El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-05-22
ENTER
BIC MOTOR EVENT
Elimination Trials at Indi-
annapolis Are For 800
Mile Race.

indianapolis, Ind. May 22.-Highly
s'tund" and mechanically as perfect as
the skill of the modern motor car
maker can produce. 46 of the fastest
racing automobiles ever assembled are
at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
awaiting the elimination trials next
Friday (which will determine whether
they are eligible to start in the 500
/ mile international sweepstakei race on
Memorial day, May so. Every car must
show speed of Is miles an hour to
qualify for one of the greatest races
in the history of the motor contest
sport. When the entries to. this event
were closed May / there were As cars
entered, manned by a list of drivers
in America, as well as several who
made their regulations in Europe be-
fore coming to the United States.
It has been nine months since the
initial announcement of this contest
was made by the promoters and each
month has witnessed an increase OF
interest on the part Of the public as
well as the manufacturer. Almost six
months ago the first entry was made.
when a Case car, with Lewis Strang
as the driver. was entered. From that
time on the entries were sent in stead
lily until the largest field ever drawn
together for one event was announcer
when the entries were closed. The
greatest number of entries in any one
contest previous to this time was rs.
The long race has assumed even
greater proportions than the promo
tiers had anticipated when the purse OF
$25, geo .n gold was offered for the win
ners of the first ten places. A capital
prize of $4,000 headed a list of nine
others as follows. Second, $4,000; third,
$4,000: fourth. $4,000; fifth, $500; sixth.
$1,000; seventh. j. $500: eighth, 800;
ninth. $500: tenth, $500 In addition to
this small fortune there have been add
ed side prizes by various accessory
makers, which bring the total to be
won up to about $4,000. Supplement
ing the cash prizes are 10 bronze
plaques which will be given to the en-
traf1ts Of the ten winning cars. 1t long
has been the rule in motor car racing
that the drivers shall receive the cash
prizes and the makers the trophies.
Conditions Of Race.
The conditions of the race. which is
a class event are that eachkcar shall
weigh at least 1900 pounds and have no
more than 500 cubic inches piston us
placement This makes cars up TO
about 100 horsepower eligible. The
As cars have a total of 20.160 cubic
inches of piston displacement. giving
an average of 4SS cubic inches per car,
according to its motor constructions.
The majority OF the cars in the race
in their tryout have averaged about 20
to 100 miles per hour. while many OF
them are capable Of doing two miles
per minute The entry fee paid by the
entrants was $500 per car.
Estimates on the average speed which
will be attained in the long race have
varied widely, but experts express
belief that the winner will travel the
500 miles at a rate Of about 10 miles
per hour.
The race will start at 10 o'clock In
I the morning and probably the winner
will cross the tape on his last lap about
5 o'clock in the afternoon.
The officials for the race have been
chosen from all over the United States.
most of them having been officials at
many of the other great race meets o.
the country. Fred ]. Wagner, of New
York. will act as starter, while George
Robertson. the former racing driver,
will be an assistant. A. R. Parding-
! ton. of New York, will referee, while
r P. Hooper. president of the Ameri-
can Automobile association, is the hon.
! orary official in that capacity. Judges
/ and other officials have been chosen
| from among the most prominent manu'