Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-29

test made by any jealous Stearns adj
mirers. The fault was with them, ad-
mitted Manager Gordon, and they
would take their medicine, only 1t was
regrettable because of the disparity it
caused at the finish.
Twenty Miles Without oil
AS it was, even with it's extra oil
capacity, the Locomobile was COM
PEELED to run the last twenty miles
of the race with its oil tank empty,
and this mar, too, would have been
compelled to stop for a fresh supply
had the distance been much greater
The fact that it could run these TWEEN
ty miles, under such a gruelling pace.
with only such oil in the engine as
had worked through, is a remarkable
demonstration of the purity of the
Valvoline oil with which the Locomo-
bile was equipped. Why the machinery
did not overhead and "set" under this
condition is a marvel that excited no
little comment at the conclusion of
the race and could only be accounted
for by the fact that the lubricant was
of such a quality as to harden, with
out burning. in such parts where the
hard wear came and thus allow the
engine to run on indefinitely without
a new supply.
Fully 10000 gaily dressed men and
women filled the stands and paddocks
to overlooking, gay with streamers,
while immense lines bordered the
course along either fence for a con-
siderable distance around the track.
the inside or pole, fence being fringed
closely with hundreds of automobiles
filled with cheering spectators.
"Bill' Ruess, without whom no au-
tomobile race or function has ever
slipped smoothly, was on the program
as the starter and there was not a
faI1 ho
did not start something" little choice
being shown between contesting racers
and cutting sarcasms directed impair
TALLY against anyone and everyone
whose name first came to his mind.
Pokes Fun at Shelter
His chief witticism was his an
nouncement that ''when' Shelter,
who peddles the REQ, gets another
'jackrabbit,' because he is going to get
another one, he will challenge the Win
ner for some counterfeit money or
some of the make-believe money used
at the Woodbury. Business college,.
Others fell under his observation, in
Guiding Leavitt, the chief Locomobile
rooter, whose powerful framet and
stolid face under even great excitment
seemed to challenge Ruess for the most
singing sarcasm. The crowd laughed
and the victims of his witticisms
laughed, too, and the crowd remained
good-natured.
Other Events
The first event was a five-mile ex-
hibition by Barney Oldfield, who ne
gotiated five miles in very interest
ing ride in 4:29.
Paul Derkum, the Pacific coast
champion motorcyclist, then went
against the watch to beat Oldfelds
record, his first mile, So 2-5, promising
IseI. but tn hQ n G
were so rough that Derkum was COM
PEELED to slow up in subsequent turns
and he finished in 5:12.
The novelty race, whatever that
was, never got to the tape, only the
Premier, out of a field to include the
Oldsmobile. the Cadillac and the Ell
more, showing up. The Premier ran
the five miles as trvout.
Main Event Comes On
When the main event. the Locomo-
bile-Stearns race, was called all voices
were hushed and, after a prompt get
away, the eyes of the thousands were
riveted on the two racers as they went
around and around the mile course
until the end was reached. 1t was a
tiresome wait, but no one left until
the end.
The Stearns took the lead and kept
it, being perhaps a half-mile ahead at
was compelled to stop for oil and gas
oline. At that time Latham was turn
ing an occasional mile in the neigh
borhood of 1903. Murray Page never
allowed the Locomobile to do better
than 1:06 or 1907, riding the entire race,
except the last few miles, inside of
these two markes with marvellous reg
ularity.
The last five miles were the most
exciting of the entire race, and adj
herents of both cars called wildly for
their favorites to come on and win.
The turns were badly cut up and the
dust thrown by the cars was at times
very deep.
Murray Page was presented with the
trophy amid the cheers of the crods
at the close of the race. The Jone
baby speedometer, on which the time
and speed and miles were recorded,
was a perfect success.
Race by Five Miles
Miles. Time