Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-09
ROBERTSON WINS AUTO RACE
simplex Car Finishes First In ans
Mile Contest ~ Lowell

LOVELY Mass, Sept. E.-with the
same daring GOODNESS and judgment, which
have marked his exploits on other motor
tracks, George II. Robertson drove his
Simplex car SIS miles to victory today over
the Merrlmack Valley course, and left
behind sixteen other participants for the
Lowell trophy In the second national stock
chassis race. Robertson maintained a
speed OF 542 miles an hour, which was $40
better than the average made by Lewis
totsI timss winner neg or iast yeers race, Ills
utes, one and two-fifths seconds.
More than twenty minutes after Robert
son had flown over the finish line, Al
Poole, driving the Italian Isotta-FrRschin
flashed under the wire in second place,
having jumped into that position on the
iast lap, Il. H. Parker, in a Fiat captured
third money and Robert Burman, In a
Buick, fourth. Charles Basic In a Renault
finished fifth.
Nearly 100, 900 persons saw Robertson and
Herbert Lyttle fight II out for The lead
In the first eleven laps OF the l06 miles
circuit. Then Robertson dashed to the fore
and kept to the lead until twenty of the
thirty laps had been covered, when a stop
OF several minutes was required to stoke
and oil up. Harry Grant, in an Alec, and
Ralph De Palma in a Flat began cutting
dow Robertson's lead, but before they
caught him the sturdy Simplex driver was
up and away. Robertson's stop seemed to
have robed him OF speed for with less
than forty miles to go Grant caught hin
and took the lead. Later, however, as the
Alec car was racing up the back stretch,
IL capsized and broke its chain and
Robertson again took the lead and was
never headed.
Sixteen cars taken from the regular ware
rooms of eleven manufacturers started.
Lewis Strang CBuick) met with an accident
on his way TO the course. He started
with the leaders nearly forty miles ahead
OF him. After travelling 140 miles he gave
up the attempt OF repeating his victory
Of last year; The Buick, driven by ID
and withdrew and the Knox driven by
Fred Beacher fell out through engine de-
fects. In the twelfth round Bert Shaw's
STANDARDIZATION broke an axle. Hughes
In an Kingston followed by smash
ing into a tree, but without injury to him
self or to his machinist. Robertson, Poole,
Parker, Burman and Basle had so far
outstripped the others that the race was
stopped In order to prevent accidents tc
spectators. who had already begun to cross
the course for home.
At the outset Chevrolet set the speed
and before the accident succeeded In max
ing 21.2 miles in p minutes IA seconds, or
better than a mile a minute. When the
Buick car fell out Robertson took up the
gauntlet, with Lyttle, Burman and Grant
chasing him hard. Round and round they
tore, with Lyttle gradually o~verhauling the
leader until the difference between them
as they flashed by the grandstand was only
thirteen seconds. This margain was main
tair ed for three laps. when Lyttle pulled
out ahead. During Robertson's pause OF
seven minutes In the twentieth lap Grant
pulled up until the difference between them
was one minute one second. Robertson
pulled out all the stops, turned on every
speed lever and tore off like a deer before
the hunting pack. On the twenty-seventf
lap he wac compelled to slow down for
mir or engine defects and Grant roared out
ahead and secured a lead of nearly -four
minutes
The journey was ending and 1t seemed
impossible for tho Bostonian to lose, buI
the hand Of fortune tipped Grant into 9
Glitch and after that Robertson was never
challenged. In the race today the winner
gathered in $1,000, while $500 went to Poole
$500 to Parker and 500 to Burman-
The
George II. Robertson, Simplex, 6:52:o1zt.
A. j. Poole, Isotta, 6:13:SZ,
e. H. Parkert. Fiat, 6.22:21M.
Robert =. BurEnan. Buick, 6;2b Dos .
Charles Basic, Renault, 6!S6:4TM.