Omaha daily bee., 1911-11-12
Make Three Miles a Minute?
ny BARNHY oLDFIELD.

ny BARNEY oLDFIELD.
Copyright, 1911. by Barney oldfleld)
Three miles minute Is the latest prom
sse OF Bob" Burman, speed kng. Two
weeks ago Burman sailed for Germany
20 arrange for the purchase OF the
greater bitten" model OF a European
make. A few days ago he cabled me thai
the deal had been closed and that he
would return 90 the United States within
a few days with tho new speed creation
/ am thoroughly familiar with the ne"
car. having been Instrumental IN having
the factory plan the construction OF the
500 horsepower space aunihlater ana /
believe that Bur1nan viii make good me-
promise to cover three miles In a minute
on the Florida beach. acientlc He'
laughed at the prediction few years ago
oftNo miles in a minute. In 1875 Demeoso'
covered the distance in .5SH; in 1910
eiipped the two miles In 5jts. and last
Aprii Burman turned the trick In little
better than 81 And the intrepid Michigan
lad is gong for a three-mile a minute
record with all the cornestncas N ne
makeup, and determination has been
dominant factor in the success OF Bur
man as a racing driver There Is no sheh
a thing as a limit 10 speed, that 10, ho'
until a milo IS covered IN nothing OF
better" In the early days OF autoinoohe
,actng the acientifc crowd used 10 scare
me nearly to death with the display OF
long Bst Of figures which they told me
renresented tho solution 81 the problem
~ centrifugal force" as applied 20 tires
and wheels and that when 1 attained
speed OF a mile a minute on circular
track there would be work FOR tho under
,aker Bat tires properly made and APP
pued TO the proper rim with plenty OF
i,lgs a. ,uat as safe at $50 miles an hour
a. nj a mile a minute gait herdiy be-
lieve that Barman can stand tho Str"ll
FOR three miles az such terrific speeu'
but l am positive that he can bring ms
mark of 2jM for the mile down 70
seconds. When ne left for Europe II was
wild Bob's" intention to make MS
atrasghtaway trial at Daytona some time
in February or March
talked TO a famous motorcycle ride;
the other Gay. The motor rider was
snthusing over the possibilities OF
motorcycle covering a mile faster than
eiant automobile. II will be recalled that
Glenn curtiss, the noted aviator claimed
40 have ridden a mile on the DaytohA
beach IN less than q seconds In 1905 The
trial was not officially timed, being mace
A. private effort, but Curtlss had two
experienced men checking him. The
aviator has often told me that motor
cycle fitted with an elght-cylsnder en-
sane could negotiate the mile journey on
the Florida sands In p or "a seconds
opinion seems to be divided as TO whether
a motorcycle could get sufficient traction
Al high speed with 80 little weight. one
thlng is certain, however, the next year
viii witness some remarkable bursts OF
speed.
II has been definitely decided by the
directors OF the sl,O0oOoo Indianapolis
speedway TO stage $4,000 race on Decor
alton day 1912. The dare-devlls are not
20 be asked TO compete in a race for a
paltry s2s,oo0 purse. The winner IL to re-
celvc $4,000 and even the driver who
finishes twelfth will be rewarded with
81 .oeo In gold. The next thing we know
they win be recruiting drivers from Wall
street. The race is to be az distance OF
100 miles, same as the event last Decora-
luH gay anu Will DC eF'h "
cars Of COO cubic inch displacement and
under. The field will be limited 20 thirty
starters and all entrants must show
seventy-five miles an hour or better for
a fun circuit OF tho track, which Is two
ana one-half miles. only two cars OF the
same mako will be allowed In the race
and the first thirty 20 enter will comprise
the field those unable 10 qualify will be
replaced from the overflow list. Last
May there were over forty starters and
many OF the cars were wrecked through
faulty steering gears and through being
improperly constructed. For next years
race one OF the greatest automobile en-
rlneers IN the industry VIII inspect the
i eniire lot or nominations and disqualify
those likely 10 cause accidents through
giving away OF some vital spot. Taken In
ALI the next race at indianapolis Will
be conducted along lines more thorough
than prevailed this year The promoters
have learned much from experience and
believe there win be few accidents In
The 1919 classic.
savannah automobiles predict that the
49,. g. tho Grand prlza and Wander