New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-30
DEFENDS AUTO RACING
A. HOPKINS Points Out Facts In
Stock Car Situation.
DENIES DANGER OF SPORT
The Automobile and It's Use Will
Not Be Affected Either Way
by Speed Contests.

Hopkins. president OF the Abott-
,,.,-oi, Motor Company, has this timely
..,rihution 70 make 10 the question OF
- ,ace or not TO race" Tilt is troubling
.sa automobile manufacturing world.
In the first place. take issue with the
Gentleman who claims that all entrants in
ices use a specially built chassis. Taking
:, instance nearest home we ourselves
csme in second in the Msssapequa Sweep
cakes and won the Philadelphia trophy
- ,he Fairmont Park race i'm an absolute
s, stock chassis. with one o. our own fac
tory men driving.
furthermore. the gentleman is begging
the question Whether a racing car is a
,,ock car or not Is not vital The vital
,sc, Is that one particular make OF auto
mobile wins say for the sake Of argu-
mont the car with which they win is not
4, stock car But the fact remains that
rat particular maker did build enc car
good enough 10 win.
as Z, likely. then. IS 10 reasonable TO sup
nose that having built one car strong
enough and fast enough and fine enough
a. win. he viii deliberately forsake the les
son in correct construction be has thus
cars with malice aforethouSht. as the law
yer say? Taking for granted the winning
"a. is not q stock car is 70 not logical TO
suroose that having learned from IL how a
roo4 car should be built that the maker
Uiu avail himself Of this teaching in all his
future cars
Furthermore. tho gentleman 7 am quot
Ing speaks Of the danger o. life and limb
IN racing iu terms horrid enough 10 con-
lure M a mental image of a racetrack
strsvu with the bodies of haplesS drivers.
This rs so far from beinS the case that
81 inspection OF the list OF this years rae
Ing drivers will show nne-teuths Of them
20 be the veterans ~ the profession who
have gone through dozens ot races with no
worse misfortune than eyes ful Of cinders.
The few accidents that do occur are for the
most part due 10 negligent road guarding
and improper handling CO tho crowds Of
spectators and these can ho avoided.
"On the other hand, the pa,,isans on the
other side. who enthusiastically proclaim
automobile races as indispensable 10 the
trade. considerably overstate the case
The automobile has come to stay, jus,
e the telephone and the telegraph have
come 70 stay. II has practically solved the
traction and commercial vehicle problem Of
our country 10 has become. and Is daily
becoming more SO. an indispensable need in
the lives % a. classes. and can no more ne
affected oy lack Of road races than the use
az water would decrease If frequent aquatic
matches were not held
II think the Abbott-D Detroit takes the
ssme middle ground in this matter We
entor all racing contests we can get into
because OF the pride Abbott Detroit owners
have IN the performances of our cars. Be
sides this. the Abbott-Detroit Bulldog car
is now making 10000 mile endurance run.
under the most trying road and climatic
conditions possible. to demonstrate the
sturd. ness OF the car.
But. above and beyond these. We pin
our faith and our sales. not to races, not
20 endurance contests, not TO publicity. but
10 the production OF a car"