The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1912-08-23
MILE A MINUTE
WILL LOOK SLOW
CHAMPION DRIVERS WILL SHAT
TER RECORDS AT WEST MICH
iGAN STATR FAIR.
PLANS FOR SAFETY MADE
Management VIII Take No Chances
on Automobiles Crashing Into
the Big Crowds
at Races. a.

1t has been said the world has gone
speed mad Perhaps that is 50 for
the men with nerve are daily taking
their lives in Their hands to thrill
the public with exhibitions OF speed
which ten years ago would have been
thought impossible. Remember it has
been only. little more than ten years
that the automobile has been OF much
account. except as a freak called the
horseless carriage. Today the auto
mobile is used by the business men
IN the city, by the society women
going to and from her clubs and social
functions and by the farmer and the
traveller. -
But the world is not satisfied with
merely seeing the ordinary automo
bile going, about the. streets. The
world knows cars are built which will
run 80 miles an hour and they love
to see them go at that rate or as
much faster as is possible. No big
fair is complete without automobile
races. and to supply the demand the
management of the West Michigan
State. Fair has engaged for its big ex-
position in Grand Rapids, Sept. to
70, q quartet OF the most famous
drivers in America, who will burn up
the track in efforts to beat the newly
made track record of five miles in 4
minutes, "a seconds; and ten miles
in minutes, 8 seconds. 1t will be
plainly seen this record is better than
mile a minute. rate Of speed not
dreamed OF decade ago.
Louis Disbrow, the hero of the great
indianapolis meet. and Joe Dawson
winner of that great race, will be in
Grand Rapids with two others equally
well known. Disbrow.,.set the new
track record and he will attempt to
break it during fair week.
Cars Can't Go Slow.
The cars these speed kings drive
are especially constructed for racing
purposes. 1t may not be generally
known but these. cars must he ,towed
To and from the fair grounds. They
cannot run Under their own powes
for they are geared so high aud their
power is so great that they cannot
GuG much under 40 miles an hour, and
tbIs would, OF course. be dangerous o.
the Highway and would also be "A vic
lation of the state and city laws. .
But on the track, these men wEn
face death every day. pull open the
.thrott'es and let her run as fast as
she can go and In fact urge the cars
to their greatest possible speed
At the West Michigan State Fair
there will be. no hippodroming. Hand
some purses have been put up for The
winners i'll each of the events. To
win the money the drivers must drive
their machines at top speed The
cars will be properly handicapped, 81
there can be no runaway races, and
after the pistol shot they will get
away to their very fastest speed. s."
Crowds Will Be Protected
In order 10 protect the crowds az
we'll as the drivers, the management
has been forced to make some alter
atoms in the fencing about the track
Many accidents happen through ma
chimes going through the fences on
the turns especially when tire,
burned and worn by the terrific speed
bursts or comes off entirely. 1t has
been found that the majority of deaths
resulting from these dashes through
That top rail is generally inst about
high enough so the car shoots under
it and the rail catches the helpless
drivers head. In many instances
this actually decapitated the driver.
The management of the fair desires
to give all the people all the thrills
possible, hut>has no desire to turn
the West Michigan State Fair grounds
into a slaughter pen. In consequence,
every precaution will be taken ~ pro
tect the drivers as well as the public.
On all the turns. therefore. the top
rail will be removed from the fence,
and inside safety zone 40 feet wide
will be established and maintained. No
persons will be permitted inside this
zone. Then IL car comes through
the fence there will be 40 feet Of
clear space in which IL may be
stopped without danger of collision
with anything and without danger to
either the public or the driver.
These races will be the most pre-
tentious ever pulled Off in Michigan,
The West Michigan State Fair has
gone to heavy expense to get the
champions here and has put up big
purses to entice them to drive for
them with all the speed their great
cars will develop.