The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-28
MU[FORD WINS THE VANDERBILT CUP; DEPALMA SECOND Automobile Classic Is Run Without a Single Fatal
 Accident MANY STARS FORGED OUT BY ACCIDENTS Weather Was Ideal for Racing and Spectators Were Treated to Good
 Sport-Mulford Broke All
 Previous Records


 Grand Prize Race Course. Savannah, November 27-When a white streak flash ed by the judges stand late today at the finish of the seventh Vanderbilt cup race, the American automobile world hailed Ralph Mulford as new cham pion.
 Not only had Mulford lowered all pre- vious Vanderbilt records, but he also surpassed tae Santa Monica performance of Harvey Herrick. in covering POP miles at the rate of 746S miles per hour. At that he was pushed to win the nerve rackng 292 mile contest by Ralph De Palma the brilliant driver of French Mercedes. De Palma finished just lit- tie more than two minutes behind the winner and eight minutes in advance of the other Mercedes entrant, Spencer Wishart.
 Only six of the IA cars to start were in at the finish and much to the surprise of every one such stars as Bob Erwin, the speed king, and David Bruce Brown, winner of last years Grand Prize race, were among those forced to drop out through the defection of their racing ma chimes.
 The race was run and won without the exaction of the usual toll of human life. Among the numerous accidents which be- fell contestants to the detriment of their chances to posses the coveted trophy, only one imperilled life and limb. A rear wheel of Bruce Browns Fiat car flew off at the head of the long Ferguson avenue stretch after a turn had been taken at slow speed. Bruce Brown and his me- chanician escaped unhurt to live and race another day.
 Burman Had Hard Luck
 Bob Burman was the victim of down. right hard luck sustaining one of the most unique accidents to his Marmon mount in the history of automobile racing. He had just completed the seventh lap in record time, one minute and a half be- hind Mulford, the leader. when loose stone flew np and straclx the gasoint tank connection with sufficient force tc destroy it's further usefulness. Burmar examined the damaged tube for moment and abandoned the race, realizing that he would be hopelessly distanced before he could make repairs. Joe Cyrus Patchke driver of the other Marmon en- try, also was running a grand race when an air pump gave way during the ninth lap and forced him out of the contest.
 Joe Watson took his Fiat back to camp when a leaky radiator threatened the de- struction of his engine by fire.
 1o6 running of the race. The air was just cool enough to make overcoats comfort able to those among the vast crowds that almost completely filled the grand stand The oiled road way glistened hard ana smooth in the autumn sunlight and with the way kept clear by a cordon of state troops drawn around the course. the drivers found it easy to let their cars out to the limit A high banked turn just above the grandstand made it possible for the racers to round in front of the specta- tors at full speed and pass the grand stand at a 70 mile an hour clip.
 Dozens of tires were burned up by the heat generated by the friction of such great speed. Mulford said tonight that he owed his victory to his good fortune in having to make only one tire change, as much as to the speed of his car. De Palma was less fortunate. being com pelled to stop four times for new tires ana at the finishe he was running prac- tically on the rim of one rear wheel.
 DePalma took the lead at the begin ming of the race and held it for four laps Then Muford passed him and was never headed.
 The formers tire troubles began inn medately after he had made two runs on the secon dand third laps. which he made in 1915 and 1916 respectively. He was leading Mulford by 43 seconds at the end of the fourth lap. On the next round Mulford was one minute and 40 seconds ahead of him. Then he gradu- ally pulled away while DePalma was wor- wing with his tires until he was almost six minutes ahead in the eighth. DePalma spurted desperately to regain the lost ground, some of his sensationa lturns near the grandstand exciting the admir- ation and wonder of the crowd
 At the beginning of the seventeenth and last lap Mulford was but a scant two minutes ahead and the spectators arose and cheered him as he dashed by for the finish Like an angry wolf on his trail DePalma's beautiful blue gray Mercedes swerved around the curve at a 75 mile clip and literally flew down the straight away in vain pursuit
 Mulford Wins
 "Mulford wns!" cried the announcer through ms meSdplOiic dIu tle tTOWQ rose as one and strained eager eyes to- ward the spot half mile away where the victor would first come into sight. A roar of Niagara-like proportions rent the air as the graceful white flyer en- tered the range of vision and the din continued until 1t had crossed the finish line without mishap, and with record GOT the last lap that made 1t impossible for the pursuing Mercedes to beat Though defeated, DePama was game to the end and he also was wildly cheered a. he finished two minutes and II sec onds behind the winner.
 The elapsed time of the six cars which finished the race was as follows: Losier (Ralph Mulford). .236 100 :6i 100 Mercedes (Ralph De Palma). .23S :11 ;95:lO0 Mercedes Spencer Wishart .,. .246 20 :37 100 I.ozier 1Iarry GranD ......... .250 :23 :57:1o0 Fiat (E. H. Parker). ........... .254 :25 :SS :1O0 Pope Hummer Iouis Disbrow) 70 :6S :100
 The average speed of the winner was 74.O7 miles an hour His time for the 2O2 miles against Herrick's record was 149 Herrick's record was 7463. The record for a former Vanderbilt race was 650S miles an hour, held by Harry Grant. winner of the 1909 and 1910 races, who finished fourth today. No new worlds record was hung up today except that for POP miles. as Nazaro averaged 7I.15 miles for 25s miles ;., +i,o ,.o oo For. fba Flora ci1n in Errauoo