The Washington herald., 1912-09-01
RALPH De PALMA,
In MERCEDES CAR,
SCORES TWO WINS
Captures Elgin National Trophy
and Also the Big Free
for-all Event.
AVERAGES 70 MILES AN HOUR

Elgin, ILL.,. Aug. s1.-Ralph de Palma,
driving a Mercedes car, scored a double
victory to-day by winning both the Eigin
National Watch Company trophy and the
free-for-all race at the Historic Elgin
course. The distance for the Elgin
trophy was 254 miles, and de Palma
maintained an average speed of 6S.4 miles
an hour throughout the running, his time
being 3:43:26. The free-for-all distance
was approximately 90 miles additional
so5 miles-and de Palma slightly bettered
his speed average, finishing in i:2s:Ss. or
an average speed of seventy miles an
hour.
BY his double victory de Palma is the
winner of s2,750 prize money and about
twice that amount in other awards.
In the Elgin trophy Ralph Mulford.
driving a Knox, was second; Merz, in a
Stutz, was third: Roberts, in a Mason
fourth, and Anderson, in Stutz, fifth.
Bergdon Is Second.
Bergdoll, driving a Benz, was second
in the free-for-all. while Mulford's Knox,
driven AZ the finish by BILLY" Chandler,
was third.
The two races were run simultaneous
ly. The drivers entered for both races
started in at the same time. The car
that finished the 25i miles first was
the winner Of the Elgin trophy race.
and then, provided the car was entered
in the free-for-aiI race as well. the
driver kept on going until the longer
race had been finished. The finish OF
both races was spectacular, and tire
troubles, due to excessive heat, had
much to do with naming the winners.
At the opening OF the last lap in each
race nobody could predict the winner
with any certainty. In the Elgin trophy
Mulford's Knox had passed de Palma in
the Mercedes, and both were expert
encing tire trouble. DE Palma had the
better luck, and finally won by less than
three minutes. Continuing In the free
for-all de Palma overlook the fast-ry-
ing Bergdoll in the Benz, and again the
question OF tires settled the contest
Bergdoll stopped at the pit, with one
lap to go, and de Palma's luck sus-
tained him. He defeated Bergdon by
minutes 81 seconds. Meanwhile Null
ford. in a Knox. who had made the
fastest lap OF the day, and had cap
tured second place in the Elgin trophy
race. experienced a sunstroke, and was
lifted from the car. Mulford states that
he did not know that he had taken any
place in the first race, having driven
four laps in semi-consciousness His
mechanician finally discovered his con-
dition and asked the reference to name
a subdriver.
Chandler Replaces Mulford.
BILLY" Chandler replaced Mulford and
took third place in the free-for- all.
Chandler had a similar experience in a
race at Tacoma two months ago. While
the high-powered foreign cars were
fighting for stellar honors and the big
Knox was giving them an even battle. a
trio of American cars was making them
track fast Merz, in a Stutz; Roberts. In
Mason, and Anderson. in a Stutz, all
averaged better than sixty-three miles
an hour, and added much excitement to
a pleasant days racing. The weather
was perfect. and a large crowd witnessed
the races.
De Palma's car was equipped with
Michelin tires, as were all of the cars
which finished, except Bergdolrs Benz,
which was appointed with Fisk tires.
The only serious accident of the race,
aside from Mulford's sunstroke, was the |
ditching of CIark's Mercedes. Clark and |
his mechanician were dashed into a pile |
of baled hay. sustaining cuts on the face |
and body.