Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-30
The Racers Are Off.


The Racers Are Off.
When the cars began to leave the
starting line on their long run about the
course the stands were not more than
one-quarter full
Matson, in the Massapequa race, was
the first to finish a lap. He was follow
ed by Brown in car, No. Al.
Leland Mitchell, in the Simplex No. 8,
ing passed Strang. In the Fiat, on the
back stretch. Mttchell's- time was IL
minutes 81 10 seconds, just a little bet
ter than a mile a minute.
Big and little cars were now tearing by
IN groups of four and five cars at a
time. Dust and gravel were flung into the
stands by the handful as the big ma
chimes swept along, sometimes three
abreast. a.. -ta-%
The cutting of the course from twenty
10 twelve miles and a fraction gave
added interest to the race. The cars were
constantly flying by at top speed and
there was scarcely an idle moment for
The machines rushed around so FREE
quently that the timers and scorers were
unable to keep up with the mile-a-min-
ute procession The timers became badly
mixed and gave out lap times that it was
discovered later were wrong and had to
be corrected. -
When the timers finally straightened
out the tansle Of figures it was found
that Knipper was ahead on the first lap
OF the Vanderbilt cup race. doing the
12.6< miles in H.36 Is. Mitchell was sec.
ond IN 1881 1-5. apd Grant third in 10. Is.
Mitchell's First Race Ended.
The first car to break down under the
terrific speed was Leland Mitchelrs No.
Simplex. The crank shaft on the car
broke as he was on his third lap.
The mishap occurred just east of the
grandstand- 1t was Mitchelrs first at
tempt at the auto road-race game He
felt -keenly his early elimination.
AT 10 O'Clock the atmosphere had
warmed up considerably Spectators were
beginning to show some real enthusiasm
In the races of the day.
The stands had filled TO a comfortable
extent but the crowd lacked both en-
exciting brushes. the cheers were few
and far between.
This was due in part to the moor timing
system, which left the thing in doubt as
Jusu "hat cars were leading in the
respective races. Impossible times were
announced. only TO be corrected again and
again, until the watchers became hone
!essIy confused and bundled down In their
ference @''' ecu ihuii-
me second car 10 be officially decla red
pun or the big race was Joe Seymour.s
lsotta, NO. IL The car was forced to
stop as the result of a broken r,tvot in
the steering knuckIe on the sixtb H. !"
This left thirteen cars. still ofscia,,v
On the course. Some had never na s..S
the stands. and no account of their no.
Sition could be secured -
No lap times were announced Sor tia
cars in the Wheatly Hills and Massa
pequa races. The spectators were in
Ignorance of the standing of the cars
as they sped by.
Sixth Lap in Vanderbilt Race.
Al the completion Of the sixth lap. a
distance of 1884 miles, of the race the
drivers were placed in the following
order:
First-Wishart in No. 16: time, ]
hour : minutes 23 ga seconds
Second-knipper. in No. :; time, I
hour minutes A. seconds.
Third --Lorin1er. in No. 8; time, / hour
minutes II 30 seconds
Fourth-Earding. in No s: time /
hour minutes as seconds
Fifth-Merz. in No. II. time, l hour
IL minutes 10 A. seconds
At this point in the contest the field
had been reduced TO eleven cars Hearne
who had been driving an excellent race
in the Fiat. No. 4. was Obliged TO quit
on the NTH lap with a broken valve. Toe
Dawson In the Marmon. No. H. dropped
OFT In the seventh round with a cooling
apparatus trouble.
Strang. in the Fiat. No. l, had his ra
diator SMASHED on the first lap by a hJs
loch, WHICH MS car picked up while frav-
cling at top speed He rolled up to tho
repair pits and spent some minutes in
making temporary repairs. lie finally
got away again. but WAS virtually out
Of the race because of the time lost by
tho ACCIDENT.
The race had proved a decidedly hard
one on the cars up TO this point. Louis
Chevrolet in the Buick. No. Is. who was
leading at the end OF the fourth lap.
broke a cylinder at Meadow brook Of his
fifth lap and was forced to retire.
Kpipper. Takes Lead.
AZ the end >of the seventh lap of the
Vanderbilt race Billy Knipper held the,
lead iD No q His time was one. hour