The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-10-24
RACE DRIVERS MENTAL STRAIN.
Ptlois Under Severe Nervous Tension In
Road Contests.

| The public hears constantly Of the great
| nervous strain under which automobils
racing drivers labor during a hard contest
and yet a. a general thing this strain u
taken purely hearsay matter, say
Jesse Froehlich. masAEing director OF
! the BenZ concern Many Of the little
! incidents occurIing during big road race
/ plainly show the great nervous tension
under which drivers labor
/ In the recent Vanderbilt cup race David
Bruce Brown 81 the REM team pulled ur
a. the side ~ the road 10 replace a tire and
was Immediately surrounded ny the surg
I Ing crowd. in fact the curious spectator.
crowded the Benz driver closely that ne
and lis mechanic we're seriously hAmpered
in their efforts 10 replace the tire
At this Bruce Brown became 20 excited
that he seized = wrench from his car and
actually made a 'swipe az one Of the most
troublesome spectators IL 10 n fact that
viii he acknow lodged by every one nc
guainted with the usually smiling Bruce
Brown that no man - more good natured
han D." In this particular instance. how
over. his manner was ~ convincing that.
curious ~ the crowd was they CAV" IN"
Rem car = liberal margin and stopped
hindrring Brucr brown and hts mechanic
in their tire replacement
-OutUarilv 81 course all racing drivers
are apparently Stolid and Unconditional
and they themselves are doubtless unaware
81 the violent mental strain under which
they are lAboring. Barney Oldheld-thAt
veteran Of racing-with his hundreds Of
the man who with his cOO horse power
Benz holds the worlds record for the fastest
mile ever travelled, shows The increase
nervous tension under which he labors
10y little additional ,hewlng ON the butt
81 his inevitable cigar This II rcarCely
percepiihls and outN ardly the man seems
10 have iron nerves Vet after race his
cigar shows deeper teeth marks THAI under
normal conditions
famous Tor his fearless driving. goes in Ap-
patru'ly the most indifferent and business
lbs" way Niewtns raS" purely as something
Nevertheless he m, CONSCIOUSLY labors under
the tension ~ ,oncenirated application
'p N" business In hand when The men
~ tho Rem pii were particularly slow IN
making a nm" change during the recent
Vanderbilt cup race tears oi rage came
could not RESTRAIN 'hiS sign ~ emotion " hen
he realized hi- Benz car VAS losing valuable
IRWIN B-rgduil the Philadelphia driver
who's. hem lsd for ten laps m the Fair
mount PARK road race. recently said - me
IN" greatest strains on a diver are those
enraiisd hy lack Of confidence. IN his car
! never have Anv douht bur that my REM
will stand up for any strain to which may
that no vital part 81 the car, either the
scoring gear. ~" HNle-. wheels or trans
mission. VIII ever 20 tnFh on me would
! NOT drive car IN which ! did not have
p-rfeCt confidence because every race
driver knows hat nof only u he endanRstIng
life and limb IN car of doubtful qulaItv
but that N" constant nervous tension ~
hound - interfere with hi~ success have
driven my Benz - N" limit hut have never
v"t been able 20 subject " 30 any strain
which o. vas NOT competent 20 thoroughly
sifh>tand With my Beny ALWAYS enter
q race free from the slightest care or WORRY
"ntatl"t hN any duuht Of my car
H"m"rN. Nhp % nearly won the frs'
grand pm" race ~ savannah IN ipns with
hi, REM. - driver Of Characteri-'iCallv
foreign 'rai's ono" IN car he never
shows anv emotion whatever. and u u
IIflDu,f 20 TrHlIy" when one secs him that
MS man j. fahiug h,- NJ in ~ hands
N has h~-u said 81 him that N anybody
should draw q freight car on m" road where
li"m"rv Vas driving b" would neither
-V"rF" 20 pc right nor the left hui would
ride over - n %" could or through - n that
Ma impossible
Yea - The STAR ~ race Hemsry in
yariHhN glar""- A. the grand stand and
locates his charming Partisan wife some
Whsre among he spsyf afoTr before putting
lis Rem m motion Tho ordinary =psCta-
tors NJ q rae" 'sn scarcely realize he mi Net
emotions ami feelings and Wild thoughts
which follow each other IN rapid succession
IN ~" minds ~ -" drivers in a long ant
hard road rae"