The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1918-07-22
No ROOM
FORPROD|GY
IN RACING

AutumoboIe racing unlike other
sports has little room for youthful
prodigies. The HolIachers. Francis
Ouimets. Benny Kauffs and Bobby
Jonses Of other pastimes don't last long
behind the wheel Of two-mile-a- minute
racing car. They are killed of TOO
quickly.
The successful driver Of the modern.
hlgh-speed machine with its aeroplane
motor must possess exceptional tudg
ment and self control that comes cry
with mature years The impetuostty Of
youth-the unchecked desire to take a
chance-only spells disaster in the heat
Of a gruelling race on the auto speed
ways. The excitement and fascination
Of the dangerous sport attracts many
young recruits. but they soon either pay
the penalty OF over-rashness or grace
fully switch to a milder form OF liveh-
hood.
The best evidence OF this is shown in
the selection Of the drivers 10 compete
in the International Sweepstakes at the
Chicago Speedway on Sunday afternoon.
July Is Tho mana cement decided in
arranging the race to select the five
greatest drivers In an effort TO deter
mine Just who IS the best. After going
the field most carefully the following
were selected: Ralph De Palma Of Italy.
greatest all around champion the game
has ever known; Dario Resta of Eng
land. Speedway champion for 1e15-1916;
Arthur Duray Of Belgium. worlds speed
champion. Ralph Milford OF the United
States. twenty-four hour champion;
Louis Chevrolet Of France. Speedway
champion for 1918.
The daddy OF ell tho drivers" IS
Chevrolet Who has Just passed his fifty
third birthday. The daring Frenchman
has been manipulating tho racing wheel
for twenty years and Is better today
than ever before Scores Of young chaps
have tried to drive the veteran into re-
tirement. but he IS still flashing along
with the best OF them. Last year he
won the Speedway championship in
race at Sheepshead Bay in which he
covered 100 miles at an average speed
Of 10 miles an hour. In the recent Chi
cego Derby he won over tho 100 mile
route by averaging JOS miles an hour.
Only last Thursday he captured the 112
mile race at tho Uniontown, Pa, speed
way. Now he is engaged in defending
his title against the greatest drivers in
the world
How old do YOU THINK IaIpn DE rama
IS? In the early twenties, would be the
natural answer II one was to judge sole
~ by the champions youthful appear
ance. But De Palma is fast approach
ing tho forty year mark. The daredevil
Italian possessing rare mechanical
genius and steadiness when in action.
began his racing career when but a
mere kid. but he was one Of the few TO
.rJk
But there is no telling how many
years the name of De Palma will be
flashed the winner in many of the i'm
portant raving events Ralph has no
idea of quitting the strenuous sport On
the contrary the sprint king intends to
compete in all the important contests
this season especially to triumph over
his greatest rivaI-Dario Resta-
And Resta, speed king of 1855, IS
another old stager as auto racers go. He
has passed thirty-eight, an a6e when an
athlete IN any line Of sporting endeayor
would be due for retirement. Ralph
milford is as old as Resta and declares
that he will be racing for the next tif-
teen or twenty years.
Duray. European champion and holder
of the worlds record OF 147 miles an
hour is As years old, but seems to grow
better with age.
So when these veteran speed kings
clash At the Chicago speedway on next
sunday afternoon to race for their own
money the battle should be worth going
miles TO see.