The Washington times., 1911-01-01
NEW MILE RECORDS
MAY Be CREATED
Mardi Gras Speed Carnival
More Than Likely to
Shatter Marks.
By HARRY WARD.

Motorists are predicting new set Of
| mile-trftck records for the Mardi Gras
speed carnival, to be held in New Or
leans. February Is and q.
Homer George, contest manager OF the
New Orleans Automobile Club, is ar
ranging for electrical timing at the meet
and is enthusiastic over the chances for
new marks from one to fifty miles, with
a rev record for one hour. The present
orc-mile record for dirt circular tracks
is 4S:92 seconds, made by Ralph De
Palma, at Syracuse, September II last
At the same time De Palma lowered the
records I'D to and including five miles. A
week later, at Narabeth, Pa, he lowered
the ten-mile record. Barney Oldfeld,
who is now. under suspension by the
American Automobile Association, holds
the records from ten to fifty miles. De
Palma will hook I'D with Robert Bur
man, Caleb Bragg, and other speedy
drivers in tine contest for new records.
In order to give the pilots every oppor-
tunity to set new worlds records the
New Orleans track will be scraped to
the bUckshot loan, which is as hard
as asphalt. 1t will be thoroughly oiled
to prevent dust bothering drivers
The United States Motor Company,
one of the largest organizations in the
world, has created a big stir in the au-
Iomobile world by announcing lower
prices on several Of its lJn models The
fact that the new prices have been es-
tablished on the eve of the New York
automobile show, which is the signal for
heavy buying of cars TO begin, lends ad-
ditional interest to the new scale OF
prices. The Brush runabout Is now list
fha -n0dSTar
sell for S4S5. The new Maxwell prices
are of great interest. The 1G-horsepower
runabout remains at 5000, but includes a
lot of equipment. The model Q is listed
at $50; model 1, 1856, and model E.A.
81 80. The United States Motor Com
pany is also bringing out the Sampson
''335'' touring car, and a new Columbia
model.
George II. Robertson has definitely
retired from automobile racing and
has gone into business. He has ac-
quired an interest in a New York
automobile supply house and has been
elected president of the concern
after he will be a spectator only at
speed events on road and track, ex-
cept that he may act as an official
casionally. He drove his first race
his last public appearance was at the
Brighton Beach track last Labor Day,
when he defeated Barney Oldfield.
He became famous in 1908, when he
won a twenty-four-hour race on one
Saturday; won the Vanderbilt Cup
race the second Saturday, and cap
tured the first Fairmount Park road
race the third Saturday, being the
first American to win the Vanderbilt
race with an American made car. In
1909 he won the Fairmount Park road
race again and also the nationl stock
chassis race at Lowell He finished
second in the Indiana Trophy race and
third in the Cobe Cup race the same
year. He has numerous other vic
tories to his credit.
THE Willys-Oyerland Company, for
the first time in its history, will be ex-
hi5ited at the Madison Square Garden
automobile show in New York January
Z to H. said R. c. Smith, president Of
the Observation-Disclosures Motor Com
pany. Owing to the fact" continued
Mr.. Smith, that the Overland company
had a record of making the second larg-
est sales in the automobile industry last
year, the Association of Licensed Auto
mobile Manufacturers allotted the COM
pany second choice in space. It accept
ed space II, which IS centrally located in
the main hall" John N. WHY'S, presi-
dent and general manager of the WHY'S
Overland Company: George w. Bennett,
general sales manager: r. c. Smith, and
Lester D. Moore, jr., will be among
those present.