The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-10-10
FASTEST AUTO
EVER DRIVEN
GIL Anderson Burns Way to Victory
At Long Island Course, at 1902
Miles an Hour
Clip.
TOM ROONEY SECOND
American Cars Win Out In Hottest
Pace Ever set-Freneh Peu-
seots Are Left
Behind.
, TOM ROONEY SECOND
TBy N. c. Parke, United Press STAFF
CORRESPONDENT

Long Island, Oct. s.-The worlds
motor record burned up under the
lightning driving at the new $500. 900
motordrome here this afternoon. Gil
Anderson streaked his way to victory
in the $50 mile Astor trophy classic
at more than 102 miles an hour. Hot
on his trail rushed Tom Rooney. bis
tering the timber course at nearly the
same speed. Both smashed the pre-
vious worlds record for the distance,
made on the new Chicago speedway
only few weeks ago, when Dario
Resta shot around the oval at 81
miles an hour.
The official time OF Anderson's $50
mile drive was hours, "a minutes
and 442 seconds-an average speed Of
1926 miles an hour. faster clip than
amy human ever drove before. Roo
|ney's time was 3 hours, Is minutes
and 20 seconds-an average OF 102.105
miles an hour O'Donnell finished
third. several laps behind Rooney, in
g hours. 80 minutes and So seconds
an average Of 95.45 miles an hour.
American Cars Triumph.
American cars triumphed In the Ilz-
zling pace Of one of the greatest speed
way encounters the world has ever
seen. For two thirds OF the way the
French Blue Devil Peugeots led by q
neck In thrilling rush that kept
every man In the crowd Of $4,000 on
hts feet. hut the racking pace sent
the Peugeot drivers one by one to
their pits with broken valves or con-
meeting rods and 1t was the two Amer
lean Stutz cars Of Anderson and Roo
ney that flashed over winners.
Neither the Deusenberg OF O'Don;
nell; the Duesenberg of Henderson,
who finished fourth, nor any Of the
other motor bullets that got away at
the start, had real chance after the
race was half run. It settled down to
a struggle between the cars Of Amer
lea and OF France. whose flags were
intertwined about the crowded stands.
With a broken valve and Peugeot
driven BIZ "wild Bob" Burman was
Frances last chance
In the next twenty miles the great
est struggle of the $50 mile race was
fought ont, Burman, Anderson and
Rooney, their cars almost touching,
fighting for the lead. On the 260th
mile they rushed down the stretch in
what the judges called q triple tie,
though Anderson apparently was lead
ing by a hairs breadth. Burman's
Blue Peugeot was a whir of color In
the center. 1anked by the big white
Stutz cars OF Anderson and Rooney
on either side.
Tie 10 Broken.
The tie was broken On the next lap
when Burman and Rooney stopped
for gasoline Anderson whipped into
half lap lead, Increased It slightly
In the next forty miles and shot over
winner. But at no time did he shake
entirely free from his pursuers. Bur
mans Perzeot went out laps from the
finish because Of engine trouble, but
Rooaey was less than minute behind
the winner.
Auderson's mechanism had 10 be
lifted from his seat. but the big Nor
wegian c1ambered out unaided.
ct was the greatest I ever ran" he
eaid One OF us f2ointing to Rooney.
his team mattel had TO win With an
American car. II happened TO be me-"
Smashed Records.
Anderson not only had won the AZ
Tor cup and the $4,000 first prize. bat
he Rad smashed all worlds records
for 200. 200 and $50 miles. Rooney
who finished second. won $4,000 and
C,Donneli, placed third, took $1,000
IN rrfzes. The order OF the other i've
fnishers OF the twenty original start
ere follow:
Tnsr,h Henderson. Deusenbe-,
s.47.z7. an average Of sz-z1 miles an
hour
Yff.h. Alley, Ogren. 1881, an aver
ze Of sI.57 miles an hour
Sixth, Lfnnberg. Delages 4-s.z1, an
average Of ss.z2 miles an hour.
Seventh, HATH. Sebrins. and eignfn.
van. Milford Special. did not actuai'y
finish. but were tagged and 70 placed
by Judges.
The crowd got its nnoney's worth
right from the start Resfa. hero OF
the Chicago race. dashed away TO me
lead on the flying start, closely traiIea
~ Yobnnv Aiken and wild Bob"
Burman. also in Pengeots. and Barney
oldneId In DeIase. 49,