Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-05-23

Indianapolis, Ind, May 22.-Highly
tuned" and mechanically as perfect
as the skill of the modern motor car
maker can produce, As of the fastest
racing automobiles ever assembled are
at the indianapolis Motor Speedway
awaiting the elimination trials next
friday which will determine wheth-
er they are eligible to start in the 500
mile international sweepstake race on
Memorial day, May 30. Every car
must show sped of IS miles an hour to
qualify for one of the greatest races in
the history of the motor contest
sport. When the entries to this
event were closed May 1. there We're
As cars entered. manned by a list of
drivers which includes every we'll
known pilot in America. as we'll as
several who made their regulations in
Europe before coming to the United
States.
1t has been nine months since the
initial announcement of this contest
was made by the promoters and each
month has witnessed an increase of
interest on the part of the public as
well as the manufacturer. Almost
six months ago the first entry was
made. when a Case car. with Lewis
Strang as the driver. was entered
From that time on the entries were
sent in steadily until the largest field
ever drawn together for one event was
announced when the entries were
closed. The greatest number of en-
tries in any one contest previous to
this time was %.
The long race has assumed even
greater proportions than the promot-
ers had anticipated when the purse of
$685. 600 in gold was offered for the
winners of the first ten places. a
capital prize of $4,000 headed list
of nine others as follows Second
$4,000 third $4,000. fourth $4,000 fifth,
$500 sixth $1,000: seventh. $500;
eighth 500: ninth 5000: tenth $500.
In addition to this small fortune there
have been added side prizes by vari
Gus accessory makers. which bring the
total to be won up To about $4,000.
experimenting the cash prizes are ten
bronze plaques which will be given to
the entrants of the ten winning cars.
II long has been the rule in motor ear
racing that the drivers shall receive
the cash prizes and the makers the
trophies.
The conditions of the race, which is
a class e event. are that each car
shall weigh at least 23G0 pounds and
have no more than 500 cubic inches
piston displacement This makes cars
up to about 120 horsepower eligible.
The As cars have total of 20,150
cubic inches of piston displacement.
giving an average of 438 cubic inches
per car. according to its motor con-
structions. The majority of the cars
in the race is their tryout have aver
aged about 95 to 100 miles per hour.
while many of them are capable of
doing two miles per minute. The
entry fee paid by the entrants was
$500 per car.
Estimates on the average speed
which will be attained in the long race
have varied widely, but experts ex-
press belief that the winner will
travel the 500 miles at rate of about
rs miles per hour.
The race will start at ten o'clock in
the morning and probably the winner
will cross the tape on his last lap
about o'clock in the afternoon.
The officials for the race have been
chosen from all over the United
States. most of them having been Of
ficials at many of the other great race
meets of the country. Fred j. Wag
ner of New York will act as starter
while George Robertson, the former
racing driver. will be an assistant. A
r. Pardington of New York, will ref
cree, while r. F. Hooper. president al
the American Automobile Association
is the honorary official in that capac-
ity, Judges and other officials have
been chosen from among the mos
prominent manufacturers and automo
bile men in the middle west.
The method, which would be EN-
| pioYed to start this event. has beel
| dliculty for the promoters to decide
The speedway management tinall
adopted the plan of firing dayligh
bombs which explode $50 feet in til
air and give forth dense cloud u
| smoke. one of these will be fired ev
| cry minute for FIVE minutes befor
| ten o'clock and at the stroke of ten
| special starting bomb will give the sig
| nal that will send the entirorfleld int
| one of the greatest races ever know
! After the start the contestants ar
sisnalled along the course by means G
coloi ed flags, each of which bear