Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-02-21
ENTRIES IN FOR THE BIG RACE
SEATS ARE ALREADY ON SALE
Indications Are that There IL just
rs Mach Interest In Automo-
bile Racing as Ever
Before.

INDIANAPOLIS. Ind, Feb. so.-Not-
withstanding the prophecies Of many
who claim to know that automobile
racing is on the wane and that manu-
facturers are becoming more and more
inclined to dodge contests. at least one
Sweepstakes race on the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway next Memorial Day
The Lexington Motor Car company of
Connersville. Ind, has entered a six
cylinder 1911 model Lexington In the
five-century grind to be run May 20.
This is the first contest Of the Kind ia
which this company has participated.
Harry knight. one OF Americas young
est motor pilots. is nominated to drive
the Lexington car in the long race
Knight appeared in the last 5Oe-mile
race in Weseott and was making an
excellent showing until he met with an
accident in the ninety-sixth lap, or very
nearly half way through the event.
knights escape from injury was re-
markRble. He was involved In one Of
the most spectacular and thrilling &C
cidents that ever occurred on a motor
racing course. In an attempt to avoid
running over and killing a mechanician
who had fallen from a car Just ahead
OF him. and despite the fact that he
was half blinded by smoke. knight volun-
tarily turned his car hesd-on into the
pits near the starting line and crashed
into two automobiles standing at the
side. Of the track.
Knight and his mechanieian were
thrown many feet through the air. but
neither was injured seriously and the
plucky driver accomplished his pur-
pose in saving the life of the man who
had fallen on the track. Hundreds Of
spectators who witnessed the thrilling
accident signed petition asking for a
Carnegie medal for Knight. This De-
tition Is still before the Carnegie COM
mission and will probably be acted upon
during 1872
The other entries TO the race consist Of
two stutz cars entered by the Ideal Motor
Car company Of indianapolis, to be driven
by "Gif' Anderson and Len Zengle. with
Billy Knipper as relief driver: two Mer-
cedes cars, TO be driven by Spencer
Wishart OF Port Chester. n. Y, and
Ralph De Palma (both OF these cars are
privately owned; two six-cylinder Case
cars, while Louis Disbrow and Joseph
Jagersberger nominated pilots; two
National cars. with team OF four drivers
named, consisting Of Wilcox. Herrick,
MerZ and Herr. and a Fiat entered by E.
f. Hewlett OF Los Angeles, Cal, to be
driven by Teddy Tetzlaff. Tentative an
nouncements Of entries have been re-
ceived from several other manufacturers
which will bring the total list, certain to
appear. up TO twenty-five cars. AS the
field is to be limited to thirty cars, all Of
which must qualify At the rate OF sew
enty-fiye miles per hour for one full lap
Of the two and one-half mile track, II
seems certain that the race will fill to
the limit
Despite the fact that the race is still
four months away and the seat sale
opened on January Is. hundreds OF seats
have been sold TO purchasers in all parts
of the United States. Many mail orders
have been filled and present indications
are that the crowd which witnessed the
1911 event will be considerably outnum-
bered by the attendance in 1872 Last year
about 5000 people were on the Speedway
grounds and present indications are that
fully 10000 will see the second annual 500
mile race.