South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-04-13
DE PALMA ENTERS
SWEEPSTAKES; TO
USE PACKARD z
PIuCky Little italian VIII
Start in Sixth 500
mile Race.

INDIANAPOLIS Ind. April H.
Ralph DePaIma. worlds speed KING
has entered the 500-m,le Liberty
sweepstakes at indianapolis Nav 81.
The premier driver I'm the Ameri-
can racing game viii Cart I'm the
chase for $4,000 in gold in the 10
cylinder Packard racer that ne has
used with great success on the
speedways the last two seasons and
which has as many records to its
credit as q chameleon has colors.
This will be the sixth 5CO-mile
race that DePalma has entered 40
indianapolis and the third time that
he has named an Americau-made
car. IN the 1911 event he drove
Simplex 10 sixth place, i'm 1913 his
Mercer failed early i'm the race. his
only stars with Yankee racers. In
the 1912 race his Mercedes faltered
with two laps 20 go 20 victory. In
1914 his Mercedes did not start be-
ing damaged in qualfying. while
in 1915 ne scored a victory IN the
last 500-mile with the Grand PriX
Mercedes.
Car Proves It's Mcttle.
However. this American car has
proved its mettle in two seasons of
racing and Gtored its most spectacu-
lar win last August on the Sleeps
head Bay Speedway when its Italian
pilot put 70 over the jumps for five
victories in five starts. In the days
racing it won the two. 10. 90, 80 and
so mile races and set new worlds
records for the two. 10. 80 and 80
mile marks in, competition. That the
car has speed is shown by its aver
age OF I'LL miles an hour in the 10
mile event. Also DePalma scored his
victories over a field of Americas
best trimming Ralph milford. Dario
Resta, Arthur Duray. Louis ChevrO-
let and Ira Vail.
At the close Of the 1917 season
DePalma spent almost a month at
the Sheepshead Bay track hanging
up new non-cOm petitive records far
the one hour, 10-mile. six hours and
all distances from 10 10 500 miles.
In establishing a new hour record
DePalma took the laurels from Jean
Chasagne and the u cylinder Sun
beam, which established a mark Of
1O7 miles. 1850 yards on the Brook
lands speedway in England i'm 1910.
DePalma and the Packard made 100
miles in the 60 minutes.
Skaters Record.
In establishing the 10-mile mark
DePalma shattered the record made
by Homestead on the Brookiands
track with a Benz, in January. 1914,
OF 1926 miles an hour by showing
the average for the distance up to
1877, covering the distance in 5:17:
40.
When DePalma got the worlds six
hour record he bettered the perform
ance Of Dario Resta. Jean Chassag ne
and Lee Guinness, driving in relays.
a Sunbeam on the Broadlands oval.
DePalma covered 616 miles against
the $50 miles $50 yards that the
Sunbeam trio made in 1913. AS a
matter OF fact. the distance DePalma
covered was 633:12 miles. but under
a. A. a rules the track is measured
three feet from pole while the car
was always near the center of the
board oval DePaima made five
stops during the run FOR ties and fuel
and eraged 1O1 miles an hour on
the official distance or 1852 by &C
tual distance. He never let the av-
erage drop below 1O1 or. creep above
III.
In addition 20 the record drives
DePalma used the car TO humble
Barney Oldfeld i'm a series of dirt
track match races and to win a
number OF other big time events. The
car IS being rebuilt from the ground
up in the shops OF the Packard COM
pany In Detroit and will be one OF
the fastest in the field
Not DaytOna Beach Car.
This is not the car. however. that
DePalma used 20 gain the worlds
records on the Daytono Beach dur
ing the winter. as that is a much
larger L cylinder engine having a