The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-05-08

The time was SIS seconds for the mile.
almost five seconds slower than the
worlds record, and yet it was fast
enough. But few dirt tracks in The
world have seen better and if there
was anyone in the throng that wanted
70 drive any faster he was not heard
10 say so.
To the splendid performance of Old
field was added the thrills that go with
a real auto race meet One car Clar-
ence Miners American, driven by Bert
SinaIley, blew tire and crashed along
the outside fence on the back stretch
tore out nine posts. Incidentally
Smalley broke two fingers of his right
hand while clutching the steering
wheel In an effort to hold the track
me accident happened in the five
mule handicap stock chassis, but SO
clouded was the track with clouds of
Gust that not until the car was missed
when 1T should flash past the stand.
did the spectators know that there had
been an accident
With the accustomed drive-on-
through-all spirit of a Vanderbilt cup
race aid perhaps a small bit of salts
faction that one competitor was out of
the way, the other drivers kept on their
mad whirl around the track, until the
race was over.
For a time the crowd was on edge
lest there be a serious accident to the
American driver, but the announce
minor injuries called forth a weicom-
Ing hand in response.
A Thrilling Sight.
The sight of the big Benz shooting
around the track will live long in the
minds of those, that saw il Yesterday
Around the sharp turns at the ends of
the stretches the car whirled. sending
behind ii clouds OF dust that might
rival a comets tail.
But II was on the straightawayS that
the car seemed to fly. Such was the
speed that had it left the track and
shot through the air, the onlookers
could not have been much more sur
prised. Here was seen the possibilities
of the great machine and even in this
skeptical age the truth of the electric
timer that caught Oldfield at Day
Iona at 1S1 miles an hour, was no
longer doubted
Oldfield showed his wonderful control
Of the car and his art on mile dirt
tracks, where he first made his name
8 champion. With Benny Kerscher,
his intrepid machintst, beside him, the
Speed king" did what he could to
lower the worlds record held by his
rival, DePalma. That his effort would
be vain for yesterday at least, was seen
after his first round Coming down
the stretch he was seen to shake his
head at Billy Pickens, his manager,
who stood by the judges stand.
Oldfield had found that his forecast
or the track was true. The soil could
not be packed enough to give the hard
surface necessary for the speed record.
ASlue from wet spot where too much
water had been placed at the south
west turn. the track on every turn was
soft. The wheels of the Benz sunk in
more than four inches. not only stop
ping the progress but failing TO give
the necessary purchase for the wheels.
A Great Mile.
But Oldfields mile in 55 seconds
needs no apologies. Under the condi-
lions that he drove il was a sterling
feat, and can be counted one of the
best miles ever made on a horse track.
Later in the program Oldfield tried
again, but the track, cut up by the
races that had preceded, was even in
worse shape, and 81 seconds was the
best he could make.
Ben Kerscher, in his 100 horsepower
Darracq, also went after the mark
and he rounded the circuit in So sec
onds, expressing ali the time in his
Teutonic way his dislike for the turns
and the dust
Rivaling the performances of the
speed king came the races in which
the local cars competed against the
visitors and in local events.
David and GOIiah.
Perhaps the greatest finish came in |
the five-mile handicap free-for-all, in |
which Carl offers, a driver on the Ran
5aI;-Dodd team, with a little Buick 10, |
,voo from Oldfield in his Knox so by |
ees than a yard. Starting with a IS |
second handicap over the Knox, the |