New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-08
Harry Grant Dies as
Result of Auto Burns
Winner of Two Vanderbilt
Cups Fails to Recover
from Injuries at
Sheepshead Bay.

Harry F. Grant, the veteran automo-
bile racing driver, who was painfully
burned while practising for the Aston
CUP race over the She.pshead Bay
Speedway on Tuesday, September %,
died of his injuries last night in the
Coney Island Hospital.
His condition became critical on
Monday, when he was seized with
fit of hiccoughs, which the hospital
physicians could not check At the
request of Mrs. Grant, who has been
constantly at her husbands bedside
since he was injured, outside physi-
clans were consulted, but IT was I'M
possible 20 relieve the sufferer.
The burned flesh had begun to peel
of of his legs and arms, and 1t was
necessary to keep him as much as pos
sible in a bath Of soothing oil. When
not in the oil he suffered intensely
and was most Of the time unconscious.
II was feared by the physicians that
he could not be kept alive on Wednes-
dav night. and Yesterday he failed TO
improve. In the afternoon he began
TO sink rapidly and passed away at $40
o'clock last night as his faithful VIE
sat by his bed.
This is the first tragedy OF the big
speedway, where the Aston Cup race
will be run tomorrow at noon.
Harry Grant was member OF the
Maxwell racing team entered by the
indianapolis Speedway RaciLg Team
Company, corporation created for
racing purposes and controlled by Carr
Fisher, Of the indianapolis Speedway.
While Grant was tuning up his car
on the speedway on the afternoon OF
September rs, with more than a thou-
sand spectators watching, the gasolene
feedpipe broke and the backhre ignited
stream Of leaking gas.
He had just passed he grandstand
and was going at the rate OF more
than ninety miles an hour around what
is known as the lower bank OF the
track. When he felt the blazing gaso-
lene wrap his legs and the lower part
OF his body he was high up on the
board bank, which rises twenty-five feet
on the outer edge. He knew that TO
suddenly twist his flying car from this
elevation meant turning it over upon
himself and his mechanic. lie also
knew that his team mate Rickenbacher
and other drivers who were on the
track at the time were close behind
him. and that TO turn from his course
would probably wreck them.
With the blaze covering him and
blowing into his eyes, he held his ma
chine to the curve and allowed II 10
run at "A wide angle to the bottom OF
the bank.
Workmen who happened 10 be near
ran TO his assistance and he was lifted
out, with all his clothing on fire. The
blaze was extinguished with sand by
the workmen and he was rushed to the
Coney Island Hospital.
Grant was one Of the most daring OF
American drivers and twice captured
fine coveted Vanderbilt Cup, in 1909 and
1910. He came first into prominence as
a racing driver as head of the Alec
Ioam Ii was ore of these cars that he
carried 70 victory in the 1909 Wander
bilt. The race was run on Long Island
over a twenty-two-lap course.
While driving at Corona last fall his
gasolene tank caught on fire after he
Rad thrown wheel, and he had mar
row escape. While driving Stutz IN
recent Vanderbilt Cup race IN Callior,
mia his gas tank was accidentally. hlled
with water. and the mistake eliminated