Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-16
SAVANNAH NOW
LIKELY To END
AUTO CLASSIC
Harvey Granger Announces That
Manufacturers Ask Entrance
Fees Be Returned.

@ AvANNAH, Sept. 16.-Unless
y there is a satisfactory number
Of high-class entries in by Oc-
tober l, the Grand Prize and Wander
bilt races will not be run over the
Chatham County course this fall.
This positive declaration was made
by Harvey Granger president Of TIL
Savannah Automobile Club. upon his
return from the Elgin races, who is
far from optimistic about the outlook
for the big events The manufac-
turers and others, who own racing
cars, balk at paying the entrance fees.
and in some instances even demand
bonus for running their cars.
President Granger says the Savan-
nah races will not be of the hippo
drome character and that is what
they would be if entrance fees were
waived and no restrictions imposed.
Unless the same high class events
can be had as have always been held
here the races will be called off. That
is why President Granger has ar
bitrarily fixed upon October l as the
outside date when the entries are
to be in.
Manufacturers BaIk.
cars nor the drivers were entered
in the Elgin races, and the dispose
ton Of the manufacturers Of the best
class of racing cars is not to pay
for the privilege of entering their
cars in a trophy event All of the
manufacturers have been sounded out
on the proposition, and almost to a
man the demand has been made for
a waiver Of the entrance fees. This
., F#rlf. u
the Savannah club does not care TO
run a hippOdrOme down here
In the 1911 races the receipts from
entries alone amounted to $4,000.
And then the margin Of profit on the
whole racing proposition was small
If all Of this amount were waived
to the car owners, where would the
promoters get off? The situation was
different at indianapolis. where, Presi-
dent Granger says perhaps more than
so per cent of the entrance fees were
rebated. Then there were more than
100000 paid admissions which av-
eraged SO a day. There the main OBJ
iect was to get cars on the track to
entertain the people, the same 3 q
vaudeville show manager gets actors.
without particular regard 10 the class.
Mr.. Granger says il was never the
intention Of those who started the
Grand Prize Trophy that it should
he cheapened in this way. and he
feels the same about the Vanderbilt
cup. He has written a long letter to
Mr.. Vanderbilt explaining the diff
Guilty he is having in interesting the
racing world in the fall events on a
high-Class sporting plane. He also
advised Mr. Vanderbilt that unless
high class list Of entries had been
received by October the races would
he declared off. BY satisfactory, he
means class and number Of cars and
first-Class drivers.
Some Of the prospective entries
even want the Savannah club to pay
the freight on their cars here.
Will Make the Effort.
I'VE owe the Motor Cups Company
an honest effort to get entries to run
the races" said President Granger.
I'VE will make that effort. That is
the reason we have fixed an outside
date for the entries. The manufaC-
turers certainly ought to know bv
October | whether they intend COM
ing in. If they know it we are en-
titled to he advised. There will be
plenty Of time for us 10 get the course
in condition after that time if the
prospect is satisfactory. In fact we
could get ready for the race in ten
days or two weeks.
q went over the situation thor
oughly with the owners and drivers
of the cars entered in the Elgin races.
On my arrival at EiEin ! found,
through Mr.. Beacroft, official referee
there. that to secure the cars which
participated in the various events. all
entrance money was guaranteed to
be refunded If the cars showed up
at the starting line. / went into the
entry proposition with Mr.. StutZ,
owner of the car which won the prin
Cipal event: Mr. Dusenberry, man
ager of the Mason racing team, and
others. While they are all willing and
anxious to come to Savannah. they
take the position that all entrance
money should be refunded and thai,
in some cases, the freight on their
cars should be paid
Il made il plain TO both Mr. Stutz
and Mr. Dusenberry, as well as the
others, that unless the fees for en-
trance provided in the blanks Of the
Savannah Automobile Club for the
Vanderbilt Cup and Grand Prize races
were paid and that unless there was
satisfactory list Of entrants both in
number of cars and in character. re-
CeIved before October 1, there would
be no races this year at Savannah.
Little Interest in Game.
The trouble is that the manufaC-
turers are taking little interest in the
racing game. Instead of having fine
racing teams, as il the past, the
whole scheme Of things has been
changed. so that It is more Of
hippodrome proposition now, where
the independent professional driver
goes into the race purely for the
money he has a chance to win, and
not for the honor and glory Of own
ing the handsome trophies which are
offered. The racing game has swung
around to the point of purely profess
siOnal entertainment.
I'VE are making every possible eff
fort to secure entries which viii make
the races We hope to hold here this
fall the splendid success Jhey have
always been but unless entrants are
prepared to pay the fees we call for
Just as in the past. and unless the
class and number of entrants is en-
tirely sufficient in our estimation to
make the meeting in every respect
an event which viii reflect credit
both on the city and the State, and
furnish just what the visitors to the
city and the residents Of Savannah