New-York tribune., 1911-11-29
.HEMERY TAKES A CHANCE
Drives at FrightfuI Speed in
Practice for Grand Prize.
COURSE SLIPPERY BY RAIN
Savannah Resting Up After the
Excitement of Auto Race for
Vanderbilt Cup.
fBv Telegraph 20 The Tribune. ]

Savannah. Nov B-After the excitennen
Of the Vanderbilt Cup race Savannah spent
to-day In resting ND. Following the almost
perfect weather that favored the contest
Yesterday rain set IN last night. and the
downpour lasted for many hours making
the race circuit slow and dangerous. The
course. however. was thrown open for
practice at noon. Hemery. who has had
many years OF experience in racing. decided
that he wanted to know how 10 drive the
circuit in case the same conditions exis
on Thursday for the Grand Prize and he
was the first out He was followed by
Hearne and Bergdoll, the other members
OF the Benz team and the Buick pair.
Hemery made seven circuits Of the slip
perry course. In places on the straight
away he reached a speed OF ninety miles an
hour but he took no risks OF skidding on
the turns His fastest lap was a little more
than sixteen minutes, rate Of speed OF
about sixty-three miles an hour. The other
four drivers contented themselves with
slower work and fewer turns Of the course
This probably was the last chance for prac-
tice before the race, as there is little like
lihood that any work will be permitted to-
morrow.
Thus far there has been little betting on
the outcome. Hemery, II is generally con-
ceded has the fastest car and several
small wagers have been made that he VIII
do at least one lap on Thanksgiving Day
in 1901 or better. lap In that time would
be at the rate OF s5h miles an hour, or
more than ten miles an hour In excess OK
the worlds road race record
h. A. . faQf
laps in the Vanderbilt Cup race yesterday,
as we'll as in the first Grand Prize race,
was told Of the freak wagers on Hemery
We'll. he can do H." he said. so can l,
for that matter, but won't. II means sim
ply taking the turns at about seventy miles
an hour Most Of US do from 80 to 100 miles
an hour on the long straightaways, but
our average is lowered;by taking the turns
carefully"
The Benz company decided after seeing
Bob Burmans fine effort with the Mar
mon car In the Vanderbilt Cup race that
they would ike to have him on their Grand
Prize team, and this morning the members
OF the contest board were asked II they
would permit four Benz cars TO start. They
demurred. and so did the managers OF the
other teams. a majority contending that II
would be an unfair advantage for the Ger
man company They would have no ob1ec-
ton. they said. 10 the substitution or Bur
man for one OF the other drivers. Finally
the idea WAS abandoned, and Burman In
formed the Marmon manager that he could
count on him
The Vanderbilt Cup race was driven all
over again to-day i'm the De Soto Hotei
obbies. II even displaced the Grand Prize
as a subject OF conversation. The stories
OF nearly all the drivers who took part
were heard at one time or another. Many
had tales OF hard luck here and there OF
tires blowing" In places where IL was
necessary to pull to the roadside, where
Jacks would sink IN the ground. and other
experiences that meant the loss OF precious
minutes.
None OF the drivers, however, attempted
70 detract from Ralph Mulford's victory
with the Lozier car. II is doubtful, IN
fact. II a more popular victory could nave
been scored. ~ Muford is favorite with
all because Of his invariasle good humor'
whether winning or losing, and his fairness
20 his rivals In races.
Ralph has no hard luck stories to tell,
said Charlie Emise, the manager or the
I.ozier team, 10 whose attention 10 detail
much of the teams success has been due
I'm road racing for the last three years.
who ever heard Of a winner complaining
that the fates had been against him.
According to Mr.. Emise, the winning car
was built "a a stock machine. but was
slightly altered on lts selection for racing.
The cylinders were bored out an extra
eighth of an inch, adding about twelve or
fourteen inches TO the piston displacement,