Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-08-20
STALKS
At SPEEDWAY
OPENING
CAR CRASHES INTO
FENCE TWO MEN KILLED
Barney OIdtieId Breaks Record
at Indianapolis Despite Ser
iouS Defects Found in Much
Lauded Track,

tBy Morning journal Special Leased W,rel
| Indianapolis, Aug. l9.-1Wo lives
annapolis motor speedway to-day VIII
liam a. Bourquc. driver ii the t,noX
car in the $50 mile race AMI Harry
| Holcomb, his mechanlcian were kInod
by crushing into q fence
Two records were broken barney
Oldfield, driving high power GEM
covered a mile in 0:43 lilo. breaking
De Palma's mark of 0:51, and Louis
| Chevrolet in a Buick made len mil
in S;5G 4-lO. cutting Oldfield's time
t9:12
Robert nurman won the go mlle
1ace, the feature of the day 4 WAS
this contest that cost Bourque and
Ifolcomb their lives The winners
time was ASSET I-l0-sloW because
OF the many accidents that marred the
race, The StOddard- Dayton Clements
was second in 4:46:01 $40 and the
National (Merz) finished third, in
4:52:39 40. Another National was
the only other ear Of ten starters to
sh
ae death of the two men caused |
American Automobile association |
form the owners OF the track that
certain changes must be made at once |
or sanction for remaining events will |
be withdrawn. The association de- |
~ n. V,.... L
its many dangerous ruts and that
every inch Of it be thoroughly oiled |
and tarred Today only a short por
ton in front of the grand stand was
oiled and the dust on the other parts
is blamed for the collapse of two driv-
ers in the long race--Louis Chevro-
let and Fred Ellis-who were blinded
by the dense white mist that covered
the major portion of the track
The Knox car was in second place
with Burman in his Buick leading
this had covered nearly 150 miles,
when the crash came While coming
down the home stretch the car sud-
denly swcrved and tore into the fance
at the left of the track, turning com
plecly over ana pinning its two oc-
NhliuIllS ~ 'ltblli IL DUN IIlhil " Ni' |
alive when taken from under the
wreck, but Bourque died in the ann
bulance on the way to the emergency
hospital lIolcomb died a few min
utcs after he arrived at the hospital.
According to the story told by Pri-
vatc Frank Brandon, of the Indiana
guard, who witnessed the ac-
cidcn, both men seemed suddenly to
turn and look behind As they did "A
so the steering wheel slipped from j
IIourquo'S hand Then the accident d
happened. Bourquo was % years old
and lived at Springfield Mass. Hol- r
comb was - Years old and lived at q
son. racing partner OF Bourque. col S
.irandVilc. Mass. Driver Albert Dcni- g.
opsed after the accident. The sight a
IF the men lying dead was too much t.
'or the friend of both, who has been o
allied upon SO often to fac" death in il
he same manner. Q
Louis Chevrolet the French driver
# the Buick team. was led into the =
iospital--almost blinded with the dust
rom the track shortly after the two
nen had died. The Frcnchman. who
Iad been leading during the early
art of the long race. was forced to
rive mp. lie gazcd upon the bodies
II his two former rivals, and overcome
" emotion. staggered to a chair.
As result of the two deaths the
lnox company has Withdrawn all its
ntrics for the next two days and it is
aid it will probably never again enter
Is ears in a race.
The following cars started in the p
so mile contest. [
Knox (BourquO. National (kin-
add: National (Morese)t Stoddard-
DAYTON CMillcr); Buick tBurman);
buick tStrang): Buick CChevrolct.
ackson CEllis). and Stoddard- Day
on CClements)
Strange was the first to come to
ricf as his car caught fire before II
lee had completed one lap. He was
elavcd some time by this ana the sa
fficials at first refused to allow him q
, continue as he and his mechanician m
sd been aided by the track Volun- pi
.cr fire department. In extinguishins co
he blaze After a long disput" ty
TRANCE was allowed To- continue but da
he remainder of the field had been Ia
aimed about - miles on him aud MS Ia
lachine dropped out h'
Chevrolet dashed into the lead at
h. start and held it for So laps or by
lore than half the race. with tho ac
rief exception of the 18th and 18TH 81.
IDS. when he rclinquished II to his IN
am mate. Burman. the winner in
When hc was blinded by dust he was gu
i from the track and his car with ca
rawn. M
Miller in q standardization also
ave up.
After Chevrolet's withdrawal Bur
~, again went into the lead with II
ourou, second. and Kincaid ia a lie
ational third. This order continued pu
ntl the fatal accident To the Knox tn
incaid then moved into second piece W