Omaha daily bee., 1917-06-17
Milford Vail, Thomas Hearne, Henderson, Milton
Lewis, Alley and Chevrolet Brothers Among the
Celebrities Landed for the Gate City's Third
Annual Automobile Derby Juy4

. .....-.......".. .s-......s-.s...s
Emake the bet time in the elimination
contests.
Ralph De Palma and Earl Cooper,
the latter the winner OF the 250-mile
race at Chicago yesterday, are not
among the pilots signed for Omaha,
but McShane has high hopes of land
ing both before he returns home.
These two are practically the only
celebrities McShane has not signed.
OF the fifteen already signed, Ralph
Mulford, Ira Vail, Tommy Milton,
Baby Pete Henderson and Dave
Lewis took part in the great Omaha
race last year. Tom Alley was one
Of the participants in the 1915 race
in Omaha.
The other drivers have never be-
fore been seen in this city.
Hearne Of Old School.
Eddie Hearne, teammate of Hen
derson and Milton in the Duesenberg
outfit, is one of the old school. Hearne
was one of The leading registered driv-
ers half dozen years ago. Then he
jumped to an outlaw circuit and has
been tooling cars on the dinky dirt
tracks of the country for several sea.
sons. Last winter, however, he was
reinstated and once more the big time
fans will have the pleasure Of seeing
this sensational driver on the speed
ways.
Already Hearne has begun to make
inroads on the prize money. He has
been in the money in all the races
staged so far. He placed at Union
town and Cincinnati and was third at
Chicago yesterday.
The celebrated Chevrolet brothers
are new to Omaha. They are driving
cars OF their own construction. Their
Frontenacs are exceedingly light,
weighing only 1000 pounds, and they
are capable of 10 miles an hour.
Louis Chevrolet was the winner of
the Memorial day derby at Cincinnati
and his brother, CASTOR, was third.
Louis Chevrolet decade ago was a
member of that famous Buick team
of Burman, Strang and Chevrolet,
said to have been the greatest racing
team ever assembled. Burman and
Strang are both dead.
Coast Product.
Omar Toft, who drives an Omar
Special, is Pacific coast product and
this is his first year on the eastern
tracks. He is said to be driver OF
the sensational type, the kind the
coast turns out. His Omar Special is
reputed to be very fast car.
Otto Henning was a former Mercer
driver. His Ogren, Chicago-made
car, is fast and Henning is expected
to make a name for himself this year.
Mercer Pilots New.
All three OF the Mercer drivers are
strangers to Omaha. Joe Thomas is
the leader Of the team. He rode with
Eddie Pullen for several years and
later drove MERGERS ON the coast. To
show the class of Thomas it is only
necessary to point out that he quail
fed at Chicago with mark of l07
miles an hour.
Al Schillo is a comeback. Schillo
was one of the noted drivers of years
gone by. He retired from the game
and became the Mercer agent in Chi
cago. When Baby Pete Henderson
quit the Mercer team the other day
Schillo was induced to take his hand
at the wheel again.
Omahans remember Schillo when
he drove Billy Leet's car to victory in
the Chicago dealers race last year.
Walter Haines, the other member
of the Mercer team, is new at the
wheel, but has had lot of experience
riding with capable drivers and he is
heralded by the railbrds as one of
the coming stars.
Ralph Mulford, who will drive a
Hudson, drove Peugeot into second
money in Omaha last year. Ira Vail
fooled a Hudson here and was one
OF the contenders until he blew up
after seventy-hve or eighty miles. Art
Patterson, the other Hudson driver,
is new to Omaha.
Baby Pete, Too.
Tommy Milton, one OF the Duesen--
berg pilots, drove the same car to
third money last year while Baby
Pete was fourth in both the Omaha
races last year.
Dave Lewis was a member Of the
Crawford team last year. His Hoskins
Special is said to be a much faster
car than his Crawford and he is ex-
pected to prove one Of the leading
pilots of the country this season.
Some Of the stars who put up such
a wonderful race here last year will
be missing, OF course. Eddie Ricken-
bacher is in Europe with Pershing.
Dario Resta has retired. Art Klein
has jumped to the outlaw circuit. vii.
bur D'Alene still is suffering from an
injury received at Ascot Park last
December and is not driving. But
others have been signed to take their
places and with the fifteen men Nc
Silane already has lined up, Omaha is
assured of race that at least will be