The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-11
KNIPPER WINS FEATURE
EVENT OF DAYS RACING
Matson, Close Contender for Honor
of the Event OF 100 Miles Loses
Out by Accident in Last
Lap.

breaking finishes, the lowering of two
track records by Strang and rain which
caused the postponement of two events,
were the leading features of the second
day of the automobile speedway meet
ing here.
After many disappointments yesterday
Harding drove an Apperson Jack Rab-
bt' to victory in ten-mile contest. The
Buick car won the amateur ten-mile free
for-all by one one-hundredth of second
but lost the feature event. 100 miles, on
the last lap. The Buick was driven by Joe
Nelson, Chevrolets mechancian, and he
lost on the last lap to Will Knipper, when
his lubricating oil became exhausted.
Lewis Strang was compelled to with
draw from the ten-mile race for large
stock cars after the first lap, in which
his Fiat 80 had assumed the lead He
captured two other races in his 2OO-horse-
power Fiat with ease. He defeated Old
field and Christie in specially arranged
ten-mle race In the remarkable time of
:94, averaging apout 0:395 to the
mile. except in the last lap, when he
blew tire and had to reduce speed
at the turns. This alone prevented him
from negotiating. the distance in less than
seven minutes. AS 1t was. his time broke
Aikens new record, made yesterday. of
S:o241.
In the four-mile event Strang aver
aged 0:4.11. George Robertson was COM
PEELED to withdraw his Fiat from both
events in which he was entered.
1O0-Mile Race the Feature.
rt-t.-
mile light stock car race ended In first
and second places going to the Chalmers
Detroit drivers, Knipper and Matson, re-
spectively. At the start Nelson fought
Matson for second place, eventually win
ming 1t when the latter stopped for re-
pairs. A. 30-miie chase of Knipper put
him in first position. where he held until
the eightieth mile. when Knipper who
took brilliant advantage of the curves.
swooped past him at the grandstand.
bringing the crowd to its feet with a
great roar of applause
At the eighty-eigh mile another thun-
der of applause arose, but this time it
was for Nelson, who had recaptured the
advantage Knipper held close to him
until, to the surprise of the spectators,
in the last lap Nelson suddenly slowed up.
His machine had been out of lubricatng
oil for 10 minutes and moved at greatly
reduced speed. Knipper shot past him
and came in easy winner. Matson.
who had been a lap behind the leaders,
also passed the limping Buick, which fin
lshed in third place.
The z. M f. car, driven by Yerger,
was the only other car running when
the race ended. Yerger being on his
eighty-fourth mile.
Strang Lowers 10-MiIe Record.
Strang in his Fiat, Oldfield plotting the
big Benz and Christie in the car that
bears his name. took flying start
10-mile special race, their cars, respec-
lively, being 200, 150 and 150-horsepower.
Oldfield, whose mile record was lowered
by five seconds by Strang yesterday, to-
day cabled to Germany for new 220-
horsepower car with which to seek the
recovery of the American mile record
track. Oldfield got away in the lead but
Strang passed him at the mile and
flashed past the stand 20 yards ahead.
Christie skidded badly at the turns and
dropped behind
Strang lowered the 10-mile track rec
ord made here yesterday by Akin in a
National by one minute. forty-seven one
hundredths of a second. Oldfield, who held
the previous record of s:15.7 lowered his
own mark by 04S.s.
Summary:
Fiat (Strang), 7:01 "a
Benz (Oldield). 7:27:1.
Christie (Christie), withdrew.
The four-mile free-for-all brought out
strang's big Fiat. Robertson, who went
out in the first lap, Christie, Disbrow in
q Raine car and Akin at the steering
post of a National Strang ran away
from the others and finished at his ease.
Summary: Fiat (Strang), 2:H:03; Chris
tie (Christie), s:076s; National (Aikin).
3:10.4.
Stubbs Has Bad Luck.
Three Indians, a. Merkel and Read
ing Standard started in the 1O-rnie event
| or motorcycles. Stubbs. at the end of
. he 10 miles, led his nearest competitor
Nv a mile, but had to stop at the pit
OF, his seventh lap, being passed by his
previous pursuers, with R. w. Gayle, also
Of the Indian team. In the lead in the
sixteenth mile Stubbs resumed but had
to withdraw In the eight lap
The order of the finish: First, Merkel
(Walthour); second. Indian (Gayle); third,
reading Standard Moss Time, 2o:16s
George Robertson made his first start
of the meet In the 10-mile stock chassis,
Al to 600 cubic inches event, driving
Flat ''6o" strang piloted similar car
Marquis was at the wheel Of Stearns
.6o," and Harding drove an Apperson
Jack Rabbit"
Strang's engine required attention on
the third lap and his rivals Numbered
past him, Harding in the lead. strang
withdrew and was followed by Robert
on in the other Fiat.
~ Harding. who had been in second place.
went ahead and won in S:So.6s. Marquis
<fv,,> xro o.20 81