participate in particular. OF course,
some cars go wrong and get setbacks,
more or less temporary, while others
come through with flying oolors, and
derive solid benefit as we'll as glory
from the performance
But it is as a trade jamboree that
such affairs as these are to be regarded.
The automobile is kept before the publ
lie, partly through the newspapers and
partly through the interest awakened
in sections traversed and the contest
is featured as the big event of the year.
1.-THE advertising thus obtained is we'll
worth the money that has to be ex-
pended, and while some makers who
do not participate receive portion of
the benefit, through the advertising the
automobile receives. the bulk of it goes
to those who actually take part in the
tour"