The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-17
THURSDAY CROWD


4
little details about them that always
need tuning up. With two days work
on their cars putting them in the best
of condition, the cars should be faster
than any ever seen out on the Topeka
oval.
After the program last night small
army of men worked under the guild
ance of a track specialist well into the
night, using the monster searchlights
of the grandstand for light. They
were back again bright and early
this morning, and tho the oval was in
fine condition then. they expect to
have it in such shape by this after
noon that several seconds can be
clipped from local records
Louis Disbrow a Fayorite.
With the lineup of drivers an
nounced, this is more than a posi-
bility Louis Disbrow. one of the most
popular of the stars entered, has cam
paigned all American race meets for
many years. being an old team mate
I he is entering, should lower the track
records. Cincinnati Red Rainey.
who shattered the worlds record for
/ the 25-Tnile here in 1917. also has en-
tered an Essex and will again go af-
/ ter some long distance records. Bob
Cline with his Briscoe, who got late
start this season because OF wreck
/ last spring, is out to make up for lost
time, while Ray LaPlante. French
race ace, has determined to capture a
! few American laurels before his re-
turn to France this fall. Plenty of
opposition will be given the men by
such drivers as Ted Rick, southeastern
champion; Frank Clements, Pacific
coast star who will drive a Briscoe,
and Harry Dempster, the Canadian
speed monarch who pilots an Auburn.
! Officials of the International Motor
:
and sanction the races will be held,
have been in the city for two days and
( in comm enting on the lineup of en-
trants, predict that the events of this
afternoon will out-thrill any meet ever
held in Kansas.
Practically all of the drivers will re-
main over for the events of tomorrow
afternoon, while other drivers will ar
rive this afternoon and tonight to COM
pete with them. Rowe Brainerd, who
has done exceptional work in the
lmiddle-west this year, will be among
Claypool, who has been racing further
north, is attempting to make the jump
to Topeka in time for tomorrow S
meet.
Crowd sat in Dust.
Thursdays crowd is believed to
have been a record breaker. Certain
it is that the attendance at the races
land at the night show was the greatest
ever known here. Both the grand
stand and the bIeachers were filled
and several hundred persons sat on
the ground. In the evening, after eV-
cry available seat on the boards had
| been taken and the crowd inside the
fence had become SO great that it was
almost impossible to move about, the
guards opened the gates and hundreds
poured onto the race track and sat in
the dust to watch the show.
The parade of prize winning live
stock at 1880 o'clock formed a new
feature of the evening entertainment
It was an impressive sight as the LONG
line, numbering some of the fines
horses and cattle in the middle west
paraded before the stand.
5 J. Saunders Gordon's StHawaiiar
Nights spectacle, the acting of Thu
Lunette Sisters and the Leach Quinlir
Trio and the singing of the Modoc clul
was up to the usual high standard anC
drew tremendous applause. The sec
ton of artillery, comprising part o
the army exhibit from Camp Funston
paraded and demonstrated the han
ding of the guns in front of thu
grandstand. The addition of the artil
llery added to the Hawaiian Nights
spectacle. The guns were drawn upol
the big stage and several shots wert
fired as Prince Honumoka landed Of
| the beach amid the plaudits of tn
natives and advanced to the royal pal
ace to claim Princess Aloha as Hi
bride.
, Record Number of Autos.
There is no doubt that the numbe
of motor cars at the fair ground
Thursday was the largest ever seel
there. On Topeka boulevard, tire
: blocks north of the main entrance
traffic had become so congested by
o'clock in the afternoon that it wa
slow and difficult work to get thru
! The streets for blocks north, east an
? west were lined with motor cars. I
was impossible to find a place to parl
within the grounds.
IrsK cuUDRrN To r