The San Francisco call., 1909-08-19
ENTHUSIASM OVER
BIG ROAD RACE
Local Motorists Are Anxious for
Big Portola Automobile
Contest
High Speed Cars Will Com
pete for the California
Gold Cup
By r. r. L'HOMMEDIEU

The settlement of the date by the
executive committee of the Automobile
Club of California for the big road
race during the Portola celebration has
brought to life the automobile sporting
enthusiasts. Ever since the Santa Rosa
race this spirit has been in a comatose
state on account of the lack of action
on the part of the officers of the diff
ferent local automobile organizations.
that there is some fun in sight from
a sporting standpoint, the owners of
fast cars are being keyed up to con-
cert pitch over the announcement that
the contest is to take place.
The committee in charge yesterday
held meeting, but was unable to de-
eide upon definite rules. These, how
ever, will be selected today at a confer
ence to be held at the Office of Leslie
]. Burkes, secretary of the Automobile
Club of California.
This meeting will make it possible
for the owners of fast cars to know
definitely the conditions under which
the contest will be held.
1t was interesting to note yesterday
the marked enthusiasm displayed over
the announcement of this event, as
compared with the announcements of
the several track contests scheduled to
take place before this premier struggle
of high priced cars in northern Cali
fornia. The automobile enthusiast the
dealer and. in fact, the public. show
their discernment as to what means a
high grade contest. All realize that a
road course tests the ability of the
car and more forcibly the ability of
tho dYiUnr Conditions urhi md
skill, quick judgment and a great dis
play OF grit, are only evident in such
a contest, while on the track it is a
mere matter of working a car TO a
high speed and letting it run at that.
trusting to the mechanical perfection of
the car to complete the course at the
high pitch of speed generated.
In the road race a great amount of
the victory must be attributed to the
mechanical perfection of the car, yet in
the many prominent road races held it
has been proved that the skill of the
driver has been a most potent factor.
And it is this fact that the public has
at last come to recognize.
The Howard automobile company re-
ports the following deliveries of Buick
81. sausHmGesies !%hite streaksv:
Sales Buick 1s Car. Carl christiansen.
-- - Oakland. 3; NJ j..
Nightingale, OAK
dale. 2; Clipp Bros. Grimes. 2; Santa
Rosa Garage, Santa Rosa, 2; Sacra-
mento Valley Irrigation company, 81;
Eureka; Charles Clarke, San Francis
co; Moore Motor Supply company. San
Francisco; VIM. G. Van Zee, Wood
land; Crane Bros. Livermore; Sam
Togna zzini. San Luis Obispo; A. Freed,
Willows; Ray Machine works, Visalia;
A. Shaw. Lodi; James Dunno, San
White Streaks," toy tonneaus: s..
Tognazzini San Luis Obispo; Carl
Christensen, Oakland; Z. E. Rhine
hart San Francisco.
40-horse power touring cars: L.
Barkhousen, Palo Alto; Waterman
Bros. Co., Fresno: Carl Christiansen,
Oakland; Salbach- -Middlekauf Co,
Stockholm; M. A Little. San Francisco;
C. F. Legris. Oakland; Empire foun-
dry, Marysville; Santa Barbara Sport
ing Goods company, Santa Barbara.
Two cylinder touring cars: Water
man Bros, Fresno.
The Howard automobile company re-
ceived yesterday the new 1910 Olds
mobile. The car is
N.v old. one of the finest
srrive. that has ever been
$, -- :. turned out by the
factory 1t is a
40 horsepower, four cylinder touring car
and shows that, in keeping with the
advancements made by the other COM
panies, the Olds has turned out a vehicle
that must interest every buyer OF cars
the coming season.