Omaha daily bee., 1915-06-21
TWO MORE GREAT
PILOTS 70 COME
Hughie Hughes and Charley Keene
Signed Up to Race in 0msha's
First Annual Race.
DRIVE PORTER-KN1eHr CARS

Hughie Hughes and Charley Keene are
the latest Of the worlds great drivers to
sign up 10 pilot their racing craft around
the new Omaha speedway az the first
annual race on July 5. Z. J. McShane'
director Of contests. signed these two
daring drivers In Chicago Saturday.
Hughes and Keane viii drive two OF
the Porter-Knight cars. which we're de-
signed and built by Finley r. Porter at
the stearns factory In Cleveland last
winter. They have not as yet competed
in a race. but will DO chrlstencd at the
Chicago race. providing that is run OFT
Saturday as scheduled. Omaha will ba
the second track where they will race.
Both Hughes and Keene qualified at
Chicago at a rate Of over nlnety-flye
miles an hour. Keens pushed his mount
around at ninety-seyen miles an hour.
Of Royipg Disposition.
Hughes and Keene are two OF the most
distinctive drivers In the world. Were
IL not Tor the fact that he ieft England
q number of years ago to seek his for
tune In the land of the stars and
Stripes. Hughes would now be fighting
the kaiser. lie Is an adyenturer born
and bred. a man who has knocked about
from one corner OF the globe 10 the
other. His presence on the FINLEY r,
Porter team, Incidentally, is quite nat
uraI, inasmuch az he and Finley r. PoF-
ter became famous together, one as
driver and the other as designer Of the
Mercer that won the Savannah trophy
contest in 1911.
Hughes has always been Of fllghty ma
tuFe. Altar driving at Savannah he was
an outlaw driver for q while Then he
took up with the Maxwell team aud
COPIED the TacOma Potlach contest In
1874 Shortly Rftarward he quit the Max
well, probably for no better reason than
that he wanted q change of scsneFy.
Last FebFuary 1T San Francisco ne
drove an Ono 10 third place in the Grand
Prize. At Indianapolis he was relief
driver for Tom Orr Of the Maxwell crew
and he finished the race Tor Orr, winning
ninth money,
Hughes Is one Of tie greatest drivers in
the game and only needs 10 control him
self and stick to ona thing long enough
to cash In IN splendid style,
KeeHe an Inventor.
Ikeene IL the man who 80 ast0unded the
racing world IN 1914 BY appearing at In
diaBapolis with car Of his own build.
which he called tho Beaver Bullet When
Keene and his novel craft appeared at
Indianapolis he was the subject for much
sood-natursd criticism by the railbirds,
who could see nothing good In either
Keene or his car.
Keene had a pet theory. II was that
the front wheels OF a ear should be bigger
than tho rear because II was easter to
push large wheel over an obstacle than
q small one. Subsequent events, however,
justified Keenes confidence In himself,
for he outiasted thirty-six Of the forty
four original candidates for honors and
finished In eighth place.
This year, with Q car OF the latest pat
tern, Keene should make great name for
himself Possessed OF great mechanical
Instinct and inventive talent OF no mean
ability, he Is schedled to outdistanee
many in the race for fame. who merely
know how TO handle a steering wheel
Edward Miller. prominent technical
engineer OF Kansas city, was in Omaha
yesterday. and white here he took a peek
at the new Omaha speedway. Some
track" was Miller's exclamation, when
he first cast his CRIBS over the speed
way. 81
IL should be the fastest track In the
world" declared Muller. its curves
should stand any speed. A driver can
put his foot on the pedal and leave it
there. some records will surely be
broken"
That already 200 speed enthusiasts of
Kansas City are planning 10 come TO
Omaha is the word OF Mr. Miller. The
number will probably exceed that figure
when the day Of the races comes. but
eysn now that number are sure to come
Extend Car Line.
Work on the grading Of the extension
of the street car line direct 20 the speed
way will start Monday. was announced
yesterday The car line will turn at
Fifth and Locust streets and psoceed 10
within a few feet Of the main entrance.
As soon as the grading Is finished rails
will be laid. II Is believed that the
work can be finished In a week or ten
days. 80 that good car service can be
had to the track during the elimination
trials and practices. Some 800 feet Of
spur track, on which cars win be placed
to wait for the finish Of the race. will
also be laid.
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