Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-05
FATE OF CODE AUTO RACE
Question Agitstes Minds Of Motor
Racing Enthusiasts.
WESTERN VANDERBILT NOT SURE
Latest News l. that Speedway viii
BE Bunt Near Chicago. which
would Mean some Lively
for Plan.

Biddin for PIum.
What viii become Of the Cobe cup auto
mobile race? Tins question has been agi-
tating the minds Of motor racing enthusi-
ssts since the time when the grand stands
fronting the J-oweIl-Crown Point QndD
raceway. where the event was staged last
June. were torn down. The future Of the
so-calsd Western Vanderbilt BE- indeed
unRed with uncertainty. Whether or not
the race viii be held-and Il SO. whereg-
is the situation For weeks past there
have come weird tales out OF the west
The Cobe cup was 10 be staged at the In
6ianapolis motor5ome. st a Wisconsin
course. al Grand Rapids, and where not
However. nothing definite has been done.
The very latest in Cobe cup visions is
that a speedway viii be built near Chicago
and that the western road classic will be
held as a track event Moreover, there be-
talk Of building q second speedway near
Chicago. In that event there would be q
lively bidding duel Tor Chicago's motoring
plum. II is planned 10 construct one Of the
f~peedways south Of Chicago and the other
on the line Of the Northwestern road 1t
looks as though IL win be q race betW cen
the promoters 70 see which can put the
project in working order first 1t does not
seem probable that the middle west me
tropolis could support two motordromes.
It ls reported that the Chicago Automobile
club is considering the project very seri-
ously. However, in the event Of the
speedway proposition not materialiEing,
there is the Elgin offer A fraternal lodge
at Elgin is making a strong bid for a 1910
revival Of the Cobe cup. and it may be
that the Chicago organization will look
upon the latter project in a favorable
hight.
Opposed 20 Track.
Judging from the opinions Of several Of
fcers Of the Chicago Automobile club, that
body IS not inclined toward having the
Cobe cup staged on a track They point
out that the read event was a success from
every standpoint last summer. except a
financial one. While the speedway scheme
would overcome this defect, It would rob
The race Of its Identity road event 1t is
common gossip in motor circles that the
1903 CODE CUP was one Of the best polced
road events Of the year. When Ira CODE,
president Of the Chicago Automobile club,
donated the cup bearing his name he in
tended II as a trophy for a big road con-
] lest 10 Gl4IEE llt 4a@N " A0 N
would be to ehange the spirit Of the be-
quest Viewed from any conceivable angie
it is hard to Imagine how the Chieag
Automobile club viii countenance the ll
CODE cup contest as a speedway event
Then there is another proposition that
may mate-tslize. Fort Wayne AUTOMOBILE
promoters have entered the list The
Indiana motorists offer roadways west Of
their city where il is said fast driving IL
possible with safety TO pilots and spec
tators. The course is eighteen miles with
two right-angle turns and several sharp
bends. However. several drivers have de-
cIared that an average speed Of over sixty
miles an hour could be maintained. The
country Is level and the roads are smooth
and level, with DO railroad crossings
CObe Pleased with Interest.
President Cobe the donor Of the cup, Is
pleased with the interest manifested by
the bidders. Speaking Of the situation re-
Gently q leading member Of the Chicago
cub said:
If this bidding and exploitation for the
western stock chassis CLASSIC for President
Ira N. Cobe's biF cup continues we may
get such advantageous conditions that
even The Vanderbilt cap event as II re
4 Gently was run win be ovsrshadowed.
S Ct stands. the promoters Of the
Indianapolis speedway are eager to add the
Cobe event 10 their program. Wisconsin
motor enthusiasts have found q highway
course admirably suited for road racing
purposes ard would like 70 have the Cobe
trophy decided there next season.
AN embryo speedway proposition here
en- Chicago has behind Fl some men Of
capital who have high hopes and ambi-
lions and q desire 10 dedicate the proposed
new track with lhe running Of the CODE
race Tx more aggressive men Of The
Chicago Automobile club Hre seriously
considering the proposition Of the club to
have its own big, permanent speedway,
on which the CObe cassie would be 81
annual feature, and the Crown Point
motorists who have the old Crown Point
Lowell roadway QuRrrangulsr course al
their disposal. the one on which the C0be
trophy was first run. are stil in the field
for the Western Vanderbilt
"No one knows what the decision win
be; but il is likely that the trophy VII
have its deed Of gift changed 10 permit Of
its decision on a racing speedway In a
few years. Next year. however, II looks
A