Imperial Valley press., 1912-09-30
Is MACHINES MAY COMPETE
IN BIG RACE OVER DESERT

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 30.-It looks
like fifteen cars for the great fifth
am ual Los Angeles to PhoeniX auto
mobile race across the American des-
ert. Entries poured in last week al
rapid rate. The Grundy Motor Sales
company surprised the wise ones and
announced their entry Of the classy
American. The American is, but a
starter, as negotiations. are under way
for the entry Of two Cole cars. for
which Mr. Grundy is the southern Cal
ifornia agent. Grundy has worlds OF
confidence in the 1913 Cole and wheth-
er OF not the cars will enter will
depend on whether they can reach the
coast in time for the great classic.
There are probabilities that an HlC-
Fl roadster and n Hupmobile will boost
the small car class. Louis Nikrent, the
noted Buick driver, returned the mid
die of the week from a trial trip over
the course and tells some astounding G
stories of the trials and tribulati ons
of the desert. Only those who have
been over this famous race course can
understand how great a race ii is and
how good an automobile must be to
win or even finish in the terrible grind
Only those who have handled wheel
over this road can know how strong
a man must be to stand up under the
terrific strain-it Is rightly termed the
classical race of the country. II is q
well known fact that many eastern
automobile manufacturers are afraid
of the Phoenix automobile race be-
cause of its terrific pace.
A Knox was among the list of those
who are proposing 10 enter the race
and a Schacht is n sure entry A
Studebaker "3O" may also start.
Fred Fuller. who will drive last
years winning National in the Phoe-
nix race, returned last week from
over the course. He went all the way
to Phoenix and then returned over the
road. Fuller now feels that he has
q better knowledge of the course than
any Of the other drivers, and if conf.
dence will win a race the Ell Centre
man will "gallop."
THE road is just as lad as anybody
will want it," said Fuller. There is
plenty of sand and more than one
driver will be inclined to forget the
Phoenix race after one taste of thai
Mammoth wash sand / went through
without hesitating in my car, but ii i.
no disgrace to get hung up in that
section. From Los Angeles as far as
Whitewater / think the road is about
the same. From whitewater, to Palm
Springs there are a few changes and
from there into IndiO there is plenty
of that binding and choking dust. The
bad sand, l believe, is worse just now
than it was six months ago. Rains be-
tween now and the time of the race
may change conditions somewhat. but
at best it will be hard fight"
The fact that Fuller has already
wagered that the fastest car to Yuma
will not beat eleven hours shows what
he thinks of the course.
The National has been put in the
shop for a looking over and when
Fuller gets it again he will make a
trip over part of the road and possibly
once over the entire course.
Fuller has a fairly good knowledge
of the running from Yuma to Phoenix
and does not feel that he needs any
more work on this end of the race He
says that part of the race is about the
same as ever. On his last trip he
crossed the Gila river. There was
about a foot of water there, but a
hard bottom made travelling easy.
Fuller says interest is beginning 10
pick up along the way and the people
are becoming aroused over the annual
race