Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-03-05
OLDFIELD is OFF AUTO BOOKS
Dare Devil Barney's Suspension Will
Affect the Records.
HARROUN HAs MOsr MARKE
Holds ChampionshIp for Speedway
Race--De Palma Best ON Dirt
Tracks, with Promising
Prospects.

NEW YORK, March 4-The American
Automobile association has revised its
record books OF speed competition. The
lists have been brought up to date by the
contest board and await new results in
the ever-wagins battle between time and
motors. with the opening OF the regular
racing season not far removed, the records
afford the speed fsnciers abundant ma
terial on which to speculate on the making
Of new marks
That 1910 was great year in automobile
racing Is evident when one considers that
eighty-two Of the 104 records on the books
we're made last year. Judging from the
plans of manufacturers and race meet
promoters, 1911 should see another sweep
ing Of the lists.
Owing to the fact that Barney oldfield
Is serving a years suspension. ending in
January, 1912, for breaking the American
Automobile associations rules, as we'll as
records. 1t is almost certain that his name
will not be on the record books as often
at the end OF the year as It is now. Fool
ish statements that oldfield is the all
around association champion driver ara
disproved by the records. DePaIma and
Ray Harroun did better than Oldfield at
the dirt track and speedway game It is
on the beach that Barney exeslled. Incl
dentally beach driving does not require the
skill OF track OF speedway. 1t is merely
a case OF getting the fastest car made and
letting it out to the limit. With credit
to Oldfeld. he had the nerve to open his
engines wide.
Summed up, DePalma begins the season
acknowledged to be the best dirt track
driver, Ray Iarroun has the most speed
way marks to his credit and Oldfield is the
speed king Of the beach. This rating win
be shaken rudely during the coming
months. DePalma is likely to retain his
dirt track supremacy, but unless Harroun
forsakes his monoplane factory there viii
be a new speedway leader II the Navarro
QiaO and Hemery (Benz) match race Is
held at Paytons. Fla. as planned oldfield
probably viii be pulled from his ruling
seat on the beach.
Barney drove his mile at Paytona last
March in 1883 seconds. On the speedway
he made S5:6S seconds for the same dis
lance. DePalma's record mile for a dirt
track is 1892 seconds. Incidentally, Old
field would like nothing better than to
exchange his speedway mile time for
DePalmas track record. Barney has al
ways back-patted himself that he is with
out an equal on the dirt track. Yet
DePalma holds that record.
Regarding DePalma, no holds six Of the
twelve short distance dirt track marks
oldfield has four. Including beach, dirt
track and speedway events, however. Old
field and DePalma are tied with thirteen
apiece II DePalma holds to his present
form he should add many new marks to
his present thirteen before the years rae
ing ends.
Regarding the performances OF cars. the
Marmon holds twenty-five records. all
made ON the speedway; the Fiat has nine
teen. well distributed with one on the
beach, twelve on the speedway and six on
dirt tracks; the Benz has eleven in ali,
five on the beach five on the speedway
and one on the track. =
There are two remarkable long distance
records both twenty-four-hour marks. a
distinction being made as to stock and
class c. The LoEier is given the stock car
record At l9g miles, while the Etearna ia
credited with 1873 as a class c perform
anee, which really means a free-for-an.
Harroun has the one and two-hour speed
way records. the former at seventy-four
miles and the latter at l4s both made at
Los Angeles I'm the Marmon.