Arizona republican., 1909-11-12
FIFTY MILES IN 52:45
Automobile Day at the Ter ritorial Fair Bringc Out Enormous Crowd-Penn- sylvania and the Buick are Among the Victors.

Fifty-two minutes and forty five seconds is the new record for fifty miles on a circular track west of the Mississippi.
 Just as the sun was setting yester- day and shedding its last beams on the two little clouds of dust that kept Circling the track at the fair ground keeping just about the same distance apart for many miles-and cheered on by a crowd of ten thousand people the great fifty mile race between the Isotta, driven by Frank Free and the Kisselkar. with Harris Hanshue at the wheel. came to a finish with the cars half mile apart and George Purdy Bullard, president of the Maricopa Automobile club. under whose auspices the race was run, announced that all records for fifty miles on a circular track west of the Mississippi had been smeared off the slate
 The car that finished first was the Isotta. a car made in Milan. Italy and costing in America S65OO It was this car that Colonel Fenner. convinced that his Black Bess" could never win the great desert race between Los Angeles anu AltNnAAs hda PiONdANN ND that race Failing to finish he re- trieved his fortunes yesterday with an exhibition of speed that has never been seen before either in Arizona or any western state.
 The race between the Kisselkar and the Isotta was the one great event of the day-and of the week The an- cient but friendly rivalry between Col Fenner and Leon T. Shettler. who en- tered the Kisselkar was settled for the season at least by the result of the race. The very best drivers in the west were obtained to work the wheels. Har- ris Hanshue, who drove in the Wander built cup races in 1906. man whose daring and judgment are carefully balanced. drove the Kissel Hanshue got out of the car every inch of speed in her. It was to his own interests as well as for the glory of the race that he took the curves at the highest speed compatible with safety. Hanshue eX- pected to win He had a few dollars of his own on the result; and besides his reputation was at stake. His time was but eighteen and three-fifths sec oRds slower than the Isotta's and he lowered the best previous record for fifty miles on the coast as well as the winner of the race.
 The driver for Colonel Fenner was Frank Free. a man who has done some marvellous work on the track. Only two or. three weeks ago Free captured the fifty mile record with Corbin car from the Franklin. His record was 5:10. It was considered fast time two weeks ago but that record is now an- cient history just as though it had happened ten years ago when the first track races were being run. Free has been driving at the Portola races in San Francisco and has numerous track agreements but he dropped them all on receipt of a wire from Colonel Fen ner describing the present race. the track and the promise of a certain record He reduced his own record by two minutes and twenty seconds which is as great ar advertisement for the Arizona fair track as it is for the Isotta car.
 It may be safely said without sue cessful contradiction. that there has never been a fifty mile race east of the big river that has been so closely contested as yesterdays contest be- tween the Isotta and the Kissel. Auto mobile experts prohpesied at the start that one or the other of the cars would not finish. Fifty miles is a long way to go at top speed without something or other happening to the motor, tires. or other parts of the machinery-with- out. in fact. stops of a single second.
 The speed at which the cars traveled may be judged from the fact that mile after mile was torn off in less than one-five and that the fastest mile of the race-the forty eighth, was made in one minute and one second by the Isotta.
 When the big race of the day was called the grandsIand. packed with people. the bleachers and the rail black with more humanity, sat up in expectancy. Everybody seemed to know that there was more in this race than the prize of $50 given by the fair commission. They knew in gen. eral way that Colonel Fenner. cha grinned at having his car towed to the finish line in the 500 mile desert race, was out for blood and that he had staked his little pile on the event They knew also that Shettler, back in Los Angeles. was the moving force behind Hanshue and expected him to win.
 At the crack of the pistol. Hanshue. red faced and placid, threw on the clutch and spurted ahead He was first away and kept it for the first mile Rack of the Kissel came at an increas-