The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1913-06-05
GOUK IS WINNER
OF 5OO-M|LE RACE
Frenchman Averages 1859
Miles an Hour.
WINS $4,000 IN CASH
Wishsrt and Msrz Are Second and
Third, Respectively - Latter
Rides Last Lap With
E Car Ablazs.
WINS $4,000 IN CASH

,.E Car Abiazs.
Indianapolis. Ind. May 3l.-A
French flag waved over the Interna-
tonal Champion speedway race driver
OF 1913 at the Indianapolis motor
speedway when Jules Goux, French
man. plotting Peugeot car, made in
France, won the 500-mile event
His time was six hours 81 minutes
4S:45 seconds. an average of 1853
miles an hour. His rewards we're in
ternational honors, cash prizes worth
$4,000. including the $4,000 cash
prize offered by the management Of
the speedway for the winner Of the
race. a kiss from dirtcoyered me-
chanician. and a shower of champagne
made of grapes that grew in the coun-
try whence he came sa,
The worst wishes of the crowd were
with Goux throughout the race. Few
of the 100000 spectators who saw him
hoped he would carry the honors, cash
and trophies back to France. But
when his car flashed across the line at
the end Of the long grind he was
cheered as heartily as any OF the
American drivers would have been II
they had met the success the throng
was wishing for them. y
Spencer Wishart Second.
Spencer Wishart. who drove a Mer4
Ger car into second place at the finish
of the race, was given kissless and
champagneless reception at the Mercer
pits, but his two hands, worn out by
the steady work at the wheel of his
car. were shaken wildly by a hundred
admirers. He was lifted upon the
shoulders Of his pit men and cheered
with the enthusiasm equal to that ac-
corded to the Frenchman. Last night
he was given check for $4,000.
One of the most remarkable bits of
race car driving was staged by Charles
Merz in his Stutz car, when he drove
three and one-half miles, more than
one lap around the course, with his car
chanician and himself hardly able to
keep their seats on account OF the
flames that were licking at their legs
Merz was watched on his last lap by
the GREATNESS thousands who feared
his car would explode or that he would
be driven from the wheel by the
flames. Displaying almost unbelievable
nerve, he waved acknowledgment Of
the green flag flashed over him by
Starter Root as he crossed the finish
line for the next to the last time and
settled into the hot seat of his car for
the final lap.
Merz's Car In Flames.
Spectators remaining In the grand
stands and bleachers were on their
feet straining for a glimpse of the in.
trepid young Indianapolis driver as he
rounded the last curve and started
down the final stretch with tongues of
flames squirting from under the hood
of his car. He could not have made
another lap. His car would have gone
to pieces in another mile. But 1t re-
manned intact and continued to do his
bidding until it limped across the fin
ish line and Merz was 5000 Weather.
Pit men had extinguishers ready and
extinguished the fire that soon would
have destroyed the car. Charles
Merz's father is an indianapolis police
man with a record for bravery to his
credit.
Another Frenchman, Delbert Guyot.
driving an English made car, the Sun
beam, drove a consistent race to
fourth place and a prize OF $500, He
was more of faVorite with the crowd
than Goux on account of numerous
brushes he had with other cars in
front OF the main grandstands. where
he showed wonderful control Of his
mount and left trail of smoke for
the other cars to travel In.
Order Of Finish. .......-...
The other drivers who finished with
In the prize money were. in order:
Theodore Pillette. in a Mercedes
Knight.
Howard Wilcox, in Gray.Fox.
Special. ~
Ralph milford, in Mercedes.
Louis Disbrow. In Case.
G. II. Clark, in Tulsa.
W. Haupt, in Mason.
Two Men Are Hurt.
Another year went into motor rae
ing history with a 5OO-mile race with
out the loss OF life. Only one acct
dent marred the racing. Jack Tower,
driving a Mason Special and Lee Gun
ming, his mechanician, we're thrown
from the car on the southeast turn OF
the course and the car overturned.
Towers leg was broken and Cunning
suffered three fractured ribs. Neither
was in danger of dying, according to
an official report by the speedway man.
agement.