The Washington herald., 1913-03-16

other assistants. All of these men ar,
have a thorough acquaintance with thu
cars. 1t is said that SO perfect is theil
pit work that it becomes spectacular, and
that not a little of the interest in the
race will center about the pits occupied
by the foreigners.
In France, where automobile racinl
had its origin. the race drivers are con.
sidered in much the same light tina
Americans view the noted baseball play
ers. Goux. Zucarrelli, and Guyot stand
at the very top Of public regard and art
regarded by their countrymen with thu
same affection and admiration which
Americans bestow upon Ty Cobb. Chris
tie Mathewson. and Iris Speaker. They
have been the vict"rs in Europes great.
est races. one of the most recent achieve.
ments being the winning of the Sarthe
Grand Prix in France by Goux last Sep.
tember, when he drove 402 miles in
hours, 81 minutes. and 81 seconds The
element of rivalry will also be a strons
factor in making the 5O0-mile race an un.
usual contest, since all the foreigners are
anxious to do their best work against the
American cars, and the Peugeots and the
Sunbeam have been avowed rivals fol
years.
race, being made by F. l.. Adams, q pri-
vate owner of Indianapolis. Adams ID
having a special car constructed in Chi
cago which he will call the Smada. An
unusual feature is presented by this car
in that its power plant Is a two-cycle af-
fair, with a bore Of three and half. and
a stroke of five inches. aggregating 3S4 8
cubic inches piston displacement. This.
with the exception Of the Nyberg car, is
the smallest piston displacement record
ed by any car which has been entered
thus far.
To simplify the work of timing this
year it has been suggested that all teams
and individual entries be distinguished
by some striking color, such as red. yell
low, blue. green, &c. In races Of the
past it has often been impossible to dis
tinguish the fast flying cars from one
another. with the result that confusion
has resulted at times.
This year the color scheme which will
be evolved is expected to obviate all the
former trouble. In importance this meas
ure is second only to the practice which
will be followed this season OF requiring
all cars to stop for repairs. tires, gas.
and oil, south of the finish wire. aften
having completed a full lap. With these
innovations. in combination with the use
expected that the spectators at the 500
mile race will be much better posted on
the exact status of the contest at all
times than ever before.
The development of the electric light
ing and electric starting systems in con-
nection with the automobile has furnish
ed the automobile engineers and design
ers with a knotty problem for the last
two years. 1t is stated by experts in
the sales departments Of the big COM
panies that within the next two years.
the car that does not embody the elec-
trio starter will be practically unstable.
NJ. C. Burrell. Washington agent for
the Peerless, Kelly and Marion trucks, In
talking of the development along these
lines said yesterday:
Electrical lighting was first success
fully employed on the Peerless cars.
Ours was the first electric starter with
a separate motor. Other electrical
equipment and devices that suggest
themselves are the electrical gear shift
and electric brakes that will do away
with hand levers. warmers for hands
and feet, signals for turning and stopping,
the electric fan for use when the motor
Is not running, resistance coils to keep
oil and carbureter at constant tempera-