Omaha daily bee., 1909-06-19

Laps Iime Pos; Laps, Time. Pos.
5.:":.' SS 80 s. s ss:Ss !
9.....".". @;l s.""".." 1921 /
: :::".:::: ss:Ss g. S .:::::::: IS ss: 81 i
Total time: 4:31:21.
One lap. 1927 miles. Total distance,
232.7A miles.
Burman in a Buick led at the end OF
the first lap, covering the distance in
23:41, the fastest lap OF the race. Bur-
man also led at the end Of the second
lap In 49:46.
Knipper in a Chalmers-Detroi led at
the end of the fourth lap in 1:46:27-two
seconds faster than Matson's time,
=. start of the Race.
The race, which was an hour late in
starting owing to the belated arrival Of
the automobile trucks for the transporta-
ton of the militiamen to their stations,
got finally under way when the starter,
Frank Wagner, slapped jacksonville, the
Corbin driver, on the back, and the ma
chine shot across the line. The remain
ing cars were dispatched at minute in
tervals. .
Burman, driving a Buick, was the only
hero. He covered the first lap in 23:41,
the fastest time for one circuit regis
tered during the entire race. His excel
lent work continued on the second round,
as he led the field past the grandstand
in 49:45. His triumph was short-lived,
however, as he met with difficulties on
the third lap, but completed in good time.
He was put out of the running on the
fourth lap by the loss of a valve. After
making futile efforts to repair the dam
aged part he finally voluntarily disquali-
fled himself by borrowing a valve and
coming in to the grandstand, where he
left the course.
In the meantime, Matson, who finished
the first lap in an apparently hopeless
position, was steadily forging to the
front. At the end of the second round
he had advanced to fifth place in point
Of elapsed time. He registered his best
time on the third lap, covering the dis
lance in 25:43, and this time the squirt
placed him in first position. He was
closely pressed by his Chalmers1Detroit
teammates, Knipper and Poole. fHarslly
a minute separated the three cars.
Loses Lead Temporarily.
Matson was forced to ,%rellnquish his lead
for a brief period at the end of the fourth
lap, when Knipper forged ahead by the
scant margin of two seconds with Poole a
close third. From this time on Matson
was never in danger, as he steadily in
creased his lead until at one time he was
eight minutes ahead of the field. His car
ran with precision and he was able to
continue on the track without stopping,
until the end of the eighth lap, when he
halted at the repair pit to replenish his
supply of water, oil and gasolene. The
excellent work Of Frank Vaughan, his
mechanician at this stage, reduced the
loss of time to a trifle more than half
a minute.
Matson's teammates were unable to main
tain the terrific pace. Knipper dropped out
Of the race at the end Of the fifth lap and
Poole encountered many difficulties in his
sixth round, which occupied fifty minutes.
He continued on the track but was hope
lessly in the ruck after the fifth lap.
The halfway mark Of the race saw the
STANDARDIZATION driven by Wright and
Corbin, guided by jacksonville, far in the
rear. The two cars continued until the
finish. but they were at all times two or
three laps behind the leaders. Stutz, In a
Marion, made a desperate race and was
well UP when he blew out a cylinder, just
north OF the erandstand during the eighth
lap. His car ran into the shallow ditch
at the side Of the track, but he and his
machinist escaped with a few bruises. He
had little chance to win even had there
been no accident, as he was about half an
hour behind the leader.
Wells in a Moon and Wiseman at the
steering post of a STANDARDIZATION
struggled earnestly along. but were not
able to secure a commanding position, al
though they fingered on the course to the
finish.
Last Lap of Race.
The interest in the last lap centered In
the race for second place between Robert
son in his Locomobile and Monsen at the
wheel of a Marion. Interest was aug
mented by the danger, never absent in
an automobile contest, OF the breaking of
the machinery. which would have put Mat
son out OF his well-earned place and have
given first honors to either Robertson or
Monsen. Robertson drove with experienced
GOODNESS. and was never better than fifth,
but after the halfway mark was reached
he moved up to third position and he
snatched second place from Monsen in a
terrific battle on the last lap. Robertson
stopped only once at the repair pit, and
his lightning work and that OF his mech
anlcian in refiliing his tanks brought a
round OF applause.
The men in the various pits worked
swiftly and, as a rule, with the brietest
possible delay. although in one or two
instances il-advised haste led to the pro-
miscuous splitting OF oil or the dropping
OF a can from a racer and a %stoppage
until II could be r~ecaptured. These met
dents served to amuse the crowd and com
pensate it IN a measure for the long de-
lay at the start.
TOdsy's Race Event.
Tomorrow's race will, II Is said. be the
most severe test of machines and drivers
in the history OF stock-car racing In Amer
lea. Twelve cars-two LOcomobiles, two
Appersons, three Bucks, two ~Stoddard-
Daytons, two Knox and a Fiat are en-
tered. Cars are OF 40 or As horsepower,
The race is ct seventeen laps-S95.S miles
or nearly 100 miles longer than the Van
derbiit cup course on Long Island.