Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-12-30
MERCER A BIC
WINNER IN 1911
Takes Thirty First Places and
Many Seconds and
Thirds.

mary of the most important speed con
tests of the year the 3OO-inch Mercer
raceabout has the distinction of holding
second position. This record is all th'
more gratifying to Mercer followers wher
it is considered hat in the resume tnt
make a better showing is one having one
and one-half times the piston displace'
ment.
The official records show that Mercer
cars have thirty first places, sixteen sec
ond places and thirteen third places tc
their credit. In road races four hrsts, one
second and four thirds we're taken; III
beach races three tirsts, two seconds and
one third nave been secured; In NIL
climbs, although very little work was
done, three hrsts, two seconds and two
thirds were tucked away, and in track
events, one of the most difficult forms OF
all automobile competition, twenty frsts,
eleven seconds and six third places were
secured.
This enviable record is entirely due to
the remarkable consistency of Whicn
Mercer cars are capable, Th1s FACTOR OF
| Mercer success was most clearly demon
strated in the Savannah Challenge Iropny
Race when Hughes drove the distance OF
221.S2 miles in 1876 minutes 81 seconds an
average speed of 6S.34 miles per hour. Al
no time throughout this race did Hughes
push his car to the limit. He drove ex-
actly in accordance with directions, ana,
had he chosen to do so, his average speed
could easily have been over seventy miles
In an impartial report of the savannah
race a Northern press authority had TINS
to saw: 1.-The consistency of Hughes In
his faultlessly acting Mercer was one OF
the p~rettiest exhibitions of the day. Ihere
was no hysteria, no squirting; everything
was faultlesssly ordered. 1t was a triumph
! for superb driving and correct machinery.
The 1911 season was opened In Call
fornia on February u wn 4 lpsei6c r wot
race. The Mercer had things very largely
its own way in this event, finishing apout
two laps ahead of the nearest car; FOL
lowing this Western contest Hughie
Hughes cleaned up things In the speed
carnival held in March at Pablo Beacnl,,
Fla. In the one-hour race for So0Llnch
cars he not only finished in hrst Esace,
but he established a class record or I2;S4
miles. In the ten-mile free-for-all handi-
cap event Hughes piloted his mount 70
victory in the good time OF Sm; ofs; lniro
place was secured in the SOO-mile race
for cars up to 600 inches piston displace-
ment. u..u .ha
big 50O-nile race at the Indianapolis
Motordrome on May so. This contest. was
open to cars up to 600 cubic inches piston
displacement. and, although tne Metc ef
only 300 cubi inches, the makers deelueu
to enter two cars for the purpose OF see
ing what they could, do. The result Was
even better than had been expected. De-
spite the fact hat among their competl-
tors were some of the most powerful ours
made, those two raceabouts went througn
J the lDnG EEutlllHB Elli4. ait ICY
of taking twelfth and fourteenth POSI-
tions. Both cars averaged over sixty-seVen
miles an hour, and they hn1shed Wltnont
its once having been. necessary TO raise
( the hood OF either car. The MERGERS were
/ the smallest cars entered, expect those
of one other manufacturer.
During June practically tne 9niy y aa tbee
Hawthorne track, Chicago. AT this meet
/ Schillo won a five-mile class event. anu
Hughes had the distinction OF taklng SET,
- olaoa in tha HftV-milp race for cars up
to 600 cubic inches.
On July 4 the Eastern campaign was
started, several creditable wins Delns
made 1T the Brighton Beach. n. Y; track.
J At this meet Hughe won a hVe-mlle Grass
race in 4 minutes 90 seconds, captured u
tive-mile free-for-an handicap and secured
second place in the sixty-mile race for
cars up to 600 inches. July l Mercer cars
won first and second prizes IN a class
event in the Osslning, N. T., hill climb.
The next contest of any Importance IN
which the Mercer figured was the speed
carnival held at Point Breeze Il LEX, Pnlla-
delphia, on July 20. This resulted in a
Mercer walkover, four firsts and three
seconds being the days record. Harvey
Ringler. a private owner. had the honor
of taking three of the first prizes, ana
Hughie Hughes took the tie 9 f09IIuob Slrsie n
ten-mile special and a ten-mlie handlcdp,
while Hughes won a wenty-nVe,niile
event, establishing a track record, ahd ais9
ten-mile handicap.
The premier honors of the year were
secured in August at the Elgin ull ma
tional Stock Car Championship. On thls
occasion Mercer cars won the title OF
champion light car, by Winning o Ine
Kane County race, a S9O-inch ha a !
places in his contest went to the Mercer,
Hughie Hughes being the winner, VIII
w. F. Barnes, jr., as runner-np. nughes :
hour, and he established the American
road record for stock cars up to go cupiC
inches. Hughes also finished third IN tne
Elgin national championship aVeiasnis
a two-day meet was held at Brighton
Reach. n. Y. ON September 2 and 4, anc
cleanup. On the first day he won q hve.
mile class event and secured second place
in the hfty-mile race for cars, up 10 oV
inches. On the second day ne Won I
ive-mile class event, a flve-mile free-for'
ali handicap, was first in a hfty-mile race
for cars up to 600 inches. establishing :
track record of 1856 minutes. and secured
third place in a ten-mile event LOT car
namely, September . and 4, Harve,
town owl Pa. and Salem, n. j. The first da,
Mr. Ringier won a ive-mile class even
at Pottstown and the second day ne Iooi
three hrsts and one second at Salem
He won a fve-mile class race, two fve
mile match races, and was second in
fve-mlle special, making two miles OF
also figured in the victories of Septembe
4 He raced his car at Scranton, Pa.
winning a three-mile class event and
fve-mile class event.
Al the Syracuse State fair, Septempe
! o. Hughes won a five-mile class event
with De Palma a close second, AM
Hughes also finished second In a htty-mil
: class event. after having blown out tW'
! shoes. The next racing done was a
Hartford. Conn, on September -, whei
be Palma won a five-mile class even
and also a five-mile free-for-all. From
here De Palma went to the Guttenperg
N. j., track on october 2, where ne won
fve-mile free-for-all and a five-mile clas
event.
Mercer activities, Hughes winning tn,
, Glass C division of the Fairmount Parl
' Race on October 10, while DePalma, ais
, driving a Mercer, finished second.
On October ID the Mercer showed III
strong in the 300-inch class of the SAINT;
I Monica road race. Hanshue was the driver
? and he finished third, averaging 6I99 mile
; per hour. and he also had the distinction
; Of making the fastest lap. A clearer e
zation of the Mercer performance in thi
(, race can be had when 1t is considered tina
b. Hanshue did not receive this car until
A, Wednesday preceding the race. From
p, Santa Monica Hanshue moved to the Lo
, ANGELES Motordrome, and on Saturday
October is, he won a ten-mile class rae
and also a twenty-mile class event.
/, New LOxier for waldo.
Finished in the brilliant green colors
typical of motor cars in the service of tn