The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-10-26
WAGNER YEARNING
FOR RACE TO BEGIN
Winner of Grand Prize Event
Last Year Again Seeks
That Honor.
BY HARRY WARD.

Louis Wagner, who won the last
grand prize race at Savannah is yearn-
ing FOR this years big race 20 begin.
With his team mates. Felice Naz-
FARO and Ralph DePaIma, he is now
On the course, and is practicing daily,
and they are putting the Fiat cars
through A course of sprouts. When in
terviewed at his training camp Wagner,
speaking through an interpreter, made
the following interesting comment.
Wagner speaks a fair amount of Eng
lish, but when discussing race matters
prefers 10 speak in his native tongue.
This year." he said, Il expect to
break my record for the Savannah
course, which stands at 65.2 miles an
hour. chiefly because learn that there
are to be fewer turns in the course
than that OF 1905 I believe that I. or
any other driver for that matter would
have a hard time lowering that record
on the old course with Its go turns TO
negotiate during the 402 miles. There
is, of course, no chance Of my equaling
the worlds road race record of 4.5
miles an hour, made by my teammate,
Nazzaro, in the Florio Cup race. This
was on a smooth Quadrilateral course
with only four turns and four long
stretches However, the record was
most remarkable. You ask me II It is
difficult to keep my 9O-horsepcwer car
on the turns and narrow sections Of
the course going at the speed 1 expect
to attain. No. I do not fear that at all,
knowing my car as | do. 1t Is q mis-
taken impression that ii becomes high
" difficult for a skilled driver TO steer
correctly at a speed OF eighty miles an
hour.
L have been driving cars for years.
and keep my racer on the road as IL
by instinct. Of course an amateur with
but little experience cannot appreciate
what this means When going at this
speed il is wmd resistance with It's
tendency to flatten you out against the
seat back and tear you apart, against
which a driver has TO contend. Tires,
however, are an element that have to
be taken into consideration most serl-
OuSlY for they have much to do with
the average speed attained. Taking the
turns IS hard. indeed. on tires. Even
though the curve or angle IS rounded
perfectly by a car there is a big strain
on The tubes"
Motorists all over the country are to-
day applauding Barney Oldfeld for put
ting crimp in the racing aspirations
of Jack Johnson. When he made the
match he brought down the wrath Of
the powers that be in the American Au-
tomObile Association and is now an out
law. but as JOhnOSn Is now effectively
disposed Of. II is not too much TO expect
that Oldheld will again be taken into
the fold.
From a racing standpoint the affair
between Oldfleld and Johnson was a
farce, the former simply toying with
Jeffries' cOnQueror. Only two heats
were necessary to settle the question
OF superiority, the latter one being drag
ged along in order to afford the moving
picture men an opportunity 10 get in
their fine work. The whole AFFAIR at the
SheepShead Bay track was a mistake
and for the good of the sport Il Is 70 be
hoped will never be repeated
Following his victory Oldheld said:
II raced Jack Johnson for neither
money nor glory, but TO eliminate from
NY profession an invader who would
have 10 be reckOned with sooner or
later. If JeffrieS had fought johnson
five years ago the white man would
have won and after Jeffries retired he
would never had had 10 fight him again
If had ignored Johnson for wear or
so ne would probably have gained much
experience on the tracks and bought
high-pOwered cars while 7 am not get
ting any better from day to day I am
glad If my victory over Johnson today
viii have any effect on the white mans
hope situation"