The Washington times., 1910-06-13
BARRING OUT CARS
CAUSES A PROTEST

Things are sizzling in the affairs OF
automobile racing and contests.
There is an electric quality in the air
when eyer the subject is mentioned
where high officials are wont TO gather,
and the crop Of rumOTs as well as semi
verified reports contain the promise Of
several interesting Developments
The most notable eddy in the current
Is the whirl that is centered over the
General Motors Company and the a. A.
A. as result Of recent happenings at
indianapolis Worcester, New Haven, and
perspective happenings in the coming
Gidden tour. Cars made and entered in
the first three named Of these meetings
by the Buick Motor Company and other
subsidiaries Of General Motors have not
been allowed 20 go in stock car events.
According 10 an official statement Of
the General Motors Company, the
trouble came to a head over the inter
probation Of the rules under which the
recent Brighton Beach twenty-four hour
race was run, although since then sew
eral ADDED factors have become involved
in the puzzle. While the question raised
at the twenty-four race was one OF mi
nor Importance, inasmuch as the car
disqualified by the referee did not finish
very prominently, the appeal from his
rulin6 is still undecided by the contest
board and may lay the foundation for
future difficulty.
But +he real breach happened at In
dianapoI5 when the Buick 16A and lob
entries we're barred from the stock car
races along with several other varieties
Of motor cars with which the same fault
was found by the officials
According ~ 4 of
General Motors Company the disqualifi-
cation was not made in proper form
and was delivered to the entrants in
the shape Of an article published IN
the press. The grounds for disqualified
lion were based upon the alleged intent
of the rules TO define a stock car as one
that was included in a certain percent
age Of the type Of cars that had already
been manufactured prior 10 the entry
or the car in the contest According TO
the statement, sharp protest was made
In vain to the referee and a bond was
offered TO cover all contingencies, but a
revision OF the ruling was denied.
Inc statement closes with a demand
FOR an amendment Of the rules or a
o4nerent construction Of them.
On the other side of the affair, Chair
man Butter Of the three AS had the
contest board is based fundamentaIIv
upon the exact definition Of the stock
car. The competition Of specially built
cars with those of manufacturers who
comply with both the letter and the
spirit of the rules would be manifestlv
UnfaiT>tO the parties who obey the rules
Az stock car contests depend absolutely
upon the strict obedience to the rules.
Either we can define a stock car and
live up to our rules, or we have failed
In our purpose
With relation TO the trouble now
developing as a result of our rulings at
Indianapolis and elsewhere, I wish to
state that the cars barred from the
regular stock races did not come within
the definition of stock cars under the
rules I understand that the General
Motors Company intends to withdraw
from competition and that il has or
dered its entries scratched in all future
events. This move may mean a new
association is being planned. 1 dis
tinctly told Mr. Durant at Indianapolis
that I was not present TO take abuse
from anyone and that the cars barred
by my order had not lost the right of
being considered on appeal TO the con
test board I assured him that if the
ruling was based on error, the facts I'm
the case could all be brought out in a
perfectly legal manner under the rules -
W. G. Durant was not available 10 get
his views on the subject. but an official
o. the Buick Motor Company confirmed
tne report that its racing team had been
ordered 10 withdraw from competition.
As Tar as the entries of the General
Gldden Tour he could shed no light as
20 the intentions o. his concern.
Chairman Butler. however, saiC:
There has been some acrimOny con-
corning these entries. So far we have
received no definite instructions as TO
the classes in which the cars are in
tended 70 so. For this reason, and aS