Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-12-24
ATLANTA WANTS CUP RACES
Vanderbilt and Grand Prize Auto
Events Not to GO Begging.
SOME SAY RACING IS WANING
Bcns Company Drops ont OF Game
Mig Races May he Made Invitation
Affairs for Amateurs and
Private Owners.

NEW YORK, Dec. aS.--Those who pro-
foss TO see the end of automobile racing
have. In the vernacular, gone off half
cooked" Because Savannah may not
have road racing next year does not
mean that the game Is dead. II Savannah
gives up the Grand Prize and Vanderbilt
II will be for the reason that Savannah
has decided that these events are no
longer good advertising for the city. SO
they will be taken elsewhere-perhaps 10
Atlanta While Savannah has had the
experience and can furnish the best
course I'm America, there are other points
In the south that have looked jealousy on
the advertising given that city by the
holding OF tho races. Atlanta is one OF
these. Among the thousands of strangers
who visited the course were many men
prominent I'm Atlanta affairs When the
rumor got around that the Grand Prize
might go begging in 1912. half a dozen
OF them began TO ask about the pos
slbility OF Atlanta furnishing the circuit
for next years races.
The inquiries, OF course do not neces-
sarily indicate that Atlanta will ask for
the paces, but no surprise should DO
adopted. While a liking for the sport
has been the principal motive in savan-
nah's conduct OF automobile racing, the
possibility OF attracting investors has not
been overlooked. The races have been
successful in showing outsiders the at
Effectiveness OF the town. as well as It's
growing Importance in a business sense.
Could Find Good Course.
Atlanta Is also DESTROYS of attracting
attention. 1t is a good roads center and
an automobile racing circuit could prob
ably be found there without trouble. 1t
is not unlikely, therefore, that Atlanta
viii try for the races II the rival city
abandons them. And the one thing neces-
sary to insure the continuance of racing
at Savannah is activity on the part OF
Atlanta.
The most important thing to be con-
sldered in connection with future re-
newals OF the Grand Prize and Wander
bile Cup races is not that of obtaining a
course. but of there being enough en-
tries to make the races worth while.
Some well informed persons believe that
racing is losing its hold and that it will
be difficult twelve months from now TO
bring together fields of cars large enough
20 insure good sport
Why there should be difficulty the
prophets do not say. The Benz company
has announced that II will cease racing,
but its cars will remain IN America. K.
r. Hollander OF the Fiat company said
before the Grand Prize race that his
company would continue TO race for the
gold cup as long as It is offered In COM
petition. Certainly there are several
American manufacturers preparing for
the 50o-nile race on the speedway next
Memorial day. All this would seem to
indicate that the honors to be gained by
winning one Of the classics will not be
overlooked.
The suggestion has been made that in
case canvass OF manufacturers fails TO
reveal a desire for a renewal OF the two
big races In 1919 the conditions can be
changed to make them invitation affairs
for private owners who use high powered
cars. There are dozens OF men owning
cars capable of running seventy or eighty
miles an hour. They have not been
prominent I'm speed contests because OF a
conviction that specially built cars woulI
be certain TO carry off the prizes.