New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-16
PLEA FOR "SAFE' RACING
De Palma Suggests Official Prac'
tice Supervision.
NOVICES ALWAYS RECKLESS
Motor Racing Drivers Associa.
ton Will Endeavor to Have
Wrongs Righted.

In discussing the accidents which oc-
Cured at Brighton Beach recently. Raipn
De palma. the famous driver Of Simplex
cars made some interesting remarks and
offered a suggestion or two TO eliminate t"e
danger connected with Dirt saucer racing
in he future.
ct is unfortunate that several drivers
have lost their lives on tracks recently
he said. but in about every case the
trouble was traceable chiefly 10 one thine-
irexpcrience do not wish 20 appear IN
kind in cridcisins the boys who are no
longer with US. but merely merton Il 10
suggest a cure for the fault n the future
strange 70 say. nearly all of the bad sc-
c,da,ts lotelv have occurred in practice
e., tho race itself-and these ac-
cide,ts would not have happened mad the
men involved obeyed instructions ana 'he
American Automobile Association ruies' =.
Rriohton one Of the victims in practice did
what no experienced race driver would at
tar,n. He drove on the course While the
oil was Icing laid. and against the track
SUPERINTENDENT order AZ that NJ INC
,,..o,c instant he encountered the OIL
vo0on and turning too sharply shdded
on the freshly oiled surface and upset me
next dav Door Frey lost his life when an
other driver cut him Of without giving
sufficient warning
When tho snash-up occurred IN the ten
rnil. handicap on July It was though IN
expcrfeaced pilots not oheyirs orders. me
race received a false start, some OF the
driyers who pulled away first falling 20
await the signal They we're novices ana
no, only did thew make This blunder but
also failed 70 nav attention 10 siSna4s 70
halt Inasmuch as this race was d hanul-
cap ard the long markers ~ the finish CT
their FIRST lap might expect 10 see the
scratch men at the wire on the pole SIDE
avaitire the signal 20 go, none 81 the
small car drivers should have tried 20 pass
over the wire on the pole. but should have
cor,. down the stretch nearer the outside,
in which case the smash-up would nave
been avoided.
"Tbe remedy I would suggest would be
for tha A 4 4 contest board 20 nave
representative ofHcielly appointed 70 SUI
nervise practice az each meet This would
not he difficult or expensive. The drivers
, who have been through the mill know no"
10 take care OF themselves. They always
give each other a sufficiently wide oerth'
and you viii notice that the veterans DO
not dr,ve as fast in practice as in compeu-
ton
Z would suggest that during practice on
small courses the experienced men be al
lotted certain periods 70 try out their cars
and novices different periods. In this way
all would get The same fair chance and y
the supervisor saw 20 Il that only a Jew
novtces were permitted on the course az
one time there would be fewer accidents
The practice supervisor could be any reia-
BILE team manager or even driver. THIS
is a point which the Motor Racing Drivers
Associa ton. OF which I am a director, VII
probably take up with the 4. 4. \. contest
board in the near future
1T would displease ne greatly as vel
as numerous other drivers. 70 see the 4. a.
A abolish mile track racing. II is on the
mile tracks that ! made most OF my world 9
records. and with nv Simplex hope "a
| get more before I am through. II the
/ a A. \. decides 70 sanction no more dirt
/ track events We will have outlaw meets
and hippodrome racing viii crop M al
over, which will he detrimental 10 the IN
DUST and give racing more black eyes.