The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-31
United States Falls Before
France in Great Auto
Speed Test
RACE NOT MARRIED BY
FATAL ACCIDENTS
Nearly 100000 People Witness Big
Event in Indianapolis-Race Is
Replete With Thrills-Two
Seriously Injured

Indianapolis, May 30.--The United States
fell before France hero today when jules
Goux, Frenehman, driving a French
car the Peugeot, won the third annual
500 mile automobile race in s:sl ss.45 at
an average speed of 1859 miles an hour
No fatal accidents marred the running
of the race, although two were seriously
injured, when the Mason. driven by Jack
Tower, upset on the back turn. due to a
tire blowout. Towers right leg was
broken and Lee Dunnne, his mechaniciai
was hurt internally and three ribs were
broken. Physicians We're not sure as to
the extent of Dunning's injuries tonight
Charles Merz. who finished third in a
Stutz. brought the biggest thrill 70 the
crowd. estimated at 100000 when he drove
the last lap of the race with his car on
fire. The flames broke out at the upper
stretch turn and Merz refused to stop at
the pits until he had circled the track
another time and finished the race. Com
ing down the home stretch at the finish
Harry Martin, Merzs mechanician.
climbed out on the hood of the car and
unbuckled the straps so the pitmen could
extinguish the flames quickly.
Four Win Prizes
-Four of the eight foreign cars entered
won prizes, the other four being forced
out by broken parts.
An American car n Mercer driven by
Spencer Wishart, finished second, seven
laps being the winner. The Sunbeam, an
English car driven by a Frenchman, Al
bert Guyot, came in fourth The other
foreign cars in the money were: Pilettes
Mercedes-knight (German) which was
fifth. and Mulfords Mercedes (German)
seventh. Three Italian cars were forced
out of the contest.
The race was a little more than 10
minutes slower than last years contest
which was run in 6:21O6. This was due
1t was said, In large measure to the
intense heat, which necessitated many
changes of tires. Another thing which
| caused a slower time was the fact that
this year the piston displacement was
limited to 450 cubic inches while last year
the race WAS - free for ALL All the
speedway records Tor the olass Of cars
were broken up to 250 miles. when the
man. stops at the pit began to cut down
| the average
| Goux, the winner. complained at every
stop at the pits because his manager re-
fused to let him put his car to its highest
speed. He claimed that he could have
maze mucn better time, but his manager
eontended that as he was in the lead from
the one hundred and fortieth mile there
was no use to let the Peugeot out Goux,
after getting the lead from Burman. when
he stopped for oil and gasoline, was never
headed. and finished far in the lead OF
his nearest competitor. Anderson's Stutz,
pushed the leader hard until the one hum
dred and eighty-seventh lap, when the
car was forced out by a broken magnetic
shaft.
Fame in Paris
Goux first won fame as race driver
In France, where he was victor in i02
mile race, Before coming here he went
to the Brooklands track In England,
where 106 miles 397 yards In go minutes
In the same car in which he raced today.
His record in the l02 mile race broke all
European records for the distance, Willie
his performance at Brookland's track
broke all world records.
Burman, who was the favorite in the
betting. ran a hard luck race. In the
ifty-ffth lap his car caught fire in the
back stretch lie put out the blaze and
ran to the pits. where he had to change
carburetors. He had to make several
other stops and was relieved at the wheel
by Hughe Hughes, who still was on the