The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-05-30
GREATEST AUTO
RACE IN HISTORY
BEING RUN TODAY
Indianapolis Speedway Scene
of Thrilling Contest For
Gold and Glory
FIAT LED At EMO Of FIRST
HUNDRED MILES T|ME.1;2;l6

-"ecHahlclah =" DICKSON h1lled Early In
the Contest When Greiner's Car
Blew a Tire and Left the Track
Eighty.Fiye Thousand SPECTATOR.
Motor Speedway, indianapolis. Nav
oV. - Elghty-t1ve thousand persons
nasseo ABOUT the two and one-half
mile oval on the grounds of the Indian-
dpolls motor speedway today ran the
gamut OF emotions in response to the
tnfllllng feats of the forty speed-mad
autohoplle pilots racing 500 miles for
fame and gold.
The trains last night brought into
lne already over-crowded city added
thousands. The hotels were inade-
quate ana many motor enthusiast
Win roll OF bank notes in his pocket
spent the night in the parks.
Al daybreak the down town streets
we're alive with sleepy throng ON
root and IN automobiles. The res
taurants were packed and turned
hundreds away hungry. At o'clock
tne road leading from the city to the
speedway was choked with automo-
plies and at the entrances to the big
course struggled good natured mob.
A cool breeze over night had driven
on the intense heat in which the city
mad sWeltered for two weeks. The
SKY was hazy but there was no indi.
cation that the day would be marred
by rain.
At o'clock the pits along the track
cage swarmed with mechanics and
tire men laying out their tools where
they could be snatched up in an emer-
gency. All the drivers were busy
about their motor cars examining
every part for a possible defect. Many
pilots and team managers had slept
with their cars. fearing their weeks Of
patient testing might through some
m1shap come to naught when the
great trial for endurance should put
its strain on the motors.
At $3.50 o'clock all cars were ready
for the start of the race. It was an
nounced that they would be sent away
promptly at 10 o'clock. Mechanics
and drivers nervously paced about the
pits eager for the call of the starter,
the signal for the beginning Of the
greatest race in the development Of
an automobile test Of skill and en-
durance in which the victor will win
fame and fortune
At Starter Wagner's order at 9
o'clock the cars, drivers and mechani-
clans took their seats and the cars
were lined up in the field back Of the
repair pits ready for the call to the
track. The speedway now afforded
an animated scene. The heavy fusi-
lade of the exhausts of the forty high
powered motors punctuated the music
of half dozen bands.
A tumult of applause arose from the
crowd when Bob Burman in the Blit-
zen Benz drove up before the grand
stand to be crowned speed king"
The heavy gold bejeweled crown pre-
sented by the manufacturer of tires
was placed on Burman's head after a
speech, which was drowned in the
noise of the thousand of spectators,
had been made. He then drove of
the track.
A parade of all the starters in the
race ensued. Starter Wagner an
nounced the names of the drivers and
the cars as they passed in review.
Each speed hero bowed to the cheers
sent his car around the track.
called the cars to the wire. President
Speedway in an automobile took a
position at the head car.
At 10 O'Clock tx e cars got away for
the starting lap.
The leaders, pressing the tail end
race right at its beginning an enor-
docnorofa
D. Bruce Brown driving Fiat led
at the end of the first 100 miles. His
time was 1922 16.
Mechanician Killed.
The first accident of the race oc-
CURED on the back stretch of the
track when Greiner's Amplex car
blew tire, the car leaving the track
and killing S. P. Dickson, the mech
anician, and perhaps fatally injuring
Greiner. Greiner had driven only
thirty miles in the race.
Greiner suffered several broken
ribs. The accident was due to the
car casting a front tire. Greiner
could rot hold the car to the track
and it skidded to the infeld and
whirled completely around. tearing
off both back wheels. Dickson was
thrown twenty feet against the
fence. His body was terribly man
gled. Greiner was hurt in the neck.
After thorough examination Of
Greiner, the surgeons announced this
afternoon that he was not seriously
hurt and that there was no concus-
sion of the brain as had been re-
ported. He has regained conscious
z @
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