Evening star., 1919-04-06
SPEED AUTO RACES
FUTURE DISCUSSED
One Great Track Survives
VjcisSitudes of "Dare
Devils" Sport.
HISTORY OF big PURSES
u;,, sneeav racing survive?

! will speedy racing survive?
That is a question being asked by
many devotees of the sport. Speed
wav racing was introduced in Amer
ica in 1909 by the promotion of the
Indianapolis speedway. The IDEA
! originated in the fertile brain OF Carr
G. Fisher, who enlisted as his assocl-
ates in the venture. ]. A. Allison, A. Z.
| Newby and F. H. Wheeler. all OF In
dianapolis.
The original track was completed IN
August of 1909, and the first racing
events were held on August 19, 20
and 21, The track was OF taroid con-
atruction and failedsto stand the wear
of speeding race cars. Great ruts
were worn at the turns. which caused
disastrous accidents. The INVESTMENT
! Of the speedway up to that time mao
heen approximately $500,000.
| After the first races the owners de-
cided to pave thestrack with brick.
and work was starSgd at once and was
completed early in 1910 at an addi- dan
since that time many improvements
have been added to this great speed
| course. Among these are saIety
aprons for the turns, retaining walls,
1 additional &rdQOStdAuSs SuAhSAS 1>>1
better inside roads.
Short Races First Held Stage.
During the year 1910 racing activi-
which were held during the months OF
Nav. July and September. Following
closely the races in September. 1910.
came the announcement that started
! the automobile racing world "A 500
nile race for a cash purse of $4,000.
| a sum unheard of or even dreamed OF
to be offered for automobile racing
| contest
since that time numerous race
! courses have been built in America,
notably the Sheepshead Bay track al
New York. the Cincinnati speeaWay
| In addition to these. specially con.
structed tracks have been built at
Atlanta, Los Angeles. Omaha, pes
| Moines, Minneapolis and Chicago. put
| for various reasons have been aDah-
| doned.
Many Thousands in Purses.
! The indianapolis track. the parent
.neadwav of America. has probably
| Maid out in purses as much as the
Combined purses of all other American
sneedways, to which might also be
added the purses paid out in connec-
! tion with all American automobile
road races. In 1912, 1913, 1914 and 1915
the nurses were for $4,000. The
classic was cut to 800 miles in 1916
and the purse to $4,000.
Concretely. the Indianapolis motor
sneedway will have awarded, when
this years purse Of $50, 900 is included,
s335 49O in purses. A. conservative es-
innate of the numbers who have at
! tended speedway races places the
figure at about one-half million.
French Driver Will Be Missed.
On May 81, when the Liberty sweep
stakes will be run, there will be some
familiar faces tragicaliy absent no.
| tably George Boillot. the automobile
| idol of France. who. in 1914. raced
as a teammate with Jules GouX. Boil
lot died for France when he was shot
through the heart by Hun machine
gun bullet while fighting 10000 feet
| in the air.
| nance Of the well liked and ia
NOUS John Aitken. There will be
other absentees, including Josef Chris
| tiaens, the Belgian, who will be miss
| ed, but the same bowling, raving
crowd that has paid it's money to see
| the worlds greatest race classic. will
| be there again, and it. is almost a
certainty that the greatest crowd that
ever witnessed a struggle over the
historic course will be in attendance.
Yes, one great track has survived.