Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-19
BLUEBlRD WINS
INDIAN TROPHY
L0C0M0BILE SECOND IN AN
INVITING FINISH
STRANG STOPS IN SECOND LAP
AND BURMAN IN THIRD
Average of 51.2 Miles an Hour Wins
Great Light Car Event on Crown
Point Course Of 232.74
Miles
tRy Associated Press.l


honors in the opening western Van
derbilt" automobile races today went to
Joseph Matson, who piloted a Chal-
mers-Detroit Bluebird to a brilliant
victory over fifteen rivals, maintaining
an average speed of 51.2 miles an hour.
The race was for light cars only, and
while of great Importance in itself, was
generally considered as preliminary to
the race of the big cars for the Cobe
cup over the same course tomorrow.
The field numbered sixteen cars, the
Ford and Renault having withdrawn.
The leading trio finished as follows:
Chalmers-Detroit (AIatson) .............. 4:S1:22
Locomobile (Robertson) ............''.''.' 4;SsOS
Marion CMonsen) .....,..........''.'....' 4'4Z;oS
Total distance, 232.H miles.
The time of the other cars was not
taken, as they tagged off the course af-
ter the first three had finished.
Finish Was Intense
When it became apparent that the
victory lay between Matson, Robertson
and Monsen the affair increased In
dramatic intensity.
Masonville, the Corbin driver, was
the first to cross the line. The remain
ing cars were dispatched at minute in
tervals.
Burman driving a Buick covered the
first lap in 23:41, the fastest time for
one circuit registered during the race.
His triumph was short lived, however,
as he met with difficulties on the third
lap and was put out of the running on
the fourth lap by the loss Of valve.
The second lap saw the downfall OF
Louis Strang, who stripped his gear by
sudden checking of speed to avoid
collision with another car
Meanwhile Matson was steadily forg-
ing to the front. At the end of the
second round he had advanced from
tenth to fifth place, and gradually in
creased his advantage until at one time
he was eight minutes ahead of the field.
Stutz, in a Marion, made desperate
race and was well up when he blew out
a cylinder during the eighth lap. The
car ran into a shallow ditch, but he and
his machinist escaped with few
bruises.
The interest in the last half of the
race centered in the struggle for sec
ond place between Robertson in his
Locomobile and Monsen in Marion.
Robertson drove with experienced cool
ness and soon snatched second place
from Monsen in a terrific battle on the
last lap.
strans Out Early
Tomorrow's race. is expected to be the
most severe test of machines and driv-
ing in America.
Today's race was over 10 laps, ap-
proximating 23.6 each, or distance OF
1925 miles, for the Indiana trophy.
The specifications limited entrants to
light cars. Twelve big cars will con-
test tomorrow for the Cobe cup, the big
event Of the meet.
Practically all the best drivers OF the
country appeared in today's race, the
entrants being as follows:
Big Race Tomorrow
1-Corbin, A. j. jacksonville.
Buick Robert Burman
S-Marlon, Charles Stutz
4-Chalmers- Detroit VIM Knipper
6-Marlon, Charles A. Monsen.
7-Locomobile, ]. W. Florida.
S-Buick, George De Witte.
e-Fal car, w. H. Pearce
1O-Locomobile. George Robertson.
l1-Moon, Phil Wells.
14-Buick. Lewis Strang
15-Fal car, John Ruehl.
l6-Stoddard- Dayton, Wiseman.
7-Chalmers-D Detroit, Al Pyle.
1S-Stoddard- Dayton, Wright
l9-Chalmers-D Detroit, j. Matson
The machines were started by Fred
Wagner. who officiated in similar
capacity in all the Vanderbilt runs on
Long Island. Asa Paine or M1nne-
apolis acted as referee.
Leaving the grandstand the machines
flashed away over StralgntdWdy
north of one and four-tenths miles
where sharp turn brought mem into
one of the principal residence streets
of Crown Point for squirt of seven
tenths of a mile At the end of the
stretch they turned to the northwest
for an irregular run of four miles to
Cedar Lake. On this leg there are three
sharp corners and three easy ones IN
Guiding the picturesque IS, AT CEDAR
Lake there begins straightaway OF
five and seven-tenths miles. The ROAD
is rolling, but the grade is gradually
descending all the way to Lowell
At Lowell, after passing under via
duct, the road takes sharp turn 10
the east Half a mile out 1t turns
sharply around a cemetery and then is
a straightaway for three miles. Turn
ing north again there is a stralghtaWay
of seven and one-tenths miles, Whlcn
brings the cars past the grandstand.
Road Work Never Stopped
Work on the road bed was main
tained until the last moment, when 1t
was said that even the rough road bed
on two and five-tenths miles on the
east leg had been rendered fast and
| firm.
town until 1t appeared there was room
for no more, but still the invasion
| continued.
The first regiment of Chicago formed
the vanguard The militiamen arrived
last night and marched through the
town to the grandstand, where they
pitched their shelter tents
Special trains from Chicago began
to arrive at 2 a. m. and continued al
J.. most to the moment of the race, bring
ing thousands into Crown Point and
Lowell.
Great Hordes See Race
The population Of the two towns was
soon doubled and then tripled and IN
creased until there was apparently
room for no more, but still they poured
in. Every available sleeping space was
occupied. A fortunate. few were able
to secure some sleep, but the bedlam
was too much for the light seepers
Many women spent the night in the
tonneaus of their cars, or in hastily inn
provised camps The night was chilly
and even the soldiers complained that
their blankets were too thin. Many
scorned sleep and spent the night rid
ing about the town or over the course.
The repair pits in front sof the grand
stand early became the scene of ac-
tivity. The busy helpers swarmed in
and out of the pits arranging every lit