New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-10-25
BUSY ON CUP COURSE.
Drivers Prepare for Final
Practice Work.

The course over which the Vanderbilt
Cup race will be held on Saturday will
begin to take ON more Of race day aspect
this morning. when most of the cars en-
tered will be out for practice, The course
has at last been put into almost perfect
condition, and this was shown by the re-
markable time made on Saturday. No
practice was allowed on the 1854 mile cir
cult yesterday but this did not keep the
contestants and their squad of helpers idle.
At the various quarters the drivers, with
their helpers, could be seen for most of
the day yesterday, some taking their ma
chimes apart and carefully looking over
every part to make sure that nothing was
amiss that would interfere with this morn
ing's practice.
In spite of the rain that fell at intervals
many persons made a trip to the course in
touring cars and took advantage of the
oily roads to see what their cars were
capable of doing in the way of speed.
While the laws were many times broken.
no accidents were reported, which speaks
we'll for the course.
Entries for the race will close to-day,
when it is expected that several additions
will be made TO the list of twenty-six. The
additional entries of Columbia and Atlas
cars were announced yesterday. Lewis
Strang, who will drive one of the trio Of
Fiat cars, said that he expects to be out
for practice this morning. He had nothing
but praise for the course and the car he
will drive. and is one of the many who
predict that the former road record will be
shattered.
A glance over the list of drivers who will
pilot cars in the race, shows that few of the
American cracks will be absent. Several
of the men have had years OF road expert
ence. and that there will be keen rivalry
among them goes without saying.
This morning the technical committee will
open its headquarters at Monks store, near
the railroad station. in Garden City, for the
purpose of making an examination of such
cars as are ready, and the drivers and man
ayers of racing cars are requested to tell
A. L. McMurtry, the chairman of the tech
meal committee. where they can be found.
The drawing for starting positions in the
race will be held at the Garden City Hotel
at $3.50 o'clock on Thursday evening AS
in previous years, there will be two draw
ings. the first 10 indicate the order of draw
ing and the second for the order OF start in
each of the three classes. The referee. and
Fred ]. Wagner, the starter, will issue their
final instructions at this time. Little time
will be lost in starting the cars, as, owing
TO the short circuit this year. 1t will he
necessary to send the cars away at ten or
fifteen second intervals instead of a minute
apart, as In former years.
A special excursion rate OF 81 25, il IS
announced, will be charged on the special
trains that will leave the Long Island sta
tons at East gath street and Flatbush ave-
nue. at frequent intervals between 4:3O
a. m. and a. m. on the day of the race.
George Riess, who Will drive Marion flyer
in the race. left Toledo in an Overland runa-
bout for record run to this city on Friday.
He expects 10 arrive to-day or tomorrow.
His first leg of the journey. to Cleveland,
was covered in hours and minutes.