Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-16
AERO RACES AUTO
Grahame-Wh Keeps Up
With Speeding Motor Car.
EVENT PROVES EXCITING
English Aviator Makes Several
Flights in Biplane at Benning.
M0NOPLANE STILL DISABLED
Harmon Circles Around Track and
Comes Down Easily-Crowd
of 1000 Present.

his Dlpiane having been repaired, al
though the racing monoplane is still a
wreck as the result of Fridays accident,
Claude Grahame-White was able to get
into the air at. Benning yesterday and
gave an exhibition Of flying that enter
tanned more than 100 persons.
1t was merely an exhibition till the last
event of the afternoon, and then he raced
an automobile and the contest was a
close one. The machine was Sam Lut-
trells, and is. one of the fastest in Wash
lngton, while Luttrell himself Is quite
accomplished speed artist There
was no official time taken. but the
watches that We're held unofficially made
the time range from fifty to fifty-f1ve
miles an hour.
Mr.. White got away from the center Of
the field after considerable work over
the engine. but when the big machine
rose II seemed to have the necessary
power behind it. He sailed leisurely to
all appearances down to the end of the
field, made a wide circle and started
back. Meantime the auto had started
down the backstretch and came tearing
around the third turn in a cloud of dust
for the track was heavy and in no condi-
ton for fast running.
Makes Quick Turn.
w men tue dFidtOr saw tnat the auto
was under way he made one of his char
acteristic short turns and cutting across
the lower end of the field went after the
motor car. 1t was the first time that
Washington had ever seen a race be-
tween a vehicle of the earth and one of
the air. 1t looked like a race, too. The
airman did not fly high, but came down
close to earth and hung over the top of
the speeding auto though he were
great BIRD half-minded to pick it I'D
in his claws and make off with it,
The sight was more than anything else
like hawk after rabbit, with the
spectacle enlarged d few hundred times
On the straight, where the auto had the
best running, it forged ahead a little,
but the turns. where the aviator had
the whole atmosphere to bank against
and the auto was confined to a nearly
level track, the flying machine had de-
cidedly the best Of it.
There was no question of loafing or
leisurcly flight with the automobile to
form contrast The machine was 60
ing and going fast. The flying machine
was not moving any faster than it al
ways did. but the sight of d contest and
the rush of the motor car along the
had not been felt with the machine fly
ing alone.
The watches showed that the pace was
between fifty and fifty-five miles an hour
anu tht toIull1 OF aust nung over the
track without a chance to settle between
the rounds of the machine. Grahame-
White had come down and was sweep
ing along less than half the height of
the grandstand and we'll within the cloud
OF dust stirred up by the motor car
Keep Close Together.
Whether or not Luttrell let his auto
out to the last notch is impossible to
say, but the flying machine and the ma
chine on the ground hung close together.
and after three rounds of the track Mr..
White turned his plane upward and
circled away toward the infield. while
the automobile ran into the backstretch
before it slowed down. The big biplane
clearly enough was a close match for a
swift auto in running.
Clifford Harmon gave an exhibition of
flying after Grahame- White had tested
out the repaired machine earlier in the
afternoon. Mr.. Harmon made half a
dozen rounds of the track and dipped in
front of the Srandstand and showed that
he had perfect control of the machine.
Finally he landed on the track and while
his descent was not SUCH feat of ac-
curacy as Grahame Whites landing in
ment, 1t was sufficient evidence that the
flying machine can be put pretty near
where the driver wants 1t. like an auto
mobile or a horse-drawn wagon
Grahame-W White was the first in the air
during the afternoon exhibition He cir
cled the field. swooped close TO the
ground and rose again. and finally as
cended to height Of about 500 feet, at
which distance the machine looked small
enough to make a hard mark to hit with
rifle fire He made glide to the field
from a height of 400 feet, landing gently
after a swift descent.