New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-03
SPEEDWAY RACE
POSTPONED TO
NEXT SATURDAY
Surface Shiny and High
Speed Impossible as a
Result of Rain.
BLEACHERS CROWDED
FROM EARLY HOUR
Delay of Week Is Bitterly
Criticised by Thousands OF
Visitors to City.

The Aston Cup race was postponed
Yesterday on account OF rain until
next Saturday, and the speed maniacs
will have 20 stay their Impotence for
a week before seeing the greatest driv-
ers in this country in the 350-mile race
on the new Sheepshead Bay Motor
Speedway The driving storm which
swept over the city Friday night and
yesterday morning transformed the
course from the safest N he world
into a slippery, Shiny path Of death.
In the interests Of safety, then, the
officials postponed the race and doomed
the thousands Of spectators to disap-
Dointment.
shortly after 9 o'clock yesterday
morning the management decided tina.
the conditions rendered impossible the
holding Of the contest. The decision
was made public in time TO prevent the
crowd from stormlng the gates, but not
in time 20 prevent the holders Of
bleacher seats from rousing out Of bed
and stumping down az o'clock 20
capture the choicest seats in the front
row.
The mere fact that there would be
no race did not deter thousands OF
others from making the trip 20 the
course lust 20 see what it looked
like" The majority Of these were
strangers in the city, and many OF
them will be unable TO return for the
running Of the race. At first the guards
kept the gates locked, but they finally
relented
In the stands the visitors sat, ike
Ajax dcfying the elements, although
there was nothing FOR them to do but
sit. and sit and sit But patience is q
virtue. and virtue is generally re-
warded. After what seemed 10 be an
eternity. Dario Resta, the Italian rec
ord -smasher, took the track IN ms
Peugeot, and tore of few laps at
about seventy-hye miles an hour
Then. warming TO his work, Resta
accelerated 70 the limit, and rushed
out for six miles at the rate or lOZ
miles an hour, while the crowd cheered
itself hoarse. But over on the back
stretch Resta almost paid the penalty.
for his car began 20 skid IN the slip
merry going, and he was forced 20 slow
down and seek the lower level Of the
track Later ne developed some engine
trouble Att was lOIAfh ~ NkRHf anu Nh'
crowd thought he had met with an ac-
cident. There was a rush across the
field. but nothing serious was the
trouble.
An age passed before Barney Old
field came out TO try out his motor.
Barney was all dolled up in his racing
clothes but the Delage suddenly be-
came imbued with a desire 10 buck
Jump and misbehave generally. Old
fela got il Strengthened out, but on re-
turning 20 his little garage under the
track he declared that not all the
money in Tammany Hall could get him
20 drive race over the track yes
terday.
The banks dried out quickly, but the
course reeks with gasolene drippings
and oil. The long continued downpour
softened this mixture until II lay on the
surface, slippery and sloppy, every foot
OF the course potential deathtrap.
Having starred as II marplot. the
weather man showed another side OF his
whimsical nature, and along about noon
time the sun broke through the heavily
banked clouds, fresh land breeze
sprang up and il seemed as II some IN
.eresting trials might be seen. after all:
Rat il clouded again, the rain returned
and the crowd reluctantly turned It's
feet toward the city.
There is general feeling OF discon-
tent stirred up over the postponement
until Saturday. Thousands OF persons
have journcyed from points as far West
as Denver and from the sunny South.
Many will have 10 return TO their
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