Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-01-20

was Aitkens strategy as much a.
DaW son = skill that made victory pos
sibIe for the National when the motor
cf tho Mercedes played De Palma false
on the next TO the last lap OF that
epoChal and tragic struggle.
When Jules Goux and Paul Zuc.
Carelli came TO America to represent
France in the indianapolis interna.
tional sweepstakes the following year
they selected Aitken as their pit
manager Johnny scored his second
successive triumph in the Hoosier
classic from the concrete dugout. for
that season checkered flag OF triumph
waved for Goux.
In 1914 Aftken again allied himself
with the Peugeot drivers from across
the Atlantic-Goux and Boillot but
his Hoosier brains were bested by
Delage speed and he had to be con-
tent with seeing Goux take fourth
money. When the foreigners sailed
for Paris. Aitken accompanied them
and directed the fortunes OF the Peu-
geot team in the French grand pr1N
from the pits He also was offered a
car for the lie Mans grand prix. but
never heard the roar Of its motor in
competition. the invasion OF Belgium
by the Germans and the Teuton drive
toward the French capital shattering
al OF Athens dreams Of foreign con-
quest.
With Stutz People
Athens services are always in de
mand and putting in an early bid.
Harry Stutz was successful in secur.
ing them in 1915 when Johnny acted
as adviser in the Stutz pit and served
as relief driver in the 5o0-mile races
held on the Indianapolis and Chi.
cago speedways. Late in the sum.
mer. when the owners Of the India
napolis speedway purchased two Peu-
geots, they selected Aitken as one
of their drivers. He started in both
events held at Sheepshead Bay in the
fall, but failed to finish in either, al.
though he was a most dangerous con.
tender for the Vincent Aston cup until
his car was eliminated.
Such is the record Of the Hoosier
automobile engineer-pit manager
driver who had the audacity and ar
rogance to fling a challenge at Dario
Resta, king Of speed kings. this sea.
son and forced the proud and laur-
eled invader to bow the knee in four
races. II was not a record that pr.,nl-
Used the achievements with which
Aitken Is credited for 1916. For that
reason. his victories over Resta and
his brilliant and tenacious fight for
the championship are all the more
praise-deserving. Jack. who climbed
a beanstalk to Stay q giant, would not
have been eulogized in the legends
of the nursery, had he had tie stature.
and tonnage of Jess Willard.
Thirteen of the Is races that were
classified as championship events
were run On speedways-the .300-mile
motor derbies at indianapolis, Chi
cago, Tacoma and Cincinnati, the $50.
mile contests for the Aston Cup at
New York and the Speedway Grand
Prix at Chicago, the. 130-mile races at
New York, Des Moines,, Minneapolis,
Omaha and Los Angeles, and the In
dianapolis autumn sweepstakes and
the Hardness trophy event at New
York, each 100 miles in distance. Title
points also were given for the tive
road racing classics of the year, the
2S4-mtle struggle over the Vanderbilt
Cup and the 403-mile marathon for
the grand prize, both run at Santa
Monica In November.
In assigning championship points,
Richard Kennerdell. chairman Of the
contest board of the American Auto.
mobile Association, took into consid-
GRAFTON the distance and class Of
entries in each race. On this basis,
q first in three of the four 300-miIe
events was worth 900 points, the value
of the Tacoma victory being reduced
to 500 points because the field there
was not as talented as those at In.
dianapolis Chicago and Cincinnati;
500 points were awarded the winner
OF each 250-mile contest; 600 points
went to each 150-mile race victor;
and the driver showing the way in
each Of the century events was cred.
tied with 500 points
For the road races, the winner OF
the Vanderbilt Cup received 900
points and grand prize victory was
valued at 1000 points. In the later
event, however, Howdy Wilcox. whose
Peugeot took first money, with Aitken
as relief driver at the wheel, was
given only 422 points, since he drove
less than half the distance, while Ait.
ken failed to better his standing in the
championship struggle, Chairman Ken.
nerdell ruling that a relief driver was
not entitled to points for taking an.
others car and Finishing it among
the purse winners.
OF the Is championship races, Resta
started in 10 and won five victories
in the 300-mile events in Indianapolis
and Chicago, the 150-mile Omaha
sweepstakes. the 250-mile Speedway
Grand Prix at Chicago and the Van
derbilt Cup netting him o total of 100
points. Not counting his victory in
the grand prize with Wilcox's car,
Aitken. a contender in nine title con.
tests, took four firsts, capturing the
30O-mile Cincinnati Inaugural, the $50
mile. and the two century con-
tests, one at indianapolis and
the other for the Hardness
trophy at New York; finished second
to De Palma in a 150-mile battle at
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