The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-21
MRS. CUNEO MAKES NEW
 RECORD IN HER RACING
Bankers Wife Drives Her Car as Fast as Her Opponents In the Contest and Creates a Housing
 Sensation.
By HOMER GEORGE.


 New Orleans, February 20.-(Special.)- The first days racing of the Mardi Gras automobile speed carnival proved to be the most sensational contest of the kind ever pulled off. The wonderful speed of Ralph DePalma when he broke the worlds record for ten miles, driving from scratch in the handicap, covering the distance in 9.11 2-5 from a standing start proved the Fiat Cyclone to be the fast est car on wheels in the world.
 But the real sensation was Mrs. loan Newton Cuneo, the bankers wife from New York, who drove the Knox Giant Vanderbilt cup racer. Mrs. Cuneo broke all previous records for women drivers and repeatedly drove miles faster than a minute in her exhibitions and in the 5O-mile free-for-all worlds championship. In the latter race DePalma, Strang, Rob- ertson and Mrs. Cuneo fought desperate speed battles on the turns and in the straights and for 40 miles the four were never a hundred yards apart. In the fortieth mile, Strang's carburetter became clogged with piece of waste and he was out, while Robertson blew tire on an
  Mrs. Cuneo and DePalma fought it out, the latter winning by hundred yards. In this event the worlds record was shattered by four minutes, doing the dis tance in 51.37 4-5.
 The 10-mile handicap proved one of the most gruelling contests ever pulled off on an auto track, twelve cars starting with DePalma in scratch. Although the track was free from dust, being heavily coated with oil the loose oil-soaked dirt thrown up by the terrific whirring of the wheels of the giant cars mEst have choked some of the drivers Cor they plowed through the turns punched so closely that at times smashups seemed imminent.
 Driving Like Demon. DePalma had to drive like demon and had great difficulty in getting around Strang and Robertson, the Vanderbilt cup winner. After he put the Cyclone in front of these two he had Mrs Cuneo and Jimmy Ryall, the amateur king to pass. Ryall gave the track star the battle of his life At the finish DePalma was less than a length to the good with Strang, Robertson, Ryall and Mrs. Cuneo in a close bunch. Twenty-Five of the big au- tomobile tradesmen here today from the factories who sent racing teams here de- clared that they never saw such racing in their lives.
 De Palma's last mile in the handi- cap was 51 3-5 seconds. Tomorrow the 100-mile worlds championship is the fea- ture and the amateur championship of the world at q distance of five miles will also be run. Strang and Robertson are looked on as the class of the race and it evidently lies between the two. Mrs. Cuneo, De Palma, Strang and Ry- all are sure starters at Birmingham and Chevrolet Burman, the Buick man, who was out of 1t today on account of a skid through the fence in the first race, and several others are also coming. Mrs. Cuneo will enter the 24-hour race in Birmingham and is expected to prove the sensation of the meet. Summary of Events.
 First event: Auto race mile, free-for-all time trial for worlds record-De Palma (Fiat Cyclone), :5414, won; Ryall (Math- eson), 1:01, second; Robertson (Simplex), 1 :01 3-5, third; Mrs. Cuneo O<nox GianD, log 1-5, fourth. All other entrants scratched.
 Second Event: Ten-mile trial to lower worlds circular track record-Ralph De Palma (Fiat Cyclone), 9:17 2-5. Worlds record, 912 3-5.
 Third Event: Five-mie eXhibition-Mrs John Newton Cuneo (&noX Giant, 5:05 2-5 Woman's record held by Mrs. Cuneo. 6:04 3-5.
 Fourth Event: Five miles, gasoline stock chassis touring cars, turnabout, selling at $750, and including $300O-The cars of Burman CThomas), and Lindrose (Olds- mobile), broke down in the beginning. Buick (Schwartz), finished one mile only. No time announced.
 The fifth event. five miles, limited to New Orleans entries, was eliminated and the races confined to six events
 Sixth Event: FiftyTmiles. free for all cars-De Palma (F'iat Cyclone), time, :51 :37 4-5, won; Mrs. Cuneo (Knox GianD, time, :52 :40%, second; Robertson (Sim- plex), no time announced, third.
 Seventh Event: Ten miles, handicap De Palma (Fiat Cycone), time, :O9:11 2-5 won; Robertson (Simplex), second Strang Qsotta) third. Time of winner only an- nounced.
 De Palma thus breaks the world s record for ten miles on circular track with a heavy gasoline car, which was held by Oldfield.