New-York tribune., 1910-01-09
TIMELY AUTO TOPICS
ROAD RACING POINTS.
Ne7cs Of the Trade Picked Up
at Garden Shoe.

This country easily set the pace as to the
number Of road races held last year In
all there were twenty-seven. counting the
various class events, and in these 223 cars
started. Statistics show that of this num-
Der eighteen of the cars were of foreign
make and only one finished in front, which
speaks well for the home product This
victory for foreign went to Fiat in
which Ralph De Palma won the Long
Island Stock Car Derby
1t is true that the manufa cturers abroad
are not lending their aid 10 road racing.
Only eight road races were held last year.
and these were for small cars II was pro
posed by the Automobile Club of France to
revive the Grand Prix this year, but A sutti-
cient number of entries could not be oh
tanned
Interesting comparisons may ne drawn
between 19oS and 1909 racing figures. In the
former year there were twenty-one road
races. as against twenty-siN in the follow
ing year. In 1908 the total distance of the
twenty-one American races was 2S144
miles, or ge Of 1@4.02 miles race.
Last year the tWenty seven races totalled
500 miles, or an average Of 1855 miles.
The car luxurious and the car of me-
chanical efficiency is the double phrase that
happily and best describes the Odsmoble
Special and the OldsmObile Limited which
are being exhibited by in the Garden.
said General John T. Cutting. of the Odds
mobile company. Of New York, last night,
THE piece de resistance of our exhibit is
the superb polished chassis of the six-cyi-
inder 50-horsepower limited. with natural
wood finish wheels of iinriksha size, fitted
with tires forty-two inches in diameter and
nd baI {,,oh jy,
biggest in the show. and which we. the
leaders in the big tire movement. have used
successfully for two years.
The torpedo body. with its high sides
and double set of doors. cannot truthfully
be hailed as foreign novelty for we have
fitted side doors to the front seats OF our
cars for the last four wears, which shows
that ii was not a passing fad with us.
In addition to its display at the Garden.
the Matheson company is holding another
exhibition at it's salesrooms in Automobile
Row. At the Garden are displayed two diff
ferent 1910 polished chassis models: a four
cylinder and siX-cylinder car. each devel-
oping so horsepower. besides three six-cyl-
fnder fitted cars with toy. limousine AMI
touring bodies. At the Saesrooms eight
cars are shown of both four and six cylin-
coupled, demi-limousine, a town car and
new designs Of gunboat bodies The new
models follow on the same general lines
the 1909 cars. with Il few minor improve
ments
One of the most interesting exhibits of
the show is that of the WHY'S Overland
company, whose booth is located IN Space
. on the first balcony
In the 1910 Rainier models individuality.
style and beauty remain distinctive charac-
teristics These combined with speed.
strength. reliability. lghtness and compact
ness. place the Rainier IN the first rank.
In general design the 1910 chassis does not
differ from that of the Rainier stock car
that won the $4,000 Atlanta trophy. with u
record Of 200 miles in 173 minutes Such
minor changes as have been made are IN
the direction of greater simplicity and
strength Lightness is obtained by COM
pactness OF design and the use OF the very
best material obtainable.
In bodies a new style Is set with an in
closed touring car of exclusive Rainier de
sign Following out the straight lines Of
the torpedo type of body side doors give
entrance TO the two front seats. but. unlike
the torpedo type. the tonneau is high.
roomy and comfortable, with seats for i've
in addition to those in front Another new
type is the Rainier close-coupled car. while
four other models include limousine. Ian
daulet open touring car and baby tonneau.
The last named is one Of the smartest and
racest looking motor cars yet produced.
Small ideas do not seem to possess the
officials of the city of Richmond. Va They
decided recently to install a motor ambu-
lance in The service Of the hospital that is
run by tho city. and after looking about
the selection fell upon nothing smaller and
cheaper than one of the Vanderbilt Cup
winning Alco cars The ambulance Is
mounted upon the regular Alco chassis If
40 horsepower. and is capable Of rushing 4
cripple TO the hospital at the rate of tift5-
five miles an hour.
Aside from the fact that II is generally
conceded that an actual demonstration is
worth more than all the talk that could be
arrayed in favor Of the good points Of any
device. the remarka BILE demonstrating
model shown ar the booth of the Hartford
Suspension Company. makers Of the we'll
known Truffault- Hartford shock absorber.
is IN itself one Of the most interesting feat
ures of the show Two miniature automo-
bles. perfect in detail and complete equip
ment, including extra tires. electric head
lights. toolboXes. etc. are shown in com
parison. running on rough road at
speed of about thirty miles an hour. one Of
the cars beng fitted with the shock ab-
sorbers. while the other is not
In It's 1910 motor cars the Packard Motor
Car Company continues its previous policy
of confining its product TO one quality and
OF making cars Of this one class in two
sizes-the Thirty and the Eighteen"