New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-28
GRAND PRIZE
WON BY RESTA
IN A PEUCEOT
French Auto and Italian
Driver Victorious in
Exposition Race.
STUFF, WITH WILCOX
AT WHEEL, SECOND
Contest Run Under EXecrable
ConditioHs-Winner's Aver
age Only 57la Miles.

San Francisco, Feb. q. -- Darius
Resta, an Italian, driving French
Peugeot car, o-day won the renewal
Of tbe Grand Prize over the exposition
circuit. covering the 40OA miles IN
7:O7:57. an average speed Of 57is miles
81 hour.
Howard Wilcox, IN a Stutz, was sec
oud. and Hughie Hughes, in the ono
took third honors. The winning car
ves shod with Nassau tires, made IN
nton. y j., and as it was entered
l. he PcuReot Company Of New YORK,
lore vas a decidedly Eastern tinge 10
.- victory.
\ Resta, the winning driver had never
De ore appeared in America, nor IoI
that matter. had the particular car ne
grove. although one Of the same make
won the 1918 Memorial Day race on
the Indianapolis Speedway. MS ma
chine. imported a few weeks ago, mn
ished second in one Of the most I'M
portant French races last season.
Resta proved himself Il worthy sue
eessor to the wonderful European pilots
who have thrilled American race spec
tators in the past. He did not lead con-
tinually, but he was either out IN
front or within striking distance from
the start. and toward the end he began
20 pull away slowly from his pursuers
snd finished with nearly seven minutes
70 spare.
After feeling his opponents out in
the first ten miles, Resta appeared
tatisfed to hold his position with the
leaders, nor did he so out for big
margin until IT was necessary TO chnch
victory. WilcoX's time was about seven
minutes better than that Of Hughes.
The conditions for racing, especially
after ! o'clock, were eXecrable. Ralph
de Palma quit little after 3 O'CLOCK
when he was plainly without chance
70 win, confessing that he did not care
10 risk his life on the dangerous cir
cult. Barney Oldfeld and Caleb Bragg
were other star drivers who were
forced out through motor troubles.
Conditions were far from promising
when the thirty starters lined up be-
fore Fred J. Wagner, the starter, at
1880 O'Clock this morning, and the lack
Of a crowd in the grandstand indicated
that the enthusiasts preferred TO be-
l!eve the evidence before them rather
than the optimistic weather man, who
had predicted that the day would be
clear.
Half an hour before the race was
tering Of people in the grsndstand, but
80 more distant bleachers were fairly
III peopled. The clouds were so black
and threatening that it was a certainty
rain would fall long before the race
could be finished.
In the pits given over to the racing
experts and their helpers there was
only gloom. Few, after their experience
of last Saturday, believed the race
could be run in safety; some Of them,
In fact, seemed 10 hold the opinion that
the circuit was unfit for race. They
openly lamented the refusal of the au-
Srities 70 change at least one Of the
cassie contests 10 the faster and safer
road circuits in the vicinity of Los
Angeles.
Nevertheless. they hurried through
the final preparations, and there was no
sign Of unreadiness when the long rows
lined up back of the line The official
announcement was made that the race
distance would be 400.2S66 miles, lO4
laps of the course.
Because Of the size Of the field II
was found necessary TO send the cars
away in twos and threes. The first
trio 10 get the word consisted OF Coop
er's white StutZ, Ruckstalps Mercer
and the trim looking French Delage,
driven by Newhouse. Fifteen seconds
later "Wag" slapped Caleb Bragg on
the back as a signal, and the New York
BOY shot over the line with the Cali
iornian and Taylor's old Alec as his
running mate.
James Parsons's Parsons Special and
Nikrent's Mercer were he next pair,
and the remainder Of the field went out
IN fights of three every fifteen seconds.
Ruckstall jumped into an early lead
md was first around 70 the grandstand,
Jut il became evident in a few laps
that Europe had sent at least fair
successor to Boillot, Goux, Thomas and
ne other speed kings now engaged in
ne more serious business Of war. The
talisn seemed TO believe that it was up
% him 70 make a reputation in his first
fort on American soil, and the threw
caution 10 the winds aid tore around
the sharp turns like q mailman.
Al ten laps Resta had assumed the
lead with Peugeot, ten seconds ahead Of
Ruckstall, and Tom Alley, with the
Deusenberg, was the runner-up, barely
ahead of Hughie Hughes in the curl
ously named Ono, and Ralph de Palma
in the six-cylinder Mercedes. The sec
ond lap saw the withdrawal Of Cooper's
Stutz because of a broken connecting
rod.
Resta averaged about sixty-eight
miles an hour for the first ten miles,
but the muddy condition Of the part of
the course encircling the athletic field
began 20 slow the racers down almost
Immediately, and IL was evident that
the average would be about the lowest
ever registered in a Grand Prize race.
Rain began TO fall about noon, with
little prospect Of let-up, and the Off
cials conferred about the advissbility
Of calling the race of. but they decided
20 let il continue.