Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-26
FOR BIG RACE
Automobile Speed Contests at
Indianapolis, Ind.
RICH PRIZES ARE OFFERED
Range in Amounts From $4,000
Down to $1,000.
SAFETY Is ONE OF FEATURES
Crowd in Attendance Expected to
Be Greater Than Any in
Previous Years.

INDIANAPOLIS. Ind, May 25.-Lured
on by the richest prizes ever offered In
automobile speed competitions, and driv-
ing the speed creations of the most brill
liant engineering minds Of Europe and
America, the drivers entered in the Sec
ond annual 5O0-mile race at the In
diauapolis motor speedway will begin
their long journey around the brick oval
at 10 o'clock next Thursday morning.
For the second time in the history of
the worlds greatest race course the Ave
century contest for cars under 600 cubic
inches will be offered to the speed lovers
and the sporting-inclined followers Of the
automobile game in the United States.
This is the greatest Of track races. The
first 500 mile event on the vitrified oval
at Indianapolis astonished the world, and
Ray Harroun in his Marmon Wasp was
the hero of the nearly seven-hour speed
combat. The first race caught the speed
way management. the engineers, the driv-
ers and last. but not least. the public.
The second race will astonish the
world The greatest drivers on this side
OF the Atlantic are entered and many Of
them participated In the first event. The
cars are faster than in 1911. The re-
much more stringent The facilities for
handling the largest number of people
that will witness sporting event in 1912
are much improved over the 1911 condi-
lions, and Indianapolis people by COOP
Grating with the speedway management
and the hotels will be able to easily
handle all its guests.
the motor speedway, at q cost Of $780,
600. has substituted a tunnel for the old
foot bridge just north of the pits This
will facilitate the handling Of the autos
that are parked in the inf1eld and the
vast crowds that Will view the race from
this Enclosure. The tunnel is Just north
Of the wire at the north end of the pad
dock box stand. It will admit of the
passage OF two motor cars at the same
time, going in opposite directions. and
also provides two passages for pedes-
trains elevated above the vehicle pas
sages
The pits at the south end where Harry
Knight pushed his Westcott into the wall
to escapue crushing the Case mechani-
clan, Anderson. last year, have been
fitted with concrete walls like the other
pits in place of the former wooden parti-
tions.
Arrangements for Safety.
The speedway has in every way per-
fected its arrangements to make safe
every possible angle OF the race. The
smoothed out The drivers will be in
structed tomorrow night at o'clock by
the A. A. A. officials in charge of the
race. and cautioned to be vigilant at all
times. An elaborate signal system for
use In emergencies on the track has been
worked out
Only the cars that comply with the
entry requirements in every particular
will be allowed to face the starter Me-
mortal day morning. Tomorrow morning,
May q. at 9 o'clock, under the direction
of Referee A. R. Pardington, Starter
Fred ]. Wagner and Chief Timer c. H
Warner and his assistants, the twenty
seven entrants will begin their trials to
qualify. This demands the tapping Of
the track in minutes fiat or at a speed
of seventy-five miles an hour for two and
one-half miles.
Tuesday Afternoon at 1870 O'clock the
cars will begin to weigh in. This require
ment is 1000 pounds or over. All steer
ing knuckles. front axles. frame hangers
and steering mechanism. including tie
rods. will be subject to the approval of
Howard Coffin. the mechanical engineer
of the speedway. These details prove to
the layman that the first race demon