The Washington times., 1911-09-16
WORLDS GREATEST
MOTORDROME WILL
Be NEAR NEW YORK
Corporation With Million
and a Half Has Elabor-
ate Plans.
By HARRY WARD.

Automobile racing fans are delighted
with the news that a two-mile motor.
drome Is planned near New York The
construction Of this speed course 10 the
latest movement In motordom, and has
set those connected with the automobile
industry and the sporting public to
talking
Z A corporation with a million and Q
half dollars capital Is back Of the prof.
ect, and II is planned to mako the mo-
tordrome the greatest thing Of the kind
In the world. The Brooklands track, In
England Is the finest automobile courns
In the world, but IL present plans are
carried through the one 10 be erected
near New York viii eclipse 1t In size
and appointments.
As the course is now planned there VIII
be but Two distinct turns and a slight
turn. On the south side there win be q
straightaway OF AN feet. with turns
starting gradually from each and run
ming northward. Work on the speedway
win soon be started. and II Is probable
its initial meet will be run during the
fall Of 1917
New York has been lacking zeal motor
contests since the Vanderbilt Cup race
was lost to the Metropolis and trans
ferred to Savannah, because military
protection Of the course could be OBJ,
taIned.
Having achieved much fame as an auto.
mobile racing driver, Ralph De Palma
has embarked in a new venture. He VIII
build automobiles to order :or private
customers. Long recognized as one OF
the most daring and successful drivers
in this country, and also regarded as
one of the cleverest men on the me-.
chanical end OF motors, De Palma's ex-
perience with high-speed machines un-
der the most extreme conditions will
prove valuable In his new line of work.
The Pope Automobile Company has
been advised that the Oakland Motor
Car Company has brought out a new
model known as the "Sociable' road
three persons comfort
ably in one seat The car was designed
by George E. Daniels, general manager
of the Oakland company.
Following a conference between Har-
vey Granger, president of the Savannah
Club. s. NJ. Butler. chair.
man of the contest board of the Ameri-
can Automobile Association, Fred Wag-
ner, official starter of the Savannah
races and a number of manufacturers,
1t was decided to change the condi-
tions OF the Savannah trophy and Tfede-
man trophy races, the light. car events
to be run in connection with the Van
aerbilt and Grand Prize races, 30, that
they will be removed from the stock car
and run as non-stock car
events. 1t is believed the change viii
result in the entries for these events
being increased nearly 50 per cent. The
change will allow the makers to make
any changes they may see fit on their
cars to improve their racing qualities,
and removes entirely any requirement
that the cars be stock models
With the restrictions removed the
light car events will now class with the
Grand Prize and Vanderbilt Cup races
as events for racing cars strictly, ana
differ from the big events only In the
matter Of piston displacement
John Larcombe, of the Motor Sales
Company, Is spending a few days In
New Yo-k-
Speculation and curiosity are now
acute concerning the manner in which
he automobiles entered In the Glidden
Fla, will line up as to formation OF
.eams The decision to name the teams
according to the cities from which the
entries emanate and the rule permitting
motorists to decide Wnicn
team from their city they shall join.
puts a new phase on reliability COM
petition because II is certain that sew
sraI teams will be composed OF cars
that, in everyday business, are strong
-ivais Under these conditions the par
.icipation Of private motorists, already
me of the features of the tour, viii re-
,ult in lining UP groups of cars Aot
necessarily of the same make, but each
competing against other mixed grollps
md such factory teams as may be en-
When a majority of the entries have
,een completed and the full list OF
,ities to be represented is known, It
viii ba Interesting to see some Of the
ow-priced cars linked up as teammates
4 cars costing $500, at the same time
competing in their own low price
lasses.