Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-14
GETTING READY
FOR 1910 SEASON
STOCkCONTESTS
MANUFACTURERS CONTEST
ASSOCIATION AT WORK
WILL MAKE PUBLIC NEXT YEARS
REGULATIONS AS TO SALES
Racing Upon Mile and Half Mile Horse
Tracks Is Not to Be Placed
Under Ban, but Will
Be Regulated

Constructors of automobiles, as well
as the thousands of others interested,
will be enlightened in a few weeks re-
garding the rules to govern stock car
contests of 1910. Not only this, but they
will have a first class line on the big
events that are to be promoted in the
twelve months beginning at New
Years. In other words, the general
scheme of standardizing automobile
contests, with which idea the Manufac-
turers' Contest association was incor-
ported few months ago, will begin
shortly to work out as originally in
tended.
The new body has worked since its
inception this year under a handicap N
that many important events had been
projected early under the then existing
rules, and further in that manufac-
turers had been afforded no oppor-
tunity to build stock cars up to the
class limits of piston displacement, for
the reason that these limits were not
known when the 1909 models were de-
cided up. This latter feature rather
nullifed the general scheme, as some
cars barely over the limit for one class
were compelled to compete against
OLhNIo mat NCAC bhAiA dP ~ NhV AAAiAAh
of the next largest class
Manufacturers who intend TO go into
a campaign of contests in 1910 will have
no uncertainty to contend with By
New Years they will know absolutely
what the fixed limits will be in the
various classes and will then be in a
position to go ahead and construct as
neor to those limits as they care to. 1t
is not improbable, therefore, that in
the piston displacement races of next
year will be found a large number of
cars practically alike as to power, and
depending for superiority simply on ad-
vanced construction and design.
There will not be, it can be safely
predicted, any particular changes in the
rules for 1910 from those of the current
year. Some manufacturers anticipate
drastic alterations, but this is not the
idea of the NJ. c. A. rules committee.
The members of this committee, of
which Howard +. Coffin is the chair
man, have worked on the forthcoming
rules with the idea of making changes
only where they would appear to be
desirable, based on the experience
gained in the last six months. The reg
ulations in force since last summer
have proved generally satisfactory, not
only to the manufacturers. but to the
public, which has generously supported
contests of all kinds.
1t may be taken for granted that the
piston displacement and price classid-
cations that have been in force will be
retained. All efforts to work out i'm
provements in either direction have
brought the rules committee back 70
the classes as they stand, which are
generally favored by the men most in
terested.
A section Of the makers of automo-
biles has advocated a class for cars
with greater piston displacement than
is at present allowed. In this years
list the extreme is 600 inches. The sug
gested class is from 500 to $50 inchos.
This would bring in practically all the
very large motors. 1t Is not a certainty
that the big class will be adopted, but
consideration of the suggestion is
likely.
Another desired change by a few of
the manufacturers is for elimination Of
the weight limit, which now runs from
2400 down to 1900 pounds for the five
regular classes. These weights are be-
lieved to be as low as is consistent with
the safety that should be assured TO
purchaser of a stock car. There are
some constructors however, VINO not
only hold that less weight Is feasible
but who are actually selling cars that
come under the minimum weight for
their piston displacement.
As regards the definition Of a stock