Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-17
SAVANNAH NOW
LIKELY To END
AUTO CLASSIC
Harvey Granger Announces That
Manufacturers Ask Entrance
Fees Be Returned.


hgt races will not be run over tn,
Chatham County course this fall
This positive declaration was mad,
nv Harvey Granger, president OF the
Savannah Automobile Club. upon his
return nom the Elgin races, who s.
FAR from optimistic about the outloot
for the big events. The manufac
turers and others. who own racing
cars baIk 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
hey would be II 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
bitrartly fixed upon October ! as the
outside date when the entries are
TO be IN.
Manufacturers Balk.
President Granger SAYS neither the
cars nor the drivers were entered
IN the ElEin races, and the dispOT-
ton Of the manufacturers OF the best
class of racing cars IL not to pay
for the privilege OF entering their
care IN trophy event. All Of the
manufacturers have been sounded out
on the proposition, and almost to a
man the demand has been made for
p waiver OF the entrance fees. This
VIII not he done. Az already stated,
the Savannah club does not care to
run a hippodrOme down here.
In the 1911 races the receipts from
entries alone amounted TO $l9,500.
And then the margin OF profit on the
whole racing proposition was small
II all Of this amount were waived
10 the car owners, where would the
promoters get off? The situation was
different at indianapolis, where, Presi-
dent Granger says, perhaps more than
20 per cent Of the entrance fees were
Tebated. Then there were more than
1901 paid admissions, which av-
praged SO a dav. There the main OBJ
iect was to get cars on the track to
entertain the people, the same as h
vaudeville SHOW manager gets actors
without particular regard to the class
Mr.. Granger SAYS it was never the
intention Of those who started the
Grand Prize Trophy that il should
he oheapened in this way, and he
.nais the same about the Vanderbilt
.rn He has written n long letter 20
,Ir Vanderbilt explaining the diff
.H.rN he IS having in interesting the
-Hn-ug world IN the fall events on q
class sporting plane He also
advised Mr.. Vanderbilt that unless
.i-h-Cl1ss list Of entries had been
received by October the races would
BOO declared off. BY satisfactory, he
means class and number Of cars and
Grst-class drivers.
Some OF the prospective entries
even want the Savannah club to paw
the freight on their cars here.
Will Make the Effort.
we owe the Motor Cups Company
an honest effort to get entries to run
the races" said President Granger.
I'VE viii make that effort. That -
the reason we have fixed an outside
date for the entries. The manufaC-
turers certainly ought to know by
October I whether they intend com
ing in. If they know It We are en-
titled to be advised. There will he
plenty OF time for us TO get the course
I'm condition after that time II the
prospect IS satisfactory. In fact, we
could get ready for the race in ten
DAYS or two weeks.
"T went over the situation thor
btGtIN Win lllH bF llNt@ anu ga 800
of the cars entered in the Elg'n races.
On nv arrival at Elgin 7 found
through Mr.. Beacroft, official referee
there that to secure the cars Whion
participated in the various events. all
entrance money was guaranteed TO
be refunded II the cars showed mp
al the starting line. l went into the
entry proposition with Mr.. Stutz,
owner Of the car which won the prin-
cipal event; Mr.. Dusenherry, man
ager Of the Mason racing team, and
others While they are all willing eno
anxious to come to Savannah, they
take the position that all entrance
money should be refunded and that,
In some cases, the freight on their
cars should be paid
Z made II 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
a satisfactory list Of entrants both in
number OF cars and In character, re
celved before October 1, there would
be no races this year at Savannah.
Little Interest in Game.
The trouble Is that the manufac-
tufers are taking little interest IN the
racing game. Instead Of having fine
racing teams, as IN the past, the
whole scheme of things has been
changed. so that It IS more Of
aippodrome proposition now, where
the independent. professional driver
e-~s into the race purely for the
-Soney 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
Tonal entertainment.
We are making every possible ef
fort to secure entries which will make
ne races we hope 10 hold here this
IaI the splendid success they 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-
ureiy sufficient in our estimation to
make the meeting in every respect
an event which will reflect credit
ootn on the city and the State, and
furnish just what the visitors to the
city and the residents of Savannah
Npect and want, there will be no