The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-07-25
'OLDF|ELD.RESTA
RACE FOR TROPHY
Annual Race Of 100 Miles With no
More Than Five Entrants
VIII be Inaua-
urated.
AUGUST 7 rs DATE SET
Fans Look for Sunbeam's Brook
lands Track Record to Fall in
Event on Chicago
Track.
Especial to The Gate city.1

S1liSaHo, July Sf.-lJlTeClOES VI
the Speedway Park association were
so delighted when Dario Resta, who
broke all the world records from 100
miles to 500 miles on their track June
26, and Barney Oldfield, master driv-
er Of the world selected the Chicago
speedway for their match race OF 100
miles August 7, they have decided to
offer valuable silver trophy to the
winner. ..
The race will be made an annual
challenge affair, although name for
the cup has not been selected The
deed Of gift will provide that per-
manent possession of the cup may be
obtained by anyone winning three
times a race on the Chicago track
similar to that to be run in August.
It has been decided that more than
five entries will not be accepted. In
case there are more challengers, elm
ination trials will be held, the five
fastest cars being permitted to start.
Only five cars may be sent away in
one row over the Chicago track with
safety 1t would be unfair to give
any man the advantage at the start
in so short race, according to Presi-
dent David F. Reid of the Speedway
association, who formulated the rules.
Cables for New Plugs.
The August race date came as a
complete surprise to officials of the
speedway association. 1t grew out of
q challenge hurled at Resta and
Ralph de Palma by Barney Oldfield
after he had given his Dslage it's first
trial on the Windy City oval last
Wednesday, The car was purchased
by David G. Joyce, Chicago lumber
man and sportsman, for the use of
the veteran in this country. It was
shipped from France more than two
weeks ago and although its ,construc,
tion is entirely new, its first trial was
so satisfactory Oldfield felt confident
he would be able to get more than
105 miles an hour out of it before he
had worked on the motor week. Bad
spark plugs prevented him making
anything like the speed Resta has
been getting out of his Peugeot He
cabled to France for new plugs, how
ever, and when they get here will be
able, he said, to give the car almost,
If not quite, as much speed as the
Italian has shown.
Oldfield made the remark after he
finished his trial that he would be de-
lighted to meet Resta and De Palma
on a fast speedway. expressing a
preference for the Chicago track be-
cause Of its proven speed capabilities
and safety. David F. Reid heard the
remark and Immediately offered Bar
ney, Resta and any others the use Of
the track for challenge matches. Bar
ney snapped up his offer Immediately.
It was agreed that August It'll would
be the best date as it would not inter
fere with the Elgin road races on Aug
ust 20 and 81.
Friends of Oldfeld let it be known
in New York that the veteran was
anxious to pit the Delage against
Resta's Peugeot. A. J. Hill, Resta's
manager, heard the report and imme-
diately telegraphed his acceptance Of
the challenge. Both men will be here
for practice and final tuning of their
cars August End.
President Reid then took the mat
ter up with the speedway directorate.
After some discussion it was decided
to make the race an annual affair,
providing the champions of the coun-
try wanted to challenge 1t was agreed
to give a cup emblamatic of the cham
pionship Of the world at 100 miles.
Look for Worlds Record.
Already fans are beginning to dope
the possible speed. It is. the univer-
sal opinion that the average will run
we'll over 100 miles an hour as Por-
porato who led at the century mark
in the derby of June 26, averaged 99S
o., hn CT
we're twenty-five cars on the track
and Porporato had to make tire
change. It is being argued that with
the track entirely free the speed will
be greatly increased. Some are in
clined to believe the world trial rec
ord of 1O7 miles an hour held by
Chassagne Of the Sunbeam team on
Brooklands may be dropped. although
1t is said by others that Chassagne's
mark was established with none but
himself on the track and with a motor
nearly twice the size of that carried
by Oldfeld's Delage Or Resta's Peu-
geot.
The speedway will present a new
apDearance to visitors who saw the
derby. Work of painting the struc-
ture will be begun this week and the
infield is rapidly being improved
Stone roads are being built around the
inside of the track so that it will be
possible to park cars even after a
severe rainstorm. More than 100000
is being spent on improvements. The
charge for admission to the match
has not been decided on other than it
will be low enough to appeal to a
popular demand.
August 1 to Z being Chicago week,