Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-12-05
AUTO RACERS BREAK MARKS
Figures of 1914 Are Elevated by
Twenty Miles Per Hour Dur
ing Last Season.
COOPER IS THE LEADING PILOT

A review of the automobile racing sea-
son, covering twenty-three road and
speedway contests, brings to light the
fact that the open competition season.
which closed with the running OF the
record-breaking Hardness cup race at the
Sheepshead Bay speedway. has been the
most interesting I'm the history OF motor
car racing. Throughout the year pre-
vious records have been constantly shat
tered, the total average speed of the
twenty-three races run being more than
twenty miles an hour higher than that
made In all the road and speedway con-
tests of two years ago. The number of
starters I'm the various events has been
greater and the general interest In this
class OF sport has shown a marked in
crease through the erection of specially
constructed speedways throughout the
/ country.
| During the season Cooper. the road
champion of 1918, participated in eleven
4 events, OF which he won three, was sec
ond three times. fourth twice and was
eliminated three times. Under the Mason
point system of scoring. which allows
ten points for a first, six for a second,
| four for third. three for fourth. two for
! fifth, one for sixth, seven-eighths for
seventh. three-fourths for eighth, five
eighths for ninth and one-half for tenth
! Cooper scored fifty-one points during the
/ year as against thirty points for
! Gil Anderson and Eddie O'Donnell. his
nearest competitors. OF Cooper's points
/ twenty-tour were earned on the roads
/ through his winning two races, finishing
second In another and being eliminated
/ in two others, while twenty-seven is his
! total for one win. two seconds. two
fourths and one elimination on the speed
ways.
Races Won by BiR Drivers.
Cooper won the Point Iona race at
| San Diego. Cal, January .. and the Chi
cago Automobile Trophy event at Elgin,
/ Ill August 20. these being his two
Victories on the roads. His only speed
way victory was at Minneapolis. on Sep
tember 4. when he led his teammate.
/ Anderson across the wire in -5Ol-mile
race. with an advantage OF only twenty
one seconds. the closest finish ever
! recorded in long distance contest. In
the road races Dario Resta, who made
I such an ausploious debut 20 America
race followers In winning the Vanderbilt
cup and grand prize races at San Fran
cisco, finished second 20 Cooper, the
| twenty points scored at these event 3
giving him his position Eddie Ricsen-
bacher, with thirty-two points. leads the
drivers In the speedway standing. though,
In winning the Sioux City. Omaha and
providence races he did not have the
same class OF competition as Cooper and
Anderson met in their races.
In the fight for second honors in the
all-around championship ranking OF
drivers. Anderson and ODonneH are tied.
each having thirty-eight points. but In
his thirteen starts the latter only won
one race. the Glendale road contest, while
Anderson won the Elgin national and
the Aston cup race, the latter at the
worlds record pace. Therefore. Ander-
son is entitled 10 the choice IN the selec-
ton OF Tunnerup. The Horseless Age has
ranked the seasons winning drivers IN
the following order: Cooper Ande s. n
lO'Donnell. Resta. Rickenbacher. oIdfield.
De Palma. RueksteIl. BuEman. Pullen
and Milford.
| Comparison of speed Figures.
Although the prophesied 100 miles
an hour average Is yet 10 be realized,
Bob Bunam recently succeeded in