The Washington times., 1913-04-12
OLD RACING CARS
ARE BIG PROBLEM
Pertinent Question: What Be-
comes of An the Famous
Racing Automobiles?
What becomes of famous racing cars?

What becomes Of famous racing cars?
You've heard many stories of the
thoroughbred which after winning some
thrilling derby. is tenderly cared for
during the balance of his existence. But
IL Is different with automobiles.
No sooner Is the race finished than
the factory engineers are eager to tear
down the chassis, to study the effect OF
the test of miles at enormous speed
upon every part of the engine, the gears
and every working part
This Is one of the ways that improve
ments and innovations in mechanical
features are tried out by automobile
makers. The winner Of the race proves
dependability. And SO the car that
brings thousands to join In a cheering
finish flag may pass you tomorrow on
the street with but little notice.
Recently the question. What becomes
Of famous racing carsT was asked at
proved that four of these Marmon
racers which in past years had won
great races pitted against the finest
products of motordom were now IN
| daily service In the hands OF owners
Two Original Cars.
The two original yellow jackets"
which first won glory for the Marmon
colors and brought fame to the COM
pany. are now owned in indianapolis
and In everyday service. In october,
| 1868. one of these cars won the Van
! 1896 miles of the famous Long Island
track. In Georgia in November. 1909
| Ray Harroun piloted one of these cars
over the Atlanta Speedway for l2o
miles, without a stop, at an average Of
sixty-six miles an hour and won the At
lanta A. A. Trophy.
In the same month. year later with
Dawson at the wheel, the other Of the
| yellow jackets" won the great South
ern classic, the Savannah Challenge
utes 40 seconds, without stop. the
longest nonstop race on record. Again
| at Los Angeles in April, 1901, Harroun
| took one Of the cars over the Motor
drome course for 100 miles at 705 miles
an hour. winning again without stop.
In May. 1910, the car at the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway carried Harroun to
| victory and gave him the coveted Remy
Brassard and Trophy. The game cars
won first and third places in the Kane
1910. In October. 1911, these cars won
first and second in the Jacob Jepson
Trophy race at Santa Monica.
Rest Is Far Away.
And after this wonderful career of
winning-then what? What is the finale
Of the famous racing car? Well. the
In Indianapolis today are two owners
who drive Marmon yellow jackets in
daily use. The days Of racing are in
the past. but there are years OF service
ahead Of either car, according to the
| word of the owners.
| Another team of two Marmons which
won fame for their makers in winning
| great contests was the next investi-
and Stone. won the 100 and 50-mile races
at the Ascot track in Los Angeles back
in March, 1910. and at the Los Angeles
| motordrome In April. 1910. broke world s
| records and won the two-hour free-for-
all. covering 14s miles at nearly seventy
five miles an hour; the Los Angeles
| Grand Prize Of 100 miles at the wonder
ful pace of 7s.6 miles an hour, and first
| and second place In the fifty-mile race
i all without stop.
| From Los Angeles the cars were
brought direct to Atlanta, where Har-
round won the Atlanta Speedway trophy.
covering 200 miles without stop. In
July. 1910. at the Indianapolis Speedway.
| one Of these cars was awarded the
Remy Grand Brassard and Trophy. COW
| ering the 100 miles at 14.3S miles an
hour. Two days later, at an average
of 1874 miles an hour. one Of the cars,
Cobe Cup race. In October one Of the
cars. driven by Dawson in the great
| Vanderbilt Cup race. struck a spectator
and lost six minutes while its driver
| satisfied himself that no one was serl-
ously injured. Then 1t was driven with
| in twenty-five seconds of victory. In
| November Dawson won the City of At
lanta Trophy race in the same car.
"Hall of Fame" Coming.
And after travelling from one end OF
the country to the other-after winning
| time after time-botn of these cars
passed into the hands of private owners
and are now in daily service in Chicago.
| Why is there no hall of fame for
racing cars-no place where the motor
| fan can come to recall the stirring
battle Of days gone by? Surely any
| one of these cars and many others
| should have honored places in such a
| gallery.
| But occasionally the winning car is
not sold after its racing days are over.
| Out at the Marmon factory is the
world famous Wasp, winner of the
wheeler-Schebler $4,000 Tiffany Arts
| Trophy. on May IS. 1910. and winner ot
the first 5O0-mile International Sweep
stakes race on May 30. 1911. Money
cannot buy the Wasp" were the words
OF the factory official who showed the
| wonderful car that drew the eyes of all
the motoring world to Indianapolis.