Weekly journal-miner., 1915-01-20
SPEED RECORDS SHAT
 TERED IN 1914
(From Wednesdays Daily.)

The achievement of Eddie Pullen, who in a Mercer broke the worlds road racing record; Rene Thomas decisive victory in the 500-mile race at Indianapolis, to gain which he set a new speedway mark for the dist ance; Barney Oldheld's return to stardom, and Ralph De Palma's bril- liant performances on the road, for which he is awarded the internation- al championship, and the capture of the Grand Prix de France by Lauten- schlager in the Mercedes and the con sequent fall of Georges Boillot, the great Gaul, are events of 1914 which combine to make the year unusually significant in the history of auto- mobile racing.
 Fewer meets were run than in 1913 In almost every case, however, com petition was closer, the average speed greater and public interest more in tense. The shrinkage in the program is directly traceable to the war in Europe, which prevented completion of an elaborate racing schedule abroad.
 Three World Marks Fall.
 Three internationally recognized world records fell. They were the road racing mark of 78.7 miles per hour established over the famous Santa Monica course in 1912 by Ted dv Tetzlaff in the 600 inch Fiat, Joe Dawson's speedway record of 800 miles of 7S.4 miles per hour set on the Indianapolis oval May 30, 1912, with a National, and the nonstop record of 267.S miles established in the Savannah challenge trophy cup of 1910 by Dawson in a Marmon.
 Ed Pullen in the same Mercer ill which Spencer Wishart drove to his death at Elgin smashed the first rec ord on Nov. 26, when he drove 3Ol.S6 miles around the circle at Corona at an average of S7.S6 miles an hour. Rene Thomas, a Frenchman, estab lished the second mark when he drove 500 miles at Indianapolis on May 30 at an average speed of S2.4 miles ian hour. The nonstop record fell thrice during the year. De Palma drove 2o5 miles in the Vanderbilt of February % without halt. On Au- gust 2 Ed Pullen set the mark at 3Ol.5 miles with a Mercer over the toughest course in America at Elgin, and on November % Barney Oldheld raised the mark 4 of a mile at Co., roma with a Maxwell.
 Other Records of Year.
 Tn addition to these, number of less important and less coveted rec ords fell. Among these was the 100 mile dirt track mark, which, after being broken three times during the season, finally was secured by Tom Alley in a Duesenberg, who made the distance at an average Of 65.5 miles an hour over the Hamilton track att Minneapolis ... ..
 Unofficial and unrecognized as saults were made on Bob Burman's mile straight away mark of l43 miles per heur Both were successful, but neither has been officially recorded. Arthur Duray, in 300 horsepower F. J. A. T., made the first attempt on the sands at Ostend and Teddy Tetz laff the second with the Blitzen Benz on the salt beds near Salt Lake City
 De Palma, because of his three victories out of five starts in major road races, has earned the road rac-I ing title in a hair line decision over Ed Pullen. winner of Corona and the Grand Prix, who is awarded second place Barney Oldfeld, because of his consistency, gets third place. Rene Thomas sprinted quite easily into the speedway championship, with Ed Rickenbacher, by virtue of his Sioux City victory, second.
 To select a dirt track champion would be like selecting the roundest of three circles, as Tom Alley, Bob Burman, and Ralph Mulford showed about equal ability and had about equal luck. Alley is given the title because he was fortunate enough to finish the season with the l00 mile racorJ in bic 0OccecciOn