Evening star., 1912-09-15
RUN AUTO CLASSIC
History of Famous Vanderbilt
Cup Event Since Start.
TO RUN RACE NEXT WEEK
Has Done More for Automobile In
dustry Than Any Other Race.
WAS ORIGINAL BIG CONTEST
Winners Have Established Records
That They Have Broken Every
Succeeding Year.

The eighth running of the Vanderbilt
cup race. the famous international auto
mobile classic. will occur Saturday, Sep
tember 81 Whatever may be said of the
other big contests held in this country,
the fact remains that the Vanderbilt cup
race was the first contest which through
the various seasons has done more for the
automobile industry than any other speed
event IL has meant much to the auto
mobile industry and to the development
OF motor cars 10 their present efficient
state
The handsome silver trophy was donat-
ed in January. 1904. by William h. Van
derbilt jr His object in donating this
cup was a sporting one. combined with
desire TO assist in the development OF an
industry then in its infancy. Mr.. Van
derbilt wanted to interest foreign as well
as American manufacturers. and one OF
the conditions of the deed OF g1ft was
that the cup was TO be raced Tor Tor at
least two years in succession In the
United States. without regard to the coun-
try which should have produced the win
ner the previous year, foreign cars, of
course. to be eligible in all of the races
1t specified that the race must be between
80 and 300 II les. and no portion to be
run on CIRCULAR track. Since that time
the deed of gift has been changed TO
meet more modern conditions. Originally
ii was competed for by teams of cars,
but later the rules were altered so as to
permit individuals only TO contest.
Heath First Victor.
The first contest took place October s.
1904. on circuit in Nassau county. six
teen contestants starting. These were
composed of teams representing the
Italy. II was won by George Heath, driv-
ing a ninety-horsepower Panhard car.
Heath was an American amateur driving
a member OF the French team, and he
covered - miles AT an average speed
of hfty-two miles an hour Tests in an
other Panhard. however. did several laps
at much faster rate. skirting one at a
speed of seventy-one miles an hour-sen-
Sational. indeed. for those days America
showed third at the finish. with Herbert
Lytle in a Pope-Toedo. The initial con-
test Was success in every way. and GER
ta;nly acted a stimulus for makers to
improve the manufacture OF cars on this
s.de Of the Atlantic The race was spec
tacGlar. and the public went wild over II.
When the second Vanderbilt was run,
the next autumn an elimination race was
necessary in order 10 select an American
team. Bert Dingley being the winner OF
the trial. When the final was reeled OF
I'VE cars each represented America.
France and Italy, while Germany had but
-four. A second triumph was scored Tor
France by Hemery in a DsarracG. when he
drove in "A winner at an average speed
Of sixty-one and one-half miles an hour.
materially better than the time OF Heath
OF the year before. In this contest Heath
was second and Tracy in the Locomobile
third Upon this occasion Iancia, the
famous Italian driver. piloted one Of the
greatest races In history, prior TO his un-
fortunate smash-up with Christie.