Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-04-03
maxwell RACING CAR
MADE new RECORD
Carlson Made 5000 Miles in Nonstop
Race at San Diego Recently.

That a long distance automobile race
properly staged and in its field Of
starters a fair proportion of the stai
drivers of America, has powers of at
traction which no other easily attain
able spectacular event can boast, has
been amply proven again during the
past winter, by the series of races
which have taken place in California.
This series was so arranged as to be
almost a complete circuit in itself, the
combination Of events drawing to the
coast almost all the famous American
ears and pilots, as well as the pick Of
the foreign racing cars now on this side
Of the water.
The campaign opened at Corona, Cal.
in November.
Prior to the Corona race this inter
esting southern California city was on
some maps but lacked large margin
of any Just right to nationtl fame
But Corona had provided for Won
derful course perfect circle of three
miles, originally built as a boulevard to
enclose the town itself. AS result,
Corona Is race went down into history
as the fastest event of its distance ever
held, Pullen established a road record
for the world to shoot at while, Old.
field in his sturdy, efficient Maxwell,
ran the whole distance-more than 301
miles-without stop and at an aver
age speed of nearly Sc miles an hour.
Without exaggeration, it can con
seryatively be stated that Corona IS
race made the city known to thousands
who had never heard of it and estab-
lished for the city fame which will
probably endure for years.
San Diego was the next stop, its race
being timed to follow closely the open
ing Of the Panama-C California exposi-
ton, January |. Much of the motive
back of the San Diego race was de-
sire to stimulate early attendance at
the exposition. This purpose was won
derfully fulfilled. The race was view.
ed by more than 10000 persons, the
hotels were crowded with visitors
though the trans-continental railroad
rates were not yet in force, and the fair
announced January attendance which
startled even the most optimistic.
While the San Diego course was not
fast fine field competed and Carl.
son in Maxwell raised Oldfield s non.
stop race record from 30l to 1868 miles.
San Francisco came next and there
as at San Diego, the competitions had
been dated few days after the formal
opening Of the exposition. Weather
conditions were most unfavorable and
a make-shift course, inside the Panama
Pacific exposition grounds had to be
used, but a crowd of more than 100000
persons sat patiently in the rain for
hours, until the officials decided to
postpone the Vanderbilt-the first of
the two races carded.
When good weather finally smiled on
the postponed Vandelbilt, more than
100000 persons came to see it, and the
stand which seats $4,000 per.
sons, was filled with enthusiasts who
paid from $3.50 to $1,000 for the privi.
lege.
A few Of the mammoth San Fran.
cisco field went home east after the
Nandelbilt but most remained for the
Venice Grand Prize, promoted by the
hustling Los Angeles suburb.
The Venice proposition was u pub
LEFTY idea, backed by the wealthy con.
cessionaires Of the Pacific Coast Coney
Island A fine three mile course. with
planked turns, well banked, was built
for the event which not only paid the
winners prize money equal to that of
San Francisco, but also divided with
the starters n large share Of the ample
proceeds from the race, the committee
content with the first-poge publicity
secured for Venice, in newspapers all
over the country.
The Venice course was faster than
san Francisco and Barney Oldficld in
"a Maxwell won, followed by Billy Carl.
son, in another Maxwell, forty.six sec.
onds later.
\ few of the circuit chasers stopped
off ut Tucson, Ariz,, on their way home.
to race for the BordcrlQnd fair people
ON the final day Of thir big annual
week AS ON each prior occasion, the
automobile race did more than any
other feature to draw the crowds to
the city and constituted an attraction
which transformed the fair s final day
into the most successful of the entire
week.
Barney Oldfield. in n Maxwell, won
aud Billy Carlson in another Maxwell
finished second
That the sport Of automobile rae.
ing is STEADILY becoming more clearly
recognized as the greatest attraction
which can be staged for any crowd.