The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1912-05-06
DEMAND GREATER SPEED
MOTOR CARS MUST TRAVEL FAST.
Err At INDIANAPOLIS.
Experts Believe 5oo-MlIe Race Record
OF 1911 VIII Be Broken at Speed.
way Next Memorial Day.

Late in the year of 1910 when the
announcement of the first 50o-mile In-l
ternational Sweepstakes at the Indi-I
annapolis Motor Speedway was made,
the motoring world sized up the prop
osition of giving $4,000 in prizes and
q race Of 500 miles in length; and
after two or three preliminary gaspsJ
and mental note that the promoters
OF such an event either had more than
the ordinary amount OF nerve or had
overstepped themselves, decided that
it might be pretty good thing to see
after all. So it came about that the
first 5oo-mile International Sweep
stakes on Decoration Day, May 80,
1911. drew the greatest crowd Of mo-
toring fans ever assembled in any one
enclosure to witness any sort of an
automobile contest
The question In the mind of the
public as to how many manufacturers
would dare to attempt contest of
this kind was answered readily when
forty-six starters were named for the
long race. The other question as to
whether or not spectators would be-
attracted to such an event was an
swered when about ninety thousand
people filed through the gates on the
day OF the race. Indianapolis never
saw SO many strange faces within its
gates on any previous occasion.
The owners of the Speedway, in
view OF the fact that the first race was
SO successful, decided that a second
500-mile race, and probably more af-
terward, would be the proper thing to
, offer their patrons. Public opinion
was sounded thoroughly and bore out
the idea OF the Speedway management.
In fact public opinion was unani-
mously in favor of another long race,
30 the public shaped largely the pro-
gram at the Motor Speedway next
Memorial Day.
But the second event had to be diff
ferent than the frst and greater. be-
| cause the average American demands
something new every time. 1t seemed
| almost impossible to improve upon
! many conditions of the first race. but
1t finally was decided to increase the
purse to $4,000. giving the winner
! $4,000 instead OF $4,000 as last year.
Greater speed was demanded, and
every car which is entered for the
second race shows even better speed
| possibilities than those which COM
peted in the first. For the second 500
mile race, every car which enters
must make full lap of the Speedway
! track at the rate of seventy-five miles:
| last year this speed was required only
over a quarter OF mile straightaway.
Last year forty cars started, but it
was deemed advisable, both from the
standpoint of promoting a high speed
contest and minimizing the element of
danger, to allow but thirty cars to
compete In the second race. This
means that with thirty cars on the
| track travelling at the rate of seven
| ty-five miles per hour, one car will
pass every point in the track on an
average of every four seconds 1t is
believed that a contest of this nature
will prove even more interesting than
that OF last year because the specta-
tors will be able to single out the cars
In which they are interested at all
times and note the individual perform
ance of the various cars without being
subjected to the strain of constant
alertness.
Despite the fact that these condi-
lions have been imposed upon the
manufacturers, it is certain at the
present time that the full field of
thirty starters will be entered by May
IL. 1t ia estimated by various experts
and racing drivers that the speed OF
this race will be at least one mile per
hour faster than that of the last race
Ray Harroun, who won the last
500-mile race, has been credited with
the statement that the speed would
not be greater, If as great. The ma
jority, howeveR take issue with Har-
roun and seem to believe that the Old
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