The Washington times., 1911-01-05
TRAINING
FOR RACING PILOTS
Hardships BY Driv-
ing of Cars Necessitate
Proper Preparation.
By HARRY WARD.

| The best posted men in the automobile
racing world agree that physical train
ing of IA racing driver is as essential
to. success as Is the training of an
athlete in any branch of sport
The stories of hardships In endurance
driving are told frequently by the dare
devil automobile pilots, but they are
treated lightly and are as little con-
sidered by the rank and file of drivers
as the element OF danger which is ever
present in the racing game.
Under the 1910 rules of the contest
board/ Of the American Automobile
Association drivers competing in track
and speedway contests were governed
by n three-hour limit. In many cases
this rule was said to 9have worked a
hardship on drivers whO were In physi-
cal condition to drive their machines
for a much longer period. That the
three AS will extend the time limit is
Indicated by advices from indianapolis,
to the effect that the management of
the Indianapolis motor speedway has
| secured the consent of the contest board
for the drivers in the international
| sweepstakes race at 500 miles to take
their cars through the long grind II
they are in satisfactory physical condi-
tioh and pass the examination of the
representatives OF the A. A. A. The
drivers have accepted this change with
considerable pleasure.
Strang Favors Plan.
Lewis Strang, one Of the famous driv-
ers OF the country. who was a partici-
pant in the Munsey Historic Tour. and
who will drive a Case car on the brick
oval at Indianapolis, said: THE present
rule does not permit a man to drive
long enough, especially on speedway
II acks, where the surface is perfect.
have handled cars In twenty-four-
hour races when we were at the wheel
from nine to eighteen hours without
relief. When I handled a six-cylinder
machine at Brighton Beach drove for
eighteen hours straight, and never felt
the last bit of fatigue. My arms and
wrists were in excellent condition. The
new rule pleases me-" Johnny Aitken,
another prominent driver, has also ex-
pressed pleasure at the change in the
rule.
Under rush orders a garage is being
erected on the grounds of the executive
mansion at Albany. N. Y. for the ac-
commodation of the machines owned by |
John A: Dix, who on Monday took up
his duties as governor of New York. |
Mr.. DIX will prove the first governor to /
occupy the executive mansion for any
length Of time to make use Of the auto /
mobile instead OF the family carriage Of /
former years. Governor and Mrs. Dix /
are fond OF motoring and the former
likes to sit behind the wheel of a fast /
car.
The Commercial Automobile and Sup
ply Company yesterday sold and de-
livered a Studebaker go touring car,
fully equipped, to Ralph Gait, and a
Stubedaker electric victoria to Mrs.
Evans.
Warm competition for the various Of
fees OF the Quaker City Motor Club,
one OF the best known motoring organi-
cations in the country, is in prospect.
No less than four members have been
nominated for the office Of president.
Charles Swain, w. Mosely Swain. and
A. IT, James.
Hal Chase has taken UP motoring, and
like everything else he undertakes, he
believes in doing it right. The jovial
manager of the Yankees and Frank Far
rell's hope" has mastered the art of
handling a car in a manner becoming
his position. He has purchased a Berg
doll 80" Chase is now looking for the
scalps of Ty Cobb, Larry Lajoie. iris
Speaker. and a few Of the other big
leaguers, who are as fully acquainted
with automobiles as baseball.
Oakland is preparing to make a Cali
fornia holiday of the opening of the
new motordrome near that city. 1t is
set for January q, and the event will
bring together many of the motorcycle
and automobile stars. The track will
probably be completed about January
TO- at which time the advance guard Of
drivers and riders will appear 1t is
that $4,000 in purses will be
distributed during the meet. De Roster,
Collins, Bake, Graves Seymour, Nc
the Samuelson brothers and
at least fifty California motorcyclists
will enter the motorcycle events.