Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-10-17
VANDERBILT CUP
RACE v AS A
HUMMER Z
Contest Itself Was Free from
Accident Although Shadow of.
Tragedy Hung Over Course
and Racers

WAUTWATOSA, Wis, Oct. 2.-The
shadow of the tragedy, which sped
from the speedways forever the brave
and brilliant Bruce Brown still hung
over the race course here until we'll
toward the finish of the great Wander
bilt cup struggle when with Teddy
Tetzlaff forced out of the race,
through the burning up of the engines
of his big Fiat, Ralph de Palma in
his Mercedes, Hughes and Wishart
keyed the. immense crowd following
the swift cars into pitch of enthu-
siasm which banished all thought Of
past events in the face OF as stern a
contest as was ever debated Oh
wheels.
When a little later, with 4 fine
burst of speed. De Palma made his al
ready assured victory beyond the haZ-
ard of aught but accident, cheer after
cheer went up to the most popular
driver on the patch. When he cross
ed the finishing line, a .tumultuous
roar cannoned along the densely pack
ed files of spectators, now a heaving
mass of madly excited humanity. De
Palma took his victory with his usual
GOODNESS, but he was undoubtedly graf
flied by the cheers which told him
how popular winner he was.
He was first ava yand from the be-
ginning he forced the pace to the top
of discreet speed. While his time for
the 299 miles, 4:20:31; 81 was about
five miles per hour slower than the
record made by Ralph milford at Saw
annah, it was grueiiing pace and
steady around the So: mile an hour
level from first lap to finish line.
When he slowed up at all it was but
to change tires and that was accom-
plished at record speed.
Teddy TetZlaff passed him before
the century was touched and forced
his machine to the limit to cinch his
lead. He gained about six minutes on
De Palma, but to do il he had to burn
up the track to such an extent that 1t
was doubted if his ear would last.
The doubts proved too we'll found
ed. The plucky California had knock
ed Y miles an hour out of his Fiat
and he was still forcing the pace when
in the twenty-siXth lap his engine
gave out. 1t was burned to crisp.
Wishart made a gallant effort for
second place while Tetzlaff was still
in the race. For a brief while he
passed De Palma-the latter was
changing tires--but he dropped back
to close third and then gave way
to Hughie Hughes, who drove eau
tious and steady gait throughout the
race. Gil Anderson, in Stuntz, and
George Clark, Mercedes, tried hard
for places until defeat was inevita-
BILE.
Altogether the race was gamely con-
tested with numerous brilliant flashes
of generalship and speed forced from
the cars up to the final point OF safe
ty.
1t was noticeable, however, that
there was care in driving when the
cars were close together. Heads were
kept cool. And after the race was
over there were many profound re-
grets for the gallant driver, who was
not among the contestants.
The track was in splendid condition
and the immensely of the crows ex-
ceeded all experimentation driver
had a host of friends to cheer him as
he came into view and all through the
race it was one wave of wild enthu-
siasm after another until the final
roar came with the victory of De
Palma, Hughes a good second and
Spencer Wishart third.
The actual attendance was around
SIS 900. The day was unmarried by any
untoward event, if one excepted the
collapse of TetZlaff's engines under
the hot hand of the fiery speed king
of the coast.