The Washington times., 1912-09-14
MILWAUKEE, TO SEE
EIGHTH VANDERBILT
RACE NEXT WEEK
Greatest Speed in History of
The Classic Is Expected
BY Experts.

The eighth running Of the Wander
bilt Cup Race the famous international
automobile Glass;; will to {" place one
week from tojaY at Milwaukee.
Whatever may be said of the other
big contests held In this country the
fact remains that the Vanderbilt Cup
race was the first contest which
through the var),A seasons has done
more for the automobile inGustry than
anv other speed event. 1t has meant
much to the automobile industry and to
the development OF motor cars to their
present efficient state
The silver trophy was donated in jan
uary. 1904. by William, X Vanderbilt,
jr. His object ir donating the cup was
a sporting one, com o,1ri with a de-
s1e to assist In the Development VI an
industry then in Its infancy. He wanted
manufacturers, and one Of the condi-
tiuns of the decd uf gift was that the
cup was to be raced for at least two
years In succession in the United
which shout have pioduc,d the win
ner the previous ,.cir, fCt .,gn cats, nf
course, to be eligible In all of the
races.
The First Race.
The first contest took place on Octo-
ber s. 1904, on a circuit in Nassau
county, sixteen contestants starting.
These were composed of teams repre-
senting the United states, France, Ger
many, and italy. 1t was won by George
Heath. driving a 90-horsepower Pan
hard car. Heath was an American
amateur driving as a member OF the
French team, and he covered 2S4 miles
at an average speed Of fifty-two miles
an hour.
When the second Vanderbilt was run,
the next autumn, an elimination race
was necessary In order to select an
American team. Bert Dinglev being
the winner of the trial. When the final
was reeled off five cars each repre-
sented America. France. and Italy,
while Germany had but four second
triumph was scored for France by
Hemery. In Darracd. when he drove
in a winner at an average speed of
sixty-two and one-half miles an hour.
materially better than the time of
Heath of the year before. In this con-
test Heath was vas second sstSI and Tracy. r. in
casion, Lancia. the famous italian driv
er, piloted one Of the greatest races in
history. prior to his unfortunate smash
up with Christie.
France scored its third triumph in the
Vanderbilt race in 1906. On October 10
an American team Of Ave cars (picked
after an elimination trial In which
Tracv was first). one Of the best Of the
cup races took place: The exciting fin
| ish, with its battle between Lancia. In
| the Fiat. and Wagner, in a Darracq.
will never be forgotten. These two driv-
had been going with but few seconds
difference in their elapsed times for
some laps. In the tenth and last Wag-
ner took the lead. only to meet with
| There was a frenzy of excitement.
Down the stretch came Lanca. snorting
across the tape, the first to finish the
distance. Wagner, however. was go
ing again, and as he had started several
| miutes behind Lancia, still had chance
| to win In elapsed time. Everyone won
dered II he would cross the tape before
| 1t was too late. He did-in a whirlwind
| finish. Wagner's speed was about sixty
| three miles an hour for the 297 miles.
1907 An Off Year.
There was no cup race in 1907. the
| fourth taking place on October a. 1903.
| with drivers competing as individuals
| and not as teams. The big memorable
| feature Of this contest is that for the
| first time the famous trophy was
brought back to America. and it was
George Robertson, in the 9o-horsepower
| Locomobile. who turned the trick. Rob-
I
| toward the finish was thriller"
| In october, 1909, the Vanderbilt Cur
race and two small car races. the
| Wheatly Hills and the Massapequa
Sweepstakes, took place simultaneously
Harry F. Grant won the Vanderbilt
trophy in a six-cylinder Alec, in a fielo
of fifteen starters. He covered 3S7 mile.
at an average of 62.S miles an hour
Harroun, driving a Marmon, won thu
| Wheatly Hills trophy and Matson in
| Chalmers the MassapeQua event.
! In a race that broke four records Har
ry F. Grant, in an Alec. won the sixth
running of the Vanderbilt on October /
1910, over a course 21S.08 miles In length
1t was the fastest, closest, largest IL
point of entries and by far the hardes
that has been run for the cup.
| Last year the race was carried ava!
from Long Island for the first time
Savannah, Ga, landing the plum. l
was the fastest Vanderbilt ever run ant
indeed one of the fastest automobile
races in history. Ralph X. Milford il
a Lozier car, was evolved the winner
his average for the 29138 being 74O
miles per hour Ralph De Palma, il
the same Mercedes car which he Is t.
Il drive at Milwaukee. and with which M