The Washington times., 1919-06-28
Auto Racing, With Death
Toll, Cheapest Road To
Progress, Says High Ace

as regards gasolene and tires. will
owe its existence more to racing than
any other factory.
"And looking back for q moment
to the recent days OF war, what do
position Of allied aircraft manufac-
turers but for the experience Of rae
ing? Every engine that went into
an allied airplane, from the English
Sunbeam through the Hispano-Suiza
and Fiat to the American Liberty, in
corporated principles developed in the
field OF automobile racing, and which,
without racing, could not have been
developed in time to be of service.
True, we are not supposed to have
wars any more, but as long as the
possibility is present, 1t will not do
to ignore automobile racing as a fac
tor in determining the safety Of the
nation.
Summing up the case Of automo-
bile racing. I would say that It ia
Indispensable to modern progress, at
least as far as events like the Indi-
annapolis races and the French grand
prix contests are concerned, where
! the new ideas and theories OF the
most prominent builders Of both the
new and old continents are tested in
actual competition.
For next year, the Indianapolis
speedway management has announced
that its contest will be for cars of
1S3 cubic inches piston displacement,
coinciding with recently formulated
plans for the French grand prix.
Every other year, since the Indi-
annapolis races were begun, there has
been a marked reduction in engine
size, starting with unlimited sizes
prior to 1911, and progressing
through 600 cubic inches for 1911 and
1912, $50 cubic inches for 1918 and
1915 and 1919, to the newly an
nOunced size OF 1873 cubic inches.
Underlying Motive.
Here is written, in language so
clear that none can mistake 1t, the
underlying motive and purpose of
automobile racing-the application of
constant stimulus to engineers and
manufacturers to develop new prin-
ciples, to increase efficiency, to make
one ounce OF fuel do what two did
before, to conserve natural energy
and advance human progress.
There are probably more cars ap-
proximating in engine size the new
100 SuOlC INCH SpeClnCaJlOnS OF the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Com
pany than all the other sizes of cars
put together, and the utility of the
sport OF automobile racing will con-
seQuently be increased many times
as the result Of the new policy, even
more than was the case with previous
engine reductions.
ut is not likely that cars of this
size will be able to attain the extreme
speeds of their predecessors for per-
haps a year or two; 1t will take that
long to perfect them As soon as
they reach the limit of their eff
cheney, the minute there is nothing
further to be learned concerning their
Improvement, the master minds of
the racing sport can be depended on
to make still further reductions, I'M
til the ultimate point of engineering
development in the field of automO-
tive industry has been reached. This
Is the real aim of automobile racing.
The spectacle is but a means for
arousing public interest in what has
been accomplished, and not an end
in itself. If 1 can do anything to
clear up any existing impression to
the contrary, I shall consider that 1
have rendered a signal service to
human progress and to civilization"