The Washington times., 1909-08-29
AEROPLANING SAFE
COMPARED TO This
Great Driver Predicts Speed
of Three Hundred Miles
an Hour.

out the flames. An official immediate
protesteI that the crew had had outside
help. Strang leaped about and waved
his arms. shouting distractedly. II was
determined after a little that he should
be permitted to go on. and the question
should be settled later. With a shout
he sprang behind his wheel and soon
had the exhaust splitting again and
his long red can pennant whipping 81
the wind But he was now hopeIessly
out Of the race.
one OF the best drivers IN Americs
by the entirely adequate judgment Of
his competitors. Is Herbert Lyle. In
the Apperson lack Rabbit'-ft takes
its name from the fact that IN a hill
climbing contest It once Jumped com
pieteiy over another car-he started
fourth in the 900-miIe race which ended
the meet. He had gone about rs miles
slipping into last place and then for
ward again. when Just bevond the
stand the little arm that connects The
s~teering-gear with the right wheel broke
on The car swerved immediately and
at a rate Of seventy miles an hour g.
up the side of the track toward a snsu
stand filled with manufacturers an5
their guests.
behlnd him came another car Lvtle
knew he must dodge that. Ana ha5,n5
II came still another. Lytle cslcuIsteT
that II could dodge him. So he c7of1,
aiowed his machine to make dirac41,.
az this smaller stand. When n 49,
cleared the oncoming car. he nrssss4
with all his might on the left mo-
70 defect his car clear of the obst-pc-
IONS at the right. The turn was lone
out quick Lytle was Just able 10 -les
the stand Then he coasted slov1v int
the ditch al the side and stepped orr
unhurt
Not ten men in the whole world
could have got out OF that fix. SAID
the manager of the Jackson team n
me- Which is high enough praise from
a rival.
One Illustration more of the car a.
a factor. no matter how careful the
driver, and this an Illustration Of !
danger far more threatening and pro-
duetive than fire from the exhaust or
broken steering apparatus. It led 10
the greatest number of deaths in tho
course Of the meet as il threatens To-
do in every such contest. II was the
explosion OF a right front tire on tho
National car. driven by Charley Merz.
Trouble With Tires
The Drivers Bugaboo.
Every driver in every automobile race
IN the history OF machine driven cars
carries with him the fear Of tire trouble
AIerz had his fun share Of apprehension.
But the pace la this last race was ter
rife. Cld6eld and Strang had been
breaking records on the two earlier
days. Aitken had come forward TO
/ snatch away Strang's credit. And the
whole field Of nineteen drivers knew
that 10 win they must not only crowd
the last inch Of power in their cars, hut
save every second Of time in passing
other cars It is altogether probable
that every one Of them was ready TO
risk as much as might be on his tires.
Aiken. also, driving a National. had
set a new record for loo miles. The
S1e,U00 trophy seemed well within his
reach when a cylinder cracked and he
and Kellum. his m-echanician. were fore
ed 10 retire. a ONE later Merz came
along. He had . chance. But he too
had trouble. His storage battery had
gone dead" Lyme, Merz's mechanic
ian, ran across the field for a new bat
terry. II was a long chase. As he ar
rived at the pit he fell on his face.
completely exhausted. There was need
for 2 new man. KelIum cheerfuIly pick
ed up the new battery M started for
MeTz's car
Jumps Into Race
With Renewed Spirit
The driver jumped into the race with
all spirit. He began 10 recover the lost
ground. He had cleared the 2oG-mile
mark and was nearing the bleachers
when the Nemesis Of automobile r1clng
overlook him His right front tire
burst. a few feet ahead the track
CONTINUED on Fifth Page.4