The Washington herald., 1912-01-28
SPEED CONTESTS
NO LONGER USEFUL
President 3riscoe Would Devote
Effort to Good Roads, Tours,
and Auto Information.

Believing that high-spced motor cal
racing no longer serves a useful purpose
besides bringing dIscredit upon motoring
and the motor car trade, Benjamin
Briscoe, president OF the United State:
Motor Company, has prepared a letter e
the American Automobile Association
advising that it abandon the control Of
speed contests and devote its time C
the promotion and encouragement OF
touring and reliability contests and par
ticularly furthering its work for good
/ roads, a work which the national or
ganization has done with excellent re-
suits during the past five years.
More than year ago. We decided that
our company would not support speed
contests with the perils that are al
ways present at such affairs, both from
the standpoint Of the public, as well as
drivers and mechanicians." said Mr..
Briscoe. There has been every evil
dence that the stand Of the United
States Motor Company received general
Endorsement, for since that time there
has been a further decrease in racing in
terest, a lesssning OF public support, and
a general sentiment that much as we
owe to racing for what ii taught us six
or eight wears ago, il Is no longer needed
by the industry or the public.
1T therefore seems 10 me Illogical that
the American Automobile Association.
that has done so much for the motor
car industry and motor car owners,
should spend any Of its time, its money
or prestige in an endeavor TO regulate
or govern high speed contests, when
there are so few meetings and such
meager support, to say nothing OF the
little that motor car makers can learn
from such affairs at this stage Of the
industry.
In the, case Of new makers or max
ers testing untried products, there may
be something to learn from speed con-
tests, but IL Is a matter OF record that
with comparatively few exceptions. none
OF the old-time manufacturers are in
dulging in contests of speed. Many OF
them, appreciating the fact that the
public likes to have proved the rellabil-
ity and endurance OF motor cars, are
competing in reliability and endurance
runs, which supply ample evidence of
the leadership Of American motor cars.
Aversion to Racers.
Except in the case where cars Of alb
normal horsepower are built, our Ameri-
can makers have proved that they can
build just as fast motor cars as any
manufacturer in the world. It is a fact,
however. that many people dislike TO buy
cars that are famous in racing. because
OF the thought that they may not be
proper for use In touring and general
utility, which. after all, Is the real work
OF the mpdern vehicle OF transportation.
VIII, therefore. advise that our na-
tional body abandon the government OF
speed contests. turning II over to any
organization that will care for II, leav-
ing the A. A. A. TO continue its good
work In connection with roads. legisla-
ton. foreign and American touring maps,
guide books. and touring contests
Mr. Briscoe. besides being president of
the United States Motor Company, is
Vice president Of the National Associa-
ton OF Automobile Manufacturers, and
was the FIRST president OF the Manufac-
turers Contest Association, which CO.
operates with the 4. A. A. in its control
of contests.