Los Angeles herald., 1909-08-01
INDIANAPOLIS HAS THE
RACING FEVER IN ITS
MOST VIRULENT FORM

The stranger who visits Indianapolis
may well imagine that the city Is
wrapped in the throes of speed mania.
The Speedway is developing a class of
fans that do not exist in any other
place on the American continent.
Now that the racing drivers are
gathering and entering the events at
the various courses, the public is be-
coming posted on racing and stock
cars and becoming the most critical
observer.
Monster automobiles in racing trim
chug through the main thoroughfares
throttled down to low speed and throb-
bing with suppressed speed held in re-
serve. Even the small boys are fa-
niliar with the most noted drivers:
Pittsburg has her Wagner Clark and
| Leach; Cleveland. La Joie and Clark:
Detroit, Ty Cobb, Ownie Bush and
| other famous Tigers; Chicago, Frank
Chance, King and other stars of the
diamond.
But these do not compare with the
stars of the racing teams, as they are
much more easily distinguished than
the other celebrities.
Herb Lytle in his Red Apperson
Jackrabbit is readily known by the
small boy at a glance, while the public
is always familiar with his car and
achievements That streak of red
white and blue which moves along
with a muffed roar, Voleying through
the iron-throated eXhausts, the driver
clad in a blue coat and with goggles
pushed high. chewing a cigar, is
Barney Oldfeld. He is a familiar fig
ure, and known everywhere in the
city, followed by the small boy and
envied by the crowd.
The tall, lean, unconcerned driver IN
the great low Green machine snorting
through its six cylinders is Johnny
A tn
racer Other drivers there are and
well known. AS soon as one of them
reaches the city. articles appear in the
daily press with photos so that the
public is informed at once of the
latest doings in the automobile world,
while the first appearance of car on
the city streets causes that instant
recognition that goes to the celebrity
that the public idolizes
And what of these men, these pilots
of monster racing cars that must
travel at excessive speed, these men
that court death at every turn OF track
and road? They are the pick of the
nerviest men in the world.
Gladiators in the arena possessed no
greater nerve than they, and now and
then their number is decimated by ac-
cident which cripples and mains them
Is their mission one of speed only, or
back of all this preparation and haz-
ard what more is to be achieved? The
manufacturer realizes that to perfect
his product he must learn all its weak
parts.
Driving on the public streets does
not teach him what they are. Excessive
speed for hours will cause an en-
gine that would perform under ordi-
nary conditions to almost burn up, and
this is what he desires to know
Hence he looks for these deep Visaged
warriors. who have the nerve to let
the car out just a little faster than
anyone else, men who love to combat
against time and each other; men who
glory in the speed, speed, and still
more speed.
with muscles drawn and tense;
clutching the wheel that the smallest
variation means hurting them into
eternity, guiding these snorting mon
sters through the long hours of a race
careening, lurching and sWaying from
side to side of the course, watching
contestants, score boards that whtrl by
in mad jumbled confusion, signals and
signs that advise them of their posi-
ton in the contest. Risking all and
willing TO risk more if necessary, to
carry glory to the name of the car
that they represent. Watch those
stern faced drivers, covered with dust
from the course, as even dustless
course will scar their faces causing
the great deep lines to show with
determined deathlike stare. Hour
after hour whirls by, and they stick
to their post, smiling in grim deter
mination or i'm despair as they lose an
advantage through accident or delay,
as the slightest mishap means that
they are losing time which must be
made up, and this means additional
hazard which they are all too willing
to rick.
AS they stop at the pits to replenish
fuel and tires they look the picture
of weary exhaustion, though the skill
with which they perform their tasks
bellies this theory and then again back
in the race, flying, lurching and car
eening, on they go in their mad fight.
Well may it seem that the inhabitants
of the city which is becoming famous
for speed are looked upon by the
stranger as speed mad.