New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-26
n. Palma Probable Choice for
200. Mile Race on the
indianapolis Motor
Speedway.

.,~ica's greatest race drivers. spurrcd
.hs chance to win pat Of the $4,000
lies. will start in the 50O-mile AUTO
COS -sas race on the Indianapolis Motor
sn.ay on Thursday morning. The
eP.,.-seven cars entered include the
N'- W., " the most prominent automobile
pies Of Europe and America. Only
ore that can make a complete lap OF
w' .,.,.and.a -half-mile track at speed
wv .,.ortv-f,s miles an hour i'm the trials
h.cin tomorrow morning win be per-
'n mad 70 start 1t is improbable that This
'.,,-.ment will reduce the field.
~. braakawdv is set for 10 o'clock. and
49,. r,ctorious car is expected to cross the
-. about six and half hours later. The
%. means the Jircling Of the track 700
IS and il promises to b. the most
's,,lipc contest of the season.
,or,rarative safety for the competing
,-i,ors Is assured for only an hour or two
lin the early stages. After that the
rr,ck surface will begin to take on scat
-. Of oil from the continuous whirlins
arsr II of the flying cars. Skill in taking
-. turns is bound TO be a big factor in
the result.
Tho speedway will try 10 make safe every
,ossihle angle Of the race. The track has
Ken gone over carefully and smoothed out.
Tn. drivers will he instructed tomorrow
,,cbt at 5 o'clock, in a meeting at the
,rovnool Hotel. by the American AutOmo-
Nile Association officials in charge Of The
,.ce and cautioned 10 he vigilant at ali
9, emergencies on the track has been
worked out
The management, at a cost Of $4,000,
has substituted a tunnel for the old foot
bridge Just north of the pits. This will
facilitate the handling OF the automobiles
that are parked in the inield and the vast
crowds that will view the race from this
Enclosure The tunnel is just north Of the
wire. al the north end Of the paddock box
stand. II will admit OF the passage Of two
motor cars at the same time going I'm
opposite directions. and also provides ,wc
passages for pedestrians, elevated above the
vehicle passages. The pits 1t the south
end. where Harry Knight pushed his West
colt ca into the wall 10 escape crushing
q mechanic last year have been fitted with
concrete walls like the other pits, in place
Of the former wooden partitions.
Only the cars that comply with the entry
requirements in every particular will be al
lowed TO face the starter. Tomorrow
morning at o'clock. under the direction OF
the referee. \. r. Pardington; the starter.
Fred J. Wagner and the chief timer c. II.
Warner and his assistants. the twenty
cn4r NJ will trio lg to
qualify This demands the tapping Of the
track in two minutes fat. on Tuesday
afternoon at 80 o'clock the cars will be-
gin 10 weigh in. The requirement is . 900
pounds or more.
All steering knuckles, front axles. frame
hangers and steering mechanism, including
lie rods will be subject 10 the approval OF
Howard Coffin and the mechanical engineer
OF the speedway. These details prove Ia
the layman that the first race demonstrate
cd TO the Speedway and the motor car de
sisners ard builders the necessity Of ,Ar
precautions in running a race Of such 7
distance
The winner will receive for his probably
six ana one-half hours exertion he sum OF
$4,000. Ray Harroun. the winner Of tbs
first race. drew down 10000. In addition
10 this amount Of cash offered by the
speedway the various accessory manufact
urers interested in the race have offered
cash. The following amounts will be giver
10 the next eleven drivers in the order thai
they finish: $4,000. $4,000. $4,000. $4,000
$4,000. $500. s1,4Oo, $1,000, $1,000. $1,10C
and $1,000.
II the weather is cool on Thursday th'
breaking Of Ray Harroun's average OF 746
miles an hour, made last year. will be pos
sible but If it is torrid the old figures ar,
likely TO stand. To break Harrouns time
Of 642:oS, the winning car must average Z;
miles an hour or complete the race in SIX
hours and forty minutes, or two minutes
10 the lap. To do seventy-eight miles ar
hour the cars average 1854 per lap o!
complete the race in 6:24c40
However. the cars are built for speed a,
indicated by their size and the lines Of tn,
design. There will be six cars in the six