Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-30
DE PALMA IN LEAD
Record Speed in Motor Test
at indianapolis.
FAMOUS DRIVERS AND CARS
Starter Sends Twenty-Four Away,
But Three Drop Out.
SWEEPSTAKES RACE, 500 MILES
Thousands of Fans From Every Sec
ton of the Country Witness
Thrilling Test.
SWEEPSTAKES RACE, 500 MILF

SPEEDWAY, INDIANAPOLIS, Ind,
May 3O.-Under a cloudless sky thou
sands of motor fans from all over the
country assembled today. in the odor Of
gasoline. on the Indianapolis speedway
for the greatest event Of the automobile
Worid-the second annual running Of the
American 5OO-mile sweepstakes.
At daylight the exodus from the city
to Speedway Park began. by train, trolley
and touring car, and the sun found the
grandstands on the outer edge and the
parking spaces on the inner circuit of the
br4ck oval beginning to fill with the enor-
nous crowd that was to see twenty-four
of the most famous drivers and cars
battle for the honor and fortune Of en-
joying. with Ray Harroun and the Mar
mon Wasp" the classic title of win
ners of the greatest race of motordom.
The course, washed clean of it's black
and dangerous coat of grease accumu-
lated during weeks Of practice grind
gistened in the sunlight when the big
motors pulled out along the repair pits
swarming with mechanicians, eager to
time their engines perfectly before the
starter, Fred Wagner. at 10 o'clock should
send them off into the long and desperate
his Marnoh last year did the distance in
6:42:O8. and every pilot today was deter
mined to cut this mark In his effort to
come In on the $4,000 offered for the win
ner of the race
Cheers for Popular Drivers.
Inspired by the strident music of the
motors. the crowd, estimated at 1900
cheered as the more popular drivers
swept out on the track for the brake test
Women standing in the boxes and in the
hundreds of cars parked in the infield,
their modish motors daubed with the dirt
of the oiled boulevards leading to the
speedway, waved their wells In greeting
to the begoggled pilots and mechanics
that soon were to risk their lives for the
glory of the racing automobile.
With an explosive roar of the enor-
nous engines especially built for this
ultimate test of speed and endurance.
the cars came together at the electric
timing wire at S:50-five motley ranks
of the sDecial creations OF Italian,
French. German and American en-
gineers. built in grotesQue shapes to
better to slash the air. In tumult OF
cheering from the excited multitude,
Starter Wagner let the cars go at 10
o'clock
Having and straining on the leash.
the cars made one slow parade lap.
led by Gil Anderson in the Stutz No. /.
and, coming again to the wire, leaped
laundering into the race, pressing to-
.
gas.
Teddy Tetlaff and his Fiat and Ralph
De Palma and his Mercedes fought for
the lead In the opening laps and the
others strung out, all hitting at top
speed the high white banks, where
death. lying masked in the sunshine.
had tripped SO many daring drivers.
Tetlaff's time for the first round, two
and one-half miles. was 1:43:4s.
De Palma Holds Lead.
De Palma held his lead at the twenty
miles. which he covered in 1923, bet
tering the old record, 1929. set by
Marquis in an Isott at Los Angeles.
Spencer Wishart. in a second Mer-
cedes. kept at De Palma's rear wheers
with Bruce-Brown (NationaD third
line and he drew out.
AT fifty miles De Palma still led and
was ahead of the record. Bruce-Brown
crept into third. The terrible pace be-
came into the stretch with one tire of
his White whipping the track like a fail.
The car swung perilously, but Jenkins
high in the air. but he, too. came safely
to his pit.
Bruce-Brown withdrew his National and
engine trouble.
Makes $50 Miles in 1.49.O2.