Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-05-02
NEW YORK GETS
BIG AUTO RACE
Will be Scene of Memorial Day
Championship Race for the
First Time in History.

|. For the first time in the history of
speedway racing, New York this year
will be the scene of a championship
meet on Memorial Day, May 80. Ever
since the Inauguration of these auto
mobile contests, Decoration Day has
been considered the banner day of
the season. But it was not until this
year that New York was awarded
the plum" William II. Wellman
has obtained the prize for the Sleeps
head Bay Speedway.
The feature at this months speed
carnival will be the Hardness Handi-
cap, at 100 miles, in which the great
est drivers in the world will compete.
In addition there will be races at
shorter distances. as well as an aero
plane match between Miss Ruth Law
and Miss katherine Stnson, the fore
most lady flyers. Each claims the
honor of being Queen Of the Air"
The 100-mile handicap will be a
feature on all the speedways this
year, inasmuch as it is the most in
teresting and thrilling style of racing
yet presented
This was proved by the manner in
which short distance handicap met
with the approval of the $4,000 spec
tators that witnessed the final race
meet of the year at Sheepshead Bay
+ Speedway last September. This style
of racing found immediate favor, and
the fact that this months race is to
/ be handicap of 100 miles, for a
record purse, and with the best driv-
ers competing, is expected to draw
close to 100000 to the seaside course.
+ Speedway racing was introduced in
this country in 1911, with the Inter
national 500-mile Sweepstakes at In
dianapolis. This classic was contested
at this course for six years, always on
May 80. Last season, with war threat
ening, the Indianapolis Speedway
management cancelled its prize date,
and the event was held at Cincinnati
Wellman had to outbid the Cincin-
natl speedway people in order to Sc
cure the May 80 date for the Sleeps
head Bay track this season. His an
nouncement of the feature race at 100
miles, at the handicap style, will be
new departure in the automobile rae
ing game on the speedways.
From 1911 to 1915, inclusive, the
Indianapolis race was at the Derby
distance of 500 miles. In 1916 the
distance was reduced to 800 miles.
Last year, at Cincinnati, the route
was cut fifty miles more. The pro-
moters were long in realizing that
the public demanded races at the
short distance, as it would not pat
ronlze long race owing to the
tedium after the first 100 miles.
will replace the International Sweep
stakes on May 80. Ralph DePalma,
the sprint champion, won the Indian
apolis 500mile race in 1915; Dario
Resta captured the classic, at 800
miles. in 1916, while Louis Chevrolet
annexed the honors, over the $50
mile route, last year. These three
stars are expected to be among the
two-score starters in the Harkness
Handicap on Memorial Day.
In addition there will be several
foreign champion drivers in the COM
petition, chief among them Arthur
Duray, the European speed king.
Duray is expected to sail for this |
country shortly. He has cabled his |
acceptance of an invitation from
Wellman to race in this country this |
summer.
The Sheepshead Speedway Motor |
Club, Inc, of which Wellman is pres
ident, has almost filled it's first quota !
of 1000 members, and arrangements |
are nearly completed for the inaug- |
uration of the series of members
races.