Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-19
E-M-FCOMPANY To
ABANDON RACING
Bio Manufacturers Decide Bona
Eide Stock Cars Out of
Track Competition

Thoroughly convinced that the inter
probation of the present racing rules
is one which will continue to foster
competition only between specially
built racing cars instead of genuine
stock models, the EMF company OF
Detroit has decided tC abandon its in
tention of entering into track compe-
titions this year. The decision is based
on thorough investigation of the
conditions which prevailed at the re-
cent Indianapolis meeting, at which
the factory was represented by corps
of it's technical experts, headed by
Chief Engineer James HeaSlet, men,
Der of the rules committee of the
A. A. A.
The recent revision of the rules for
the racing of stock cars was taken at
the Detroit factory to mean what 1t
said. 1t was believed that proper en-
forcement of these rules would result
in what the EMF company has long
desired-a series of contests in which
the public would be enabled to judge
by actual performance the speed and
endurance of the cars which form the
output of the various factories. The
EMF company made couple OF ten
tative entries with a view to later en-
tering racing on a systematic basis in
case the pledges of the winter were
fulfilled by the authorities.
One day at the race track proved
that such was not the case. The field
of entries included cars which were
simply OSCILLATIONS of regular models
prepared for racing, in many cases by
months of expert labor. Special igni-
ton equipment, reductionGn the num-
ber of piston rings, enlarged lubrica-
tion leads, specially constructed cam
shafts, specially timed valves; system
attic tightening until some of the cars
varied only a pound or two from the
racing minimum of the class, racing
rims and tire equipment, radical re-
vision of the system of control and
scores of other variations marked the
departures of the various racing cars
from the "stock models" which they SC
fraudulently represented. The rules
specified the use of unadulterated gas
oline, yet no investigation whatever
was made to verify it's presence and
unlimited latitude was allowed in this
respect.
Handicap conditions were so ar
ranged that the big racing locomotives
were enabled to overhaul the lighter
cars miles before the finish and on
some occasions it was easy to pick the
winner of a handicap event before the
start. And the experiences of the
EMF company We're duplicated by
all the Detroit manufacturers ill ad-
Vised enough to take the racing au-
thorities at their word Some of these
started their cars in the faint hope
that endurance and consistency might
avail, even against the specially built
racers, but the events on the program
to which they were eligible were sc
short that there was no such oppor-
tunity.
The racing of 1909 was freely criti-
cised because it brought out almost en-
tirely fields of specially built racing
cars, representing factories of little OF
no reputation. 1t is the belief of the
EMF company that the weak stand
| of the Indianapolis authorities who die
| not disqualify a single car on account
of it's variation from the standard
model which it often so radically mis-
represented indicates that there has
been no change in the real conditions
despite the improved spirit Of the rules
"When the rules are such as to elm
mate from stock car events all such
| cars as do not actually represent stan
dard construction-in short, the cal
| sold to customers-and when those
rules are enforced in the spirit as wei
as in the letter without favoritism oil
| technical evasion, then will the E-M-F
| company be glad to enter the lists anC
pit it's stock models against all com.
ers," says President Flanders. "Bu1
so long as conditions are as they are il
resolves itself simply into a case OF
who can cheat the most; is cleVeres1
at finding loopholes In the rules or en-
| listing influence Of racing management
| to eVade such rules as confine contest
ants to fair play methods; so long viii
we stay out of these events. We admit
we are not expert at that kind OF
thing, and prefer to leave it to those
who value laurels so won."