The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1910-12-25
RACING RECORD Of
WOMAN CHAUFFEUR
Mrs. Cuneo Challenges Men
Drivers to Show a Better ALL
Around One.

"Many people have asked me how
l happened TO enter the automobile
racing game writes Mrs. Joan New
ton Cuneo in Country Life in America
"and what satisfaction could have
resulted from risking my life in such
manner just for the love of driving
car. My answer has always been that
I felt that if anything seemed worth
doing [ always wanted to do it to the
very best Of my ability.
Looking over my racing records l
find that each event under the vary
ing conditions was an Improvement on
the previous one and each cup and each
medal and trophy meant one step higher
in the automobile racing world
During the summer of 1905 I had
entered and driven my ear through the
Ghdden tour and in September a chal-
lenge came to me through the news.
papers to come to Atlantic City and
show what I co1ld do in handling a
ear at speed on the beach.
fMy car was in the shop being paint
ed and overhauled. but out she came
and was shipped by express to Allan
tic City, and competing with four men
driving gasolene ears I came in second
in the one mile race, being timed l
minute IS 2-5 seconds. I was proud
of my first record, but not satisfied /
knew if | had faster ear | could do
better, so ordered a 1906 model, and
before the body was put on, being In
vited to give an exhibition at the
Dutchess county fair at Poughkeepsie,
September %, 1905, I drove my new
chassis up there, and had my first ex-
perience at track racing.
..It was a case of love at first sight
and nv love for track driving lncreas-
ed each time I drove around one. There
was trouble with the oiling system on
the car. and my mile exhibition in L
minute % Is seconds was keen dis
appointment to me. On our drive home
the cause of the trouble was found
and remedied and we were arrested for
speeding. A gold medal was presnt-
ed to me for driving at Poughkeepsle
"November !, 1905, I drove my ear
in a three mile race on Point Breeze
track at Philadelphia. winning a silver
cap from three other contestants, time
4 minutes seconds-which was good
time for an IS horse power ear IN those
days.
I'm April. 1906, I was invited to
Atlantic City again, and drove mile
exhibition in ! minute ID seconds, and
made world S record for middlewelght
gasolene ears, n l minute 70 80 see
onds. for which I received gold and
diamond medal.
HAt the Rockland county fair, Or
angeburg, New York. in September,
1906. I drove an exhibition mile on the
half mile track in | minute 81 seconds,
which was a record for that track, and
still stands I believe. This added an
other gold and diamond medal to my
collection.
ssIn the spring of 1907 I drove in
hundred mile race at the Bennlngs
track in Washington, and came in third,
being timed hours % minutes.
"Touring contests then kept me busy
until the New Orleans Mardi Gras cele-
bration. when there were three days Of
automobile racing on the track there,
February 21. % and %. 1909. Com
peting with Ralph de Palma, George
Robertson. Louis Strang, Robert Bur
man. Jli!Iiit ny III anu oi44tl7' bN-i'
the last three named in every event l
drove in, and George Robertson in all
but one De Palma s specially built
track racer was too fast for my ear,
but 1 had good cause to be very proud
of nv records down there.
''During the three-day meet 4 one
mile event in minute Is second went
to my credit; silver cup for five miles
in ) minutes > seconds, another silver
cup for five miles in : minutes 9 2-5
seconds, gold horn for ten miles in
10 minutes 5 seconds. and the much
coveted gold trophy FOR the national
amateur championship presented by
Klaw & ErlaDger for FIVE miles in )
minutes S seconds.
''This amateur championship was
competed for again at New Orleans this
wear. but nv record still stands In the
fiftv-mile race at New Orleans | came
in second to De Palma. Ny time was
50 minutes 40 seconds. which broke the
worlds record at that time.
"In July, 1909, gave one and
FIVE mile exhibition at the Jamaica
track In October. 1909. I lowered the
one and five mile records in exhibition
at the county fair at Danhurv, Con-
necticut. 1t was two days later that
De Palma met with his accident en-
deavoring to lower my time there.
q had made record time in practise
on the Fort George Fort Lee and
Wilkesbarre hill climbs and for the
Briarcliffe and Long Island Derby road
races, but was not allowed to compete,
because, unfortunately, I am woman!
'After driving from New York to
Atlanta without even a puneture to
break the monotony of the trip, drove
my car around the new Atlanta Motor