The Washington herald., 1912-10-03
DARING DEATH,
De PALMA WINS
Vanderbilt CUP
Drives Last Fifty Miles on a
Torn Tire Makes Sixty
eight Miles an Hour.

Milwaukee, Wis, Oct. 2.-Staking his
chances and his life for the last fifty
miles on a torn rear tire, Ralph De
Palma, in Mercedes car, won the Van
derbilt Cup race OF 800 miles over the
Wauwatosa course to-day by a desperate
driving finish that caused the 5000 spec
tators repeatedly to gasp in terror
Tearing after him with less Il an min
ute's time separating them cal Ie Hughie
Hughes. driving a Mercer. Racing
smoothly and going like a streak, the
young Englishman hung on. De Palma
knew that one of his tires was nearly
gone For the last three or four laps 1t
simply whirled in tatters of rubber.
De Palma also knew, being informed
by big signs from his pit, that Hughes
was close and coming fast. He therefore
knew that If he stopped to- replace the
torn tire he probably would lose the race
So he gambled on the tire; fiirted with
death. and the tire held fast to the finish.
Only 42.75 seconds separated them at
the finish, and when the smiling young
Italian dashed across the line a winner,
the crowd that had been standing en-
masse, cheered him to the echo. Scarce
ly less of an ovation was rendered
Hughes, who drove a magnificent race.
Spencer Wishart Third.
Spencer wishart, driving a Mercedes,
finished third, and Gil Anderson, in a
Stutz, was fourth. Teddy Tetzlaff, in a
Fiat. and Ralph Mulford, in a Knox
special. came to grief and had to retire
from the race. Harry Nelson, in a Lo-
zier, and George Clark, in a Mercedes,
were distanced. though they hung on un-
til the finish.
Aside from De Palma's death-daring
finish and Hughes steady, brilliant race,
the furious speed made at the start by
Tetzlaff and Mulford were the features
OF the day.
De Palma's average time for the whole
course, including the hairpin bend, was
siXty-nine miles per hour. Hughes aver
aged 6S,S, but Terrible Teddy Tetzlaff.
for more than 200 miles averaged more
than seventy-two miles per hour and
part of the time was negotiating the
course at seventy-four miles per hour.
Though the race lasted for more than
four hours. there was not a single mo-
ment lacking excitement From the time
the eight contenders lined up for the
start until the flag flashed after the
last to finish, the whole atmosphere was
feverish.
De Palma Away First.
De Palma was first away, at II o'clock
in the morning. Thirty seconds after he
flashed down the track Hughes was sent
away. Next came Smiling Ralph" Null
ford, and then, in their order, Nelson, |
Wishart, Anderson. Clark. and Tetzlaff.
AT the finish of the first lap il was |
seen that Muford was setting terrific |
pace. Though ne started thirty seconds |
behind Hughes, when they flashed be-
fore the judges stand at the end of their
first lap Mulford was scarcely five sec
onds behind and going like the wind.
De Palma held the lead. but at the end |
Of the second lap MulfOrd was in second
place, having Tapped Hughes on the far
stretch.
Meanwhile Tetzlaff, who had flashed in |
a red streak paSt Clark on the first lap |
and Overhauled Anderson on the second. !
displayed the speed that for more than /
two hours set the spectators wild with |
excitement, and incidentally Mulford |
came to grief.
De Palma whirled down the stretch. |
finishing his third lap. Every spectators |
craned his neck to see Mulford. who was I