New-York tribune., 1916-01-30
Seven-Passenger Buick Six-55, ST, ,485.
MAXWELL BREAKS
NONSTOP RECORD
Is a Worlds Record, but a
Peculiar Tangle Pre-
vents It's Recognition.

Eddie Rickenbacher. the Maxwell rae
ing driver. who recently accomplished
Il nonstop run Of 22,022.3 miles with a
1916 stock Maxwell touring car, finds
that while he mas broken the worlds
record for nonstop runs his perform
ance must stand only rs an American
record.
This is due TO the fact that events
sanctioned by the American Automobile
Association are not recognized by tDe
International Association OF Recognized
Automobile Clubs. II is an old and
complicated story which was thrashed
out a number o. years ago. Lately so
many worlds records have been
smashed by American cars on tracks
and roads in the United States little
effort has been made TO obtain worlds
record certificates from the lnterna-
tional association.
In the early days OF automobile rae
ing the only events of any consequence
were international in character. Clubs
comprising the International Assocla-
tion of Recognized Clubs were the real
entrants of the racing teams, although
the cars were owned and the expenses
were paid by the manufacturers OF the
racing machines.
IL a racing team came from England
20 participate in one OF our big road
events 10 was known as the team OF the
Automobile Club Of Great Britain. II
81 came from France IL was entered by
the Automobile Club Of France.
There was no American Automobile
Association then, and the Automobile
Club OF America ruled the roost so lar
as America was concerned. 1t was then
and still is the only American member
O. the international association.
Dave Morris, Albert 4. Shattuck, Col
gate Hoyt. the late George Chamber
lain, Robert Lee Morreu and other
pioneer motorists and founders Of the
Automobile Club Of America brought
the fret cars to New York and as they
were all men who travelled and lived
abroad they realized the value of hav-
ing the A. c. A. join the international
association. 1t was quite an expensive
affilation, costing on the initial about
$4,000 but II proved an excellent and
wise investment II was the means, IN
fact, in holding the club together al
home, aside from giving its members
entree 10 the magnificent clubs OF the
old World, which were the first auto
mobile organizations.
When the American Automobile Asso-
citation came along A. e.. Batchelder
and its other founders we're unable 10
gain recognition in the international
association. II had already been clever
" arranged by the creators OF the asso-
citation that but one organiztion should
be recognized in each OF the countries.
The A. A. A. naturally set about
building Its foundations upon domes-
tic shelf. Bitter fights were waged IN
meeting and in the press. A. B. Bat
chelder. who still remains chairman OF
the executive committee Of the A. A.
A. and its active manager. was the
lender Of the Domestics against the
Foreigners, but he never succeeded IN
breaking the strangle hold which the
Automobile Club had Oh the interna-
tional association.
Finally the war was patched up
slightly and il was arranged that the
A. A. a. should sanction local and ma,
fional races and that the club should
sanction International contests. While
this arrangement holds now the club
has not been called upon during the last
few years 70 issue any sanctions. Az
The same time, the sanction OF the A. A.
A. is not recognized abroad. The new
Maxwell nonstop record beats the best
European nonstop record by more tnan
5000 miles, and Is, IN fact, worlds
record, which, on account Of the old
tangle, Is not recognized officially
phroad