Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-07-31
RACING
DRIVERS REGRET
WIN OF MERCEDES
Glad That De Palma Won, But
Can't EnthuSe Over His
German Car

PARIS, France.-Although Ralph de
Palmas has been wearing the laurel Of
his indianapolis victory for more than
six weeks, the French drivers who
competed In the rich classic last year
and the year previous have just re-
ceived news of the result Of the 1915
Hoosier race, for. in war times. news
travels slowly to the trenches where
they now are wearing the panoply OF
Mars and not the khaki of Mercury.
The victory of De Palma Is most
popular with the speed merchants OF
the republic over the sea, but the tri-
umph of his Mercedes and the record
breaking achievement of the German
ear did not bring q smile to their
faces. Even when Europe was at
peace Mercedes victories have brought
woe to France It's first Grand Prix
triumph, five or six years ago, 50 hui
inflated the Gauls that the famous
classic was abandoned for two seasons
and when Lautenschlager at the wheel
of the Teuton speed creation, dupli.
Gated this feat last July France was
just as chagrined. 1t is only natural
that the feeling runs even higher now
with the big guns of the kaiser boom
ing in French territory and the grey
legions of Germany attempting to lay
siege to Paris.
Says Racing Game Must Progress.
II am glad to hear that De Palma
won and that he shattered my record
of last year" said Rene Thomas when
he heard the results of the 1915 race.
II want to congratulate him on what
must have been q remarkable contest
The manufacturers over here seemed
to think that the record would stand
for another year and on that account
are not disposed to send cars This is
lesson to them that in the racing
game progress must be constant.
France had the cars and few good
drivers free from military service. She
should have sent them across the At
lantic instead of being satisfied to live
In the false hope that the old record
would remain untouched"
Thomas is the only French diver to
have competed at Indianapolis who
has not seen service in the European
war. He was declared ineligible for
duty at the front because motor
cycle accident kept him in the hos
pital the II months when he should
have Deen receiving military instruc-
ton. Although he does not wear q
uniform. he is one of the cogs In the
great machine of Moloch, being In
charge of "a repair shop where dam
aged military automobiles are over
hauled.
Mercedes victory Piques L'Auto.
LsAuto, the only French automobile
paper that has survived the scourge
Of war, is decidedly piqued over the;
victory of the despised German Mer-
cedes at indianapolis. It describes
last years race, in which Europeans
made q clean sweep, as the most inn
portant of American speed contests
and states that this years classic
failed to attract any attention. The
paper studiously avoids mentioning
the fact that De Palma drove Mer-
cedes and makes much Of the lap rec.
ord established by George BOillot in
the 1914 qualifying trials and con.
cludes IT'S brief and prejudiced report
OF the Hoosier classic with the express
sion of belief that no driver this year
could equal the Frenchman's time.
Louis Delage, head of the company
building the car which Thomas drove
to victory at Indianapolis In 1914,
while expressing his admiration at
the result, appeared to be surprised
and disappointed that the record Of
last year had been cut by so great q
margin. M. Michelat, the chief engi-
neer of the Delage company, stated
that If the new Delage cars had been
entered in this years race, they would
have been shipped with the intention
Of taking big slice out Of Thomas
mark of SO miles an hour for the 500
miles, but that he did not know enough
Of track conditions at indianapolis to
predict the highest speed they could
hope to make on the Hoosier oval
French 70 Go After Revenge.
That a German car won the Indian
apolis race and broke a French record
in doing so has fired the French -drf-
vers and manufacturers with desire
to make another invasion of America
as soon as possible under the existing
conditions. The French are humiliat-
ed and are determined to get revenge.
There is no doubt but that when peace
Is declared in Europe they will send
4 team of cars and drivers to Indian
apolis with only one aim In mind-to
shatter De Palma's record and show
up the Mercedes
Provided the French drivers break
loose from Mars and come to America
for a speed campaign next spring. the
fsns at Indianapolis will get an eyeful
of martial splendor, for the race pilots
are talking Of wearing their uniforms
IN their spectacular pursuit of fame
and fortune over the bricks of the
Hoosier trick.
criters in High Standing.
With the exception of Thomas, all OF
he French drivers are entitled to wear
regimentals George Boillot. the dean
u the Peugeot team, is sublieuten.
ant and has been attached to the head
quarters staff of General Joffre since
he outbreak of the war. Jules Goux,
winner of the 1913 indianapolis race,
low Is driving the war car of the mill.