Los Angeles herald., 1909-07-10
Racing Cars Tuned to
Fever Heat
ROAD CONDITIONS REPORTED
AS PERFECT
START TO BE MADE PROMPTLY
AT 8 O'CLOCK
Automobile Dealers Associate Ha
Taken Precautions That Shu ID
Make Contest One of Grea
est in Auto History
WV ITH every one of the racing cara
w perfected as far as is iu the

WITH every one of the racing cara
w perfected as far as is ia the
w power of human mechanical 3
and every driver nerved to the fact
that he must bring his car across
the finish line a winner the ulto-
mobile public of Southern Calitor-
mia and the country in general Wait
the results of todays classic race on
the Santa Monica road race course for
the Dick Ferris cup, one of the 5nest
trophies ever raced for in automobile
history.
Road conditions are perfect, ard the
ears have had their final inspection and
been pronounced fit to uphold the name
of the concern which each represents
Final details have been arranged by
the Southern California Automobile
Dealers association, and todays races
promise to go down in automobile his
tory not alone as the biggest eNents of
the kind ever attempted on the Pacific
coast, but to place this coast on an
equal rating with the great road races
of the world.
Drivers Are Ready
The drivers, keyed to a high pitch Of
excitement, are eagerly awaiting the
pistol shot which at o'clock this
morning will send fifteen of the fastest
stock cars in America on their 261-
mile space eating contest.
A few hours later, at approximately
1890 o'clock, nine lighter cars, pos
sessed with nearly equal speed viii
battle over the same course, and this
contest promises to be equally a. e&-
citing as the big event of the day
The racers, from an educational
standpoint of view will mean the test
ing of speed and endurance of cars
which the Uognnfgpt1rarG coll fE
public, and it this feature that is al
tracing the automobile sport loving
public.
The event will settle, doubtless as
far as Southern California persons are
concerned, the fate of the specially
prepared racing car. If the -entrieA
maintain the speed and endurance that
are expected. 1t will mean the death
knell of the cars that have been con-
structed for the main purpose Of ao-
complishing speed regardless of me-
chanical and pleasure purposes.
$4,000 Spectators Expected
The plan of the Automobile Dealers
association is one that should be en-
couraged and the success of todays
events will determine whether OF not
such races will become an annual
feature in the western automobile
world.
1t is estimated that 75 600 persons VIII
crowd the grand stands, packing park
and enclosure to witness the great Pa
cifc coast classic races. Many of these
will attend simply for the excitement
that is sure to be afforded, but a ma
jority will go with the fixed purpose
of witnessing the gigantic strides thar
have been made in the automobile in
dustry.
The speed that has been attained in
the practice runs is sufficient to predict
that today's races will produce time as
fast as has ever been made in other
great races of a similar nature.
The automobile followers of South
ern California have within the last few
days awakened to the realization that
the Automobile Dealers association
has planned a treat as great as ever
has been offered, and the fact that
this association has never failed to
make a success of any undertaking it
has attempted warrants the belief that
today's events will be properly carried
out.
Honors for Drivers
Although the great result of the races
will be in the merits of the winning
cars, in no small measure praise will
be extended to the drivers who pilot
their cars among the first three to
cross the finish line.
According to the rules governing the
race, driver to participate in today's
events must have lived in California
one year prior to July 10, 1903. BY
this rule many Of the crack eastern
drivers who are on the Pacific coast
for the purpose of demonstrating auto
mobiles will not be allowed in the
race.
While this rule is regarded with dis
favor by many, it is not thought that
it will in any way detract from the
speed of the racers.
In this respect the average speed of
the race will determine whether or not
the eastern drivers are the fastest Ter
the auto fiends will get out their oope
sheets of previous road races and coln
pare the time made in the classie
events with that recorded In today
race.
The heavy car race, which starts at
8 O'Clock, has elected the greater n
terest, and every one of the fifteen
drivers will risk death to gain the first
leg in the beautiful permanent trophy
that has been offered by Dick Ferris.
1t is expected that within three and
one-half hours of the start the winner
of the big race will be known.
Light Cars Later
Forty-fve minutes later the light
cars will go over the same course, and
almost as much interest centers in
this event. and it is thought that not
more than fifteen minutes difference
in time will be recorded in the total
time of the two races.
The cars were not allowed to practice
on the course yesterday, as several
crews, under the direction of engineers,
were busy wetting and rolling the
course, so that it will be in excellent
condition this morning.
On Nevada avenue is level straight
away about three miles long, and some
of the fastest bursts Of speed are ex-
pected on this stretch. although the
road along the Palisades has been a
favorite place of throwing on the high
power by the drivers in practice. The
slight down grade along the Palisades
affords an excellent chance for speed
ing, but from the spectators point OF