New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-01
PULLEN WINS
GRAND PRIZE
in A MERCER
New Record of 77.2 Miles
an Hour Established at
Santa Monica.
ACCIDENT DEFEATS
ENGLISH SUNBEAM
Foreign Car While Far in the
Lead Is Wrecked in Round.
ing Death Curve.
1 by Telegraph TO III. rrihun.. l

BY Telegraph 70 Tn. Tribune
Los Angeles. Feb. 2s-Pioting Mercer
car with all the skill OF veteran, Edward
Pullon. one OF the youngest of American
automobile race drivers who had never
before scored prominently In an important
contest, won to-day tho nth running Of
the Grand Prize on the Santa Monica
course for tho 5000 Gold Cup. first ~
fcred for International competition by the
Automobile club Of America i'm 1908.
IN winning. Pullon established new
record for the famous race by covering
the forty-nino laps OF the sio-mile circuit
IA total of io32 mies-ln hours Is min.
, utcs 81 seconds, an average speed OF ~
miles an hour. The fastest previous ay-
crage for the race was ii5 miles Tor ill
miles over the Savannah course, I'm 1911.
| by tho late David Bruce Brown. who lost
his life while practising for tho same race
al Milwaukee year and hair ago.
To-day's race was an Eastern triumph,
for the winning machine is product Of
Trenton. y. j.. where it was built m tho
shops Of the Mercer Automobile COMPANY
Second 10 finish the race was Guy Balls
Msrmon car, and this. too was In the
nature Of a triumph, as the machine had
not been considered = possible contender
! for the major honors. although a car Of
this make scored the highest honors at
indianapolis three years ago. The biz
surprise Of the race. however, was The
capture OF third place by the Alec car,
driven by William Taylor Like the Mar
mon, none of the followers Of practice
here had conceded u the slightest chance.
Ralph dc Palma. winner on Thursday OF
tho Vanderbilt cup race, was again a
strong contender, and for "A time. when
tho race was around tho halfway point, he
led the pack and appeared likely 70 re-
peat his victory, but toward the end ms
4, Mercedes car began TO give him trouble,
and he was lucky 10 win the fl,~p oneleo
10 the driver finishing fourth.
! Pullcn's share of the prize money va
/ s. oT. and the 500 offered bv the Bosch
| Magnetic Company; Ball gets SOD and
( $50 from the accessory company, while
Taylors share is $500 and 800.
The race vas Ear from being truly won
and the fact that an American built car
won the Gold Cup for the first Time wa
due TO an accident with thrce-quartcra
Of the total distance behind him ana =
lead that apparently could never be over
come. the highly toutcd English Sunbeam
car. driven by j. 3. Marquis, was driven
around a turn At too great speed ana
hurtlcd over half a dozen times connns
70 rest after breaking down al iron fence
The Sunbeam wreck occurred at turn
known as Death Curve, although no
driver has ever been killed there. Nhel
the car stopped rolling Marquis was
found pinned beneath IT and apparchti|
dead He was rushed 10 a hospital ana
did not regain consciousness for more
than two hours. Although severely III
iured IL was announced b. the surgeons
tonight that he stands good chance tof
recovery. Marquis was once mechanic TO
Louis Strang. who was killed IN touf'ns
contest q few years ago.
With TIE Sunbeam out OF tho contest
pulIen,s Mercer assumed tho lead. and
thereafter no had only to keep his ear or
Tho course 10 be q certain winner. - the
Gnisb no was forty miles ahead OF the
second car, which. in turn. was nfteeh
miles ahead OF the third. De Palma ap-
rarontlv decided 10 quit the race IN mo
thlrty-aftb lap. when tho Sunbeam was
auav out I'm front and going at q terr1nc
rate Of speed, but when he heard OF the
accident he took chance at getting some
mart Of the purse and started IN 10 cover
rho remainder Of the distance, when no
succeeded IN doing TO get fourth prize.
Pullen's victory was a popular one, A.
the crowd knew that nc had risked his
life and had thrown his chances OF ~ir
ming 10 the wind 20 avoid running down
n snectator early IN the contest On
THURSDAY. while leading In the Nanderoilt
Gun race. he dashed into an iron BARR
cadc.
TO-DAY. IN order 20 avoid running down
an old soldier who had walked onto the
course. Pallen barely escaped repetition
Of the earlier mishap. In so doing ne
rlpped of two tires, but luckily the
wheels held and he was able 20 make the
changes and get under way With the loss
OF only Few minutes.
The race started with perfect weather
and track conditions at 10 o'clock I'm the
morning, when il was estimated that 49,
90 persons lined the circuit. TEDDY Tctz-
taft. the first to start. De Palma and Old
field were the favorites, with Cooper and
Pullen the next choices. There we're seN-
enteen starters. as follows:
Tetzlaf FiaO. Wishart (Mercerl, An
derson (Stutz). Pulen (Mercer), Taylor
1AIco, Oldfeld (Morcer). Cooper (Stutz)
Gordon Mercer. Goode Apperson). dc
Palma (Mercedes). Marquis Sunbeam.
Muth 1Marmon). Lewis FiaD. Ball Mar
NOM. Verbeck N'iaO. Jeanette lNlcc,
and Richenbacher (Mason).
Unlike the Vanderbilt Cup race, ma
iority OF the starters to-day remained IN
for A considerable distance, and the
Wholesale climinations did not begin un-
til the twentieth lap had been covered.
Tetziaff carried the field around the first
lap .at-a speed of more than 81 miles All
hour. but his method OF rushing the turns
ripped his tires 10 pieces, and he war
Obliged 10 stop twice In tho first three
laps.
once under way. Wisharts Mercer dc
veloped wonderful speed, and he "Ss
leading at the end of the first loo miles,
AT a speed OF 81 miles an hour. Mutn
withdrew because OF engine trouble IN
the thirteenth Tap: a broken connecting
rod placed Goodc out of commission IN
Continued on nth page, third column.