New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-07
AUTO NEWS OF THE DAY
Lozier Company Issues Challenge
to Makers of the Packard.
PROPOSES A MATCH RACE
French Cars to Use Wire Wheels
in Grand Prix-New Electric
Truck in Local Field.

A Lozier president Of the Lozier Mo-
tor Company of Detroit. has issued a
sweeping challenge, under date Of May g. to
the Packard Motor Car Company, In de-
sire to prove the comparative merits Of the
two makes Of automobiles Mr.. LozIer
takes exception to contentious made by tho
Packard company concerning the speed.
fexibility and durability Of It's cars. assert
ing that he has been making identical as
sertions regarding the Lozier. 1T is OBJ
v.ous," writes Mr.. Lozier, that either YOU
or we are wrong in our contentious" Mr..
Loziers challenge follows
I'VE have withdrawn from speed and en-.
durance contests, but II you will enter one
or two stock cars at Elgin, ILL.,, In August
We will meet you and afford you the op.
portunity Of proving your claims. The
race at Elgin is for the national stock
chassis championship. The rules are ex-
tremey rigid. and there Is no opportunity
to put in special car. The race is run
over country roads guarded by militia and
the contest is limited 70 stock cars such as
are regularly built and sold by both Of US.
you claim the Packard car is able 10
run further over any kind Of road without
mechanical attention than any other car.
for the reason that this 10 a road race and
would give you the best opportunity Of
making good your claims. n you are OPP
posed to racing on public roads or feel that
the three hundred mile contest at Elgin is
not a sufficiently strenuous one, we invite
you to meet us in a one thouss nd-mile race
on the Indianapolis Speedway provided the
Automobile Association Of America sanction
OF this distance.
I'VE submit that II YOU are successful IN
defeating the Lozier car your claims will be
Justified; your refusal to meet us will be
our warrant for continuing TO advertise the
Lozier a being the safest car the car pos
sessing the greatest speed. stamina and en-
durance, champion motor car that has re-
peatedly proved its right TO the title. We
shall be pleased to hear from you at your
earliest convenience"
Wire wheels, which have had more or
less checkered career, have suddenly
reached the height of favor among foreign
manufacturers OF automobiles who desire
the quickest kind of service. With only
one exception, according TO reports from
abroad all the French cars in the Grand
Prix races on June IS and Is will be fitted
with this type OF wheels.
The almost unanimous decision OF the
French makers to adopt wire wheels in the
renewal OF the big race will undoubtedly
prove a strong recommendation with all
other manufacturers. II is recalled az an
interesting fact in this connection that
in 1905 the Napier team, entered In the
Grand Prix, was withdrawn a few days
before the race because OF the refusal of tho
French technical committee 10 allow the cars
to compete with wire wheels. This will he
the first year since that time that English
teams have taken part in a big road race
outside OF England.
Representatives Of the English teams
have inspected the Dleppe circuit, over
which the Grand Prix will be decided. and
their reports show that the course Is by no
means ideal although such is the general
belief There are about fifteen turns which
will require skilful driving TO take at high
speed, and about a dozen shifts of gear will
be necessary on each Jap. II is said that
there is already big demand for accom-
mediation and that several OF the Diepps
hotels intend TO rent their rooms for no.
less than four days to race visitors.
Within ten days the Atlantic Vehicle
Company. with a large factory in Newark,
\. J.. will begin the production OF electric
vehicles for commercial purposes. The
move follows a year and half of designing
and testing and the firm enters the hed
I'm the belief that It's cars Will prove en-
t!rely satisfactory from the outset
Mount Diablo. the surveying point Tor
California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona, was
few days ago by Buick car
equipped with Goodyear tires and driven by
Earl De Wore. The ascent Is 1900 feet IN
three miles. and proved most hazardous.
as we'll as a severe test Of both car and
tires. Three passengers, members OF the
Sierra Club. were carried.
AUTOMOBILES.