The sun., 1916-10-29
MAY STANDARDIZE
/ SPEEDWAY RACING
Important Subject to Be Taken
Up at Meeting Of Con-
test Board.
~ JEROME SHAW. Of the Horse
less Are.

Sta naturalization in the ma nngemcn Of
tho va rious automobile speedways IL rap
Idly approaching. as Is indicated by the
recommendations for changes In the
r,'es governing speedway onte made
by representatives OF the leading motor
courses to the contest board Of the
American Automobile Association. These
recommendations were made at n meet
ing ut which the ~specdways selected
dates for the running of their 1917
vent and will he considered at u meet
Ing OF the contest board on Tuesday.
with the probability that all of them
Will he adopted.
Most important In the action taken
At tho conference Of speedway man
ngers with Chairman Kcnnerdell OF the
contest board was the selection of dates
for the running Of the 1917 championship
contests. II was decided that these
events be restricted to speedways and
that no more than one championship
award race be held or each track dur
inG the year. The minimum distance Of
these races is to be 100 miles. and the
minimum cash prize at the rate Of
500 a mile. The eight championship
contests are scheduled as follows: In
dianapolis. May 30; Chicago, June Q:
Omaha. July 4: Des Moines, July Il
Tacoma, July Is: Cincinnati. Septem-
Der 3. Providence. September Is, and
New York. September 20. In the event
that the new speedways now under
course OF construction at Philadelphia
and Cniontown. Pa. are completed dates
Will also be assigned TO them.
As a step toward popularizlng motor
1ncing the speedway men suggested hat
&ho drivers In the 1917 races carry
uumbers corresponding to their positions
n the 1916 championship. standing. I'm
der this arrangement II Johnny Aitken
wins the championship title his car in
Ill the 1917 events will carry No. /.
The driver coming fifteenth in the
Standing this year will handle car No.
Is In air his 1917 races. and SO on. In
ellis way the identification OF the drivers
will be an easy matter for race fol-
lowers. II will be obligatory on the part
Of the Ave leading drivers In the 1917
championship hat they appear In each
OF the championship events. a certin-
cate from the chairman Of the confess
board or from the technical committee
~ the A. A.. A. will he the only excuse
offered for non-appearance.
Not only will the drivers gain prestige
~ scoring well up in.the championship
standing. but there will he a direc,
monetary award from the speedway
managers for the seasons leaders. as
0e different speedways have agreed 70
Day to the contest board $40 for each
\ starting in n championship event
This money is to be split between the
0rst Ave drivers In the championship
standing.
Further financial assistance Is 10 be
rendered the drivers by the payment al
from 500 to $3.50 to cover t%ransporta.
tion charges for themselves and cars
This money Is to he paid BY the speed.
ways to drivers Of cars qualifying and
starting In the different races. and In
the event of "A driver finishing in tn.
prize money the 500 or $3.50 will b.
deducted from his award. Non-prizs
winners will Ice given the money out
right. The possibilities OF drivers no
receiving the full amount OF their priz.
money. as was the case at two speed
way meets this year. will be obviatet
By the adoption OF n rule requiring IN,
deposit OF all prize money with the con,
ties! board ten days in advance OF al
n. A. A. sanctioned events.
The speedway managers in addition
tn selecting the dates for the champion
ship award events on their tracks ais,
arranged for other races.