The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-08-20
TWOAREK|[LED
And TWO AUTO
RECORDSBROKEN
Driver BOurque and Mechani-
clan HOIcOmb Perish in a
$50 Mile Race
Series of MishapS and Casual
ties Mark Events on the New
indianapolis Speedway

lives were lost at the opening of the
new indianapolis motor speedway to-
day. William a Bourque, driver of
The Knox car in the $50 mile race, and
Harry H0lcomb. his mechanician, were
killed By crashing into a fence.
Two records were broken. Barney
oidheld driving a high power Benz,
covered a mile in :43 Ito. breaking De
palma's mark OF 81 and Louis Chevo-
let in a Buick, made 10 miles in
SO 40, cutting Oldfeld's time of
9.G2
Robert Burman. in a Buick. won the
25e mile race. the feature of the day.
ID was this contest that cost Bourque
and Holcomb their lives. The winners
time was 4:63:57 4-10-slow because of
the many accidents that marred the
race. The StOddard- Da yton (Clements)
was second in 4:46;0l $40. and the
National CMerz) finished third in
s.52:39 7-10. Another National was
the only other car of 10 starters to
finish
MUST IMPROVE TRACK
The death Of the two men caused
the American automobile association
TO inform the owners of the track that
certain changes must be made by to-
morrow. or sanction for the remaining
events would be withdrawn.
The association demands that the
track he freed from its many danger
Gus ruts and that every inch of ii be
thoroughly oiled and tarred. Today
only q short portion in front of the
grandstand was oiled. and the dust on
the other parts is blamed for the col
lapse of the drivers in the long race
Louis Chevrolet and Fred ElIis-who
were blinded by the dense white mist
that covered the major portion of the
track.
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 suddenly swerved
and tore into the fence at the left of the
track, turning completely over and
pinning its two occupants beneath it.
Both men were a Are when taken from
under the wreck. but Bourque died in
the ambulance on the way to the emer-
gency hospital. Holcomb died a few
minutes after he arrived at the hospi-
tai.
STEERING WHEEL SLIPS
According TO the story told by Priv
waite Frank Brsnder of the Indiana
national guard. who was nearest the
accident something caused both men
suddenly to turn and look behind. AS
they did SO the steering wheel slipped
from Bourque's hand. Then came the
accident.
BourqUe was IS years old and lived
al Springfield. Mass.
Holcomb was % years old and lived
al Granville. Mass.
Albert Dennison, racing partner Of
Bourque. collapsed after the accident.
The sight Of the men lying dead was
TOO much for the friend of both, who
lad been called upon so often TO face
deal In in the same manner.
BLINDED BY DUST
Louis Chevrolet, the French member
OF the Buick team. was led into the
hospital-aimost blinded with the tar
and dust from the track-shortly after
the two men had died. The French
man. who had been leading during the
early part Of the long race, was forced
10 give up. He gazed upon the bodies
Of his two former rivals, then, over
come by emotion. staggered to a chair
As a result Of the two deaths the Knox
company has Withdrawn all its entries
for the next two days and 1t is said 1t
proba bly, viii never again enter its
cars in a race.
The following cars started In the z9O
mile contest: Knox (Bourque). Ma
tional (Kincaid), National (Morse),
Stoddard- Dayton tMiller), Buick 6Bur-
mani. Buick CStrang), Buick eChev-
roleD. Jackson (Euis) and Stoddard-
Dayton (Clements)-
Strsng was the first to come TO grief.
as his car caught fire before ne had
completed one lap. He was delaye ed
some time by this and the officials at
s,St refused 70 allow him to continue,
as he and his mechanician had been
aided by the track volunteer fire COM
pany in extinguishing the blaze.
CHEVROLET TAKES LEAD
chevrolet dashed into the lead at the
start and held il for 50 laps, or more
than half the race, with the brief eA-
ception of the fifteenth and sixteenth
laps. when he relinquished IL TO ms
.teammate. Burman, the winner when
. he was blinded by dust he was led from
TIE track and his car withdrawn.
After ChevroleCs withdrawal. Bur-
man again went into the lead with
Fsouroue second and Kincaid, in q Ma
tional. third This order continued I'M
III the fatal accident to the Knox. Kin
'.-afd then moved into second place and
Elns. in a Jackson. doomed as a con-
tender ia third place.
Burman led until the eighty second
lap. or until about 205 miles had been
. covered. Continual trouble with the
tires and ignition caused him 10 lose
ibis commanding lead and drop back to
second, while Ellis, who had passed
.Kincaid some distance back, took the
lead. with Burman second and Clements,
in a Stodda I'd Dayton, third.
STRING OF NIsHAPs
Then the Jackson began to encounter
its string OF mishaps that finally put
r out Of the race. A. J. House. the
mechanician. was taken i'll and forced
10 leave the car.
With the Jackson out of commission,
Burman was able TO regain his lead,
with Clements second and Kincaid
third. This order continued until the
finish.
IL was in the second event-a 10 mile
race for stripped chassis-that the first
record was broken. Chevrolet won
easily, and apparently had little diff
Guilty in cutting Oldfield's record from
9.l2 3-5 TO S.56 40. This race was
4 clean sweep for the Bucks, as Strang
finished second and Burman third
Event No. Five miles, stripped chassis l6l
fo 23O cubic inches piston displacement-Sfod
siard-)aFfon (Sciadtzerl. first: Sfoddsrd- Day ton
wright second: Buick Dewitt. third. Time
BIB % Nelie fStckuer) also started
Ten miles, stripped chassis. 23I to 800 cubic
inches piston splacement-Buck Chevrolet.
won: Buick (Sfrangb. second; Buick Burman)
third Time. $50 % Marmon fSfillmanl
Msrrnon (Barronnl. Marion tSteiIy) Marion
fMonsonl and Marion (Tinklerl also started.
This Is = new American track record break.
ing the former mark Of 2:i2 held by Barney
Oldfcld.
Fire niles stripped chassis. sol to $50 cubic
Esfffl