The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-01-05
AUTO RACES POPULAR
Many Cities Want High Speed
CarnivalS In 1909.
NEW ORLEANS PLANS MEET.


Crescent City Track Races to BE Fsa-
turs Of Mardi Gras Week In Fsbru-
ary-San Francisco, Seattle and At
Ianta Considering Races.
With the automobile racing calendar
of 1909 already showing such prospec
tive events as the contest for the
Grand Prize, Vanderbilt cup, Thomp-
son and BriarclifY trophies, there is no
cessation in the plans for other road
racing contests for the new year.
Some of the latest aspirants for such
honors are the cities OF San Francisco.
Atlanta, New Orleans, Seattle and Ha-
yana, Cuba.
None of the associations. except the
Crescent City Automobile club. which
are backing the projects for these cit
les has as yet completed anything like
definite plans. but the auto racing
germs have been carefully planted,
and incubation is proceeding rapidly.
Announcements Of meetings and ten
tative race plans are Forthcoming fire.
quently, and it is certain that there
will be more than one new event
added to the already accepted list OF
big contests for the next twelve
months.
The San Francisco Motor club is
carefully considering arrangements
for a road race near the Golden Gate
early next spring. and. according to
the present iedas Of the promoters, the
event is likely to develop into a $50
mile affair, which may be held on Me-
mortal day.
Atlanta, too, is in the field for an
auto race. but beyond the bare an
nouncement Of the fact there is moth
ing definite. Atlanta is ready and will
ing to assume responsibility for any
event that either of the two big auto
mobile associations may send that
way, with the added proyiso that in
case nothing eventuates a homemade
contest is not beyond the bounds of
possibility.
Seattle, Wash, is much in the same
fix. 1t is the desire Of the automobile
enthusiasts of the Queen City to hold
either a big road race or a series Of
track events during the Alaska Yukon
Pacific exposition, to be held during
the coming summer and fall. Every
other form Of athletic and aquatic con-
test Is carded for decision, and an
auto race has been discussed as q TT
ting climax to the sporting program.
In regard to the New Orleans situa-
ton, the Crescent City will stage a
series Of automobile races during the
Soh yrf11
be held during the month of February.
The first idea was to hold road race
of several hundred miles, but later the
promoters leaned toward series Of
track events.
The Mardi Gras motor car races,
under the auspices Of the New Or
leans Automobile club, are scheduled
for Feb 20, p and %. Three Ave
mile, two twenty -milc and a three
mile novelty are carded for the open
ing day Of the meet. At o'clock on
the first evening national twenty
four hour endurance grind will begin.
The program for the final day in
cludes two five-mile, one ten-mile and
| a fifty-mile event and another three
mile novelty race. Cups, medals and
other prizes will be awarded to the
winners.
Automobiling is ON a firm basis in
the Crescent City, and with the busi-
ness interests behind the races, as was
the case in Savannah, a successful out
come is predicted for the meet, which
takes place on the fair grounds. The
New Orleans Automobile club, which
is a member of the American Automo-
bile association. proposes to make the
meet an annual affair.
In addition to all these races, profess
SIGNALS will be given the opportunity
| on Saturday and Monday afternoons
to attempt to lower worlds track rec
ords. The course is a mile one with
banked turns and will be oiled and
scraped and otherwise put in racing
| trim in preparation for the meet. The
New Orleans Automobile club prom
| ,ises to keep the conditions up to the
high standard set by the Savannah
Automobile club when the Grand Prize
race was held there on Thanksgiving