The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1917-07-27
GREAT CARD Is
MAGNET, DRAWING.
ATTENDANCE FOR
WIDE TERRITORY
Preliminary Contests This
Afternoon Mean Bigger
Things Saturday
EXPECT TO SET
NEW STATE MARK
Endicott Sure it Can be
Done Fargo-M
Day. Very Successful

Dare devil auto demons took
possession Of the Fargo race track
this afternoon and opened their two
day convention of speed" the re-
suits of todays competitive driving
in several events placing the men in
position for the final heats to De
fought out on the half-mile circular
dirt track Saturday afternoon, in
what is expected to be the greatest
day of the fair.
Drivers with but one thought in
mind-to snatch the $4,000 in prize
money hung up by the Interstate
Fair association for the different
events-stormed the grounds early
this afternoon and in the prelimin-
ary speed trials at the opening of
the days card, left billiards of dust
behind as they circled the track at a
terrific rate. ~
State Record is Shaking.
The North Dakota state record of
I'LL 2-5, made in Fargo at the North
Dakota State fair last year by wild
Bill, Endicott, is in the balance this
afternoon and it is expected it will
be smashed either today or tomor-
row afternoon.
Sec. F. w. McRoberts and c. o.
Smith, president of the fair associa-
ton, advised the drivers early today
that they wanted speed, and further
more, wanted to see the state record
lowered.
Endieott Gives Out Statement.
Just before entering the race
track, 'cWild Bill" Endicott declared
that during the past two years in
which he has raced in Fargo the
track was never in better condition
than this afternoon.
ssThe track is in the best shape
that / have ever seen it, said the
veteran king of the dirt tracks.
"There should be no question but
what the Fargo speedway should De
a 1:10 fiat track. II fail to Smash
the state record with the Sweeney
Special this afternoon. will send
the famous Bitten Benz, 290 horse
power, against time Saturday after
Mrs. Endicott occupied one of the
boxes in the grandstand and took q
great interest in the early events OF
the afternoon in which her husband
participated.
Johnny Raimey, now dying in
sanitarium in Colorado from con-
sumption, made the first auto record
in the state That was in Grand
Forks in the year 1915. A week later
Raimey came to Fargo and on the
closing day of the Interstate fair
that year shattered the record he
made at Grand Forks by one second,
making the time of the Fargo track
at 1:12. He was heralded to appear
at the North Dakota State fair here
last year, but cancelled his contract
at the eleventh hour.
"Wild Sill" Gets Ovation.
wild Bill" Endicott and Mrs.
Endicott were given a big ovation
from the grandstand crowd upon
their appearance in the Sweeney
Special" early today. wild BilI'
with his wife at his side did fast
mile for the amusement Of the
spectators, as did other drivers.
There were seven machines enter
ed in the trials for a distance or
one mile. flying start, when Oh1cial
Ralph A. Hankinson gave the men
time trials amounted to $3.50 and the |
''Union-All Trophy" was valued at
Drivers entered in the time trials
were Henderson in his Deluxe; |
Scrieber in Cyclone, jr.; Rathbun in |
Duckesneau; Bowen in Dusenberg;
Brainerd in Baby Mine; Lampkin in
Sun Ray, and Endicott in his |
Sweeney Special.
0GCOH0
The second event Of the afternoon |
was the three-mile free-for-all, fly |
ing start, to be run in three heats,
the final heat to be staged Satur-
day. The purse amounted to 500, |
to be divided as follows-arst, $500; |
second, 5000; third, 800, and the |
''Swineheart'' trophy to the winner
Of the Anal heat. valued at $400.
Entries in this heat were Bowen in
the Dusenberg; Henderson in the |
Deluxe; Rathbun in the Duchesneau; /
Endicott in the Sweeney Special
and Lampkin in Sun Ray.
Entries in the third event or two
miles for miniature cars, flying start,
for a purse of $500 to be divided:
$500 for the first prize; second $3.50
and third $50, were Calohan in Baby
Ben No. 2; Scrieber in Cyclone,s Jr.;
Buchanan in Green Demon, and
Brainard in Baby Mine.
The Thrill Of the Day.
The thrill Of the afternoon was
the race between Louis Gertsonr the
army aviator, and Wild Bill' Endi-
colt for one mile on a flying start.
After considerable quibblIng relative
event in connection with the motor
speed contests, a satisfactory agree
ment was reached late Thursday
night.
The sixth event of the afternoon
was the second heat Of the three
mile free-for-all.
Endieott Races LampEin.
Second, in thrills to the race be-
tween Endicott and Louis Gertson,
was the fight between Endicott and