The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-03
NO NEW RECORDS
ON THE AUTO TRACK
0IdfeId aud kersCher Give FIX
hibition Work
AMATEUR RACES EXCITING
Stubs and Rodenbeok Have Spill and
Damage to Machines Puts Them
Out of Several
Events.
ANAL EUR RACES EXCITING

! ABOUT lSuo people attended the automo-
I bic meet a Fairview yesterday, and
/ While no records were smashed the races
were apparently greatly enjoyed. The
condition of the track was not what it
should have been and what it is as a
rule. Considering its condition the time
made Is considered good. The meet was
a hurriedly gotten-up affair and everyone
4 got his moneys worth.
Barney Oldfeld was, of course, the star
attraction, with Ben Kerscher as racing
partner. 1t was generally understood that
i Oldfield could handle Kerscher with ease
f on the circular track as Kerschers Ice
horse power Darracq car is geared for
/ straightaway racing. Oldheld's 100 horse
power Benz is beautiful racing machine,
/ and it is easy to understand how he
+ smashed the records at Indianapolis
. with it.
i He raced two pretty fivemile heats with
/ kerscher Good time was made, but as
the event was more of an exhibition affair
( than. anything else Oldheld handled it as
such, finishing about yard ahead of
/ Kerscher.
In the one-mie dash against time Ker-
scher made It in So seconds. Oldfield made
1t in "a 10 and by request made an
other dash after the completion of the
other events, peeling the mile off In 81
fiat.
The track was hard and dusty. 1t had
not been thoroughly sprinlSled. and it was
not thought safe to attempt any faster
speed. the danger being too great.
The amateur events were good. No
records were made by the amateurs and
none was expected. The motorcycle races
We're also good, though married by an ae-
cident which put both Stubs and Roden-
beck, the fast men, out of most of the
events
Frank KATE, in a 80 horse power Odds
mobile, walked away with the amateur
events, but was showed greatly in one
race by a 30 horse power Buick, which
carried full equipment, including top and
wind shield, while Katzs car was
stripped. The 20 horse power White gas
oline car, driven by Schmidt, put up a
strong race against its more powerful OPP
ponents. These were the only three
makes represented.
Walter Gather, in Steve Smiths 30
horse power Buick, had one cylinder out
of whack, but gamely stuck TO the differ
ent events in which he was billed and
ran on three cylinders The loss of one
cylinder was too great, however, and he
failed to show. In the 10-mile event Katz
and Schmidt agreed to allow D. e. Ma
nasco's 90-horse power Buick with full
equipment to enter, Hugh Lee driving it.
The race was very pretty for five miles,
Lee sticking right in behind Katz Trou-
BILE put him out at that mile, however,
much to the disappointment of the crowd J
which had become greatly excited over
the race.
Frank Katz displayed skill in the man
ner in which he drove. Steady as a clock
he circled around the track, following the
same tracks almost He won the five
mile with, Schmidt second; prizes $50 and
s25. The 10-mile event for the same
amount was captured by him with
Gather, in the Buick, second. Time for
five miles, 6:15 10, and for 10. IL 5s.
Barney Oldfeld was scheduled to appear
in the latter race In his National touring
car fully equipped. The other drivers
however requested that Oldfield not COM
pete with them, which he acceded to In a
gentlemanly manner.
In the motorcycle events, Stubs won
the five-mile stock machine race In 5:39;
Gayle second, and Horton third. two
mile match race was run between Stubs
on a five-horse power Indian and Roden-
beck. a seven-horse power Reading
Standard, Rodenbeck winning in 200. This
race was very exciting.
There were six entries in the 1o-mile
handicap, Stubs and Rodenbecl starting
from scratch. On the second mile, how
ever, Rondenbeck fell on one of the turns
and in lodging him Stubbs tore I'D his
brake and otherwise damaged his ma
chine. Both men were out of this race
Gail Joyce on one-half-mile handicap,
won first Rich Horton, with same. was
second, and Mccain. with three quarters
of a mile, third.