Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-06-01
AMERICAN DRIVER
AND CAR ARE FIRST
|NB|G MOTOR RACE
CASTOR Chevrolet Captures
$25,5O0 Cash Prize at In
dianapois Speedway.
RALPH DE PALMA AHEAD
AS HIS CAR CATCHES FIRE
Given Ovation, When, After
Subduing Flames Second
Time, He Finishes Fifth.
CLOSE ESCAPES FROM DEATH
Boyer, Leader for $50 Miles, Gets
$4,000, and DE Palma $500
OF 100000 Lap Prize.
CLOSE ESCAPES FROM DEATH
Boyer, Leader for $50 Miles, Gets
$4,000, and DE Palma $500
OF $4,000 lap Prize.
tBy Associated Pre-,.1

iNpiSNaPoLlS, ~ May 3I-In the
most spectacular finish ever wi.ncss-
ed on the indianapolis spcedway.
CASTOR Chevrolet, driving (, car NJ
american design. rode to victory in
tho eighth renewal of the 500 lie
automobile race today before a
record breaking crowd of 1o5.ooo
persons. Chevrolets time was
5:to:l6lf-an average of ssls miles
an hour. the second best time IN the
history of the event.
In addition to winning tho 12o.ooo
FIRST prize. Chcvrole, also won ,pn-o,.
imately $500 moro in lap prizes
competition and cash prizes offered
by accessory firms. Rene Thomas
numbered across the finish in sec.
ond place. having covered tho dis
lance In 5t5:o22o. His average wae
S7.t5 miles an hour. Tommy Milton
pulled up in third place. and Jimmy
Murphy winner OF the Santa Monica
road race. finished fourth.
Chevrolets tires performed the
most wonderful feat endurance ever
recorded on the speedway. going
through all the grief OF the entire
500 miles without change a, speed
OF nearly ninety miles an hour.
De Palnan's Car In Flames.
All OF the thrills came in the las,
thirty miles OF tho race, when Raipi,
De Palma, the favorite. with lead
OF ten m!les to his credit, seemed
certain OF winning. gu, with VIC
tory within grasp. De Palmas car
burst into fames on the north turn
OF the two and a half mite course
4 few minutes later the car drive n
by Joe Boyer. who led during the
first $50 miles. sEidded. overturned.
and crashed into a brick retaining
wall within a few feet Of the spot
where De Pairna's car caught Are.
Neither Boyer nor his mechanical n
was seriously injured.
The accident. which snatched vic
tory from De Palma. was tragic The
noted Italian was racing at break
neck speed. when a sheet OF aanie
licked its way 10 his easoline tank.
While his meehanician heroically
fought the namee. De Palma, broken
hearted over his misfortune. ran TO
the pits a mile away for 4 fresh
supply of gasoline. staggering back
under the weight of the heavy cans.
Undaunted, De PalmI resumed the
grind. but after going another mile
his car was wrapped In flames for
the gecond time. With the aid OF his
mechanIcian. De Palma pluck!ly eH-
tinguished them and managed to nm
ish the race in fifth place. He was
given tremendous ovation when he
Numbered across the finish line.
Misfortune tra;led De Palma from
the start of the race. He had the
favored position at the pole. but the
bomb of the starter caught him un-
awares. and he was among the last
lap he was driven into the pits with
a dat tire.
Boyer Lends for go Miles.
Joe Boyer jumped into the lead and
held il for $50 miles. closely pursued
by Jean Chassagni, CASTOR Chevrolet
and Rene Thomas. When half the
race was over. Boyer made his first
stop at the pits and De Palma shot
into the lead. which he mainta ned
until his car caught fire.
There were half dozen accidents.
but the drivers and their aids mirac-
ulously escaped death. While speed
ing around the treacherous north
turn. Arthur Klein crashed into the
side wall. damaging his car so badly
that it was withdrawn. Louis Chew
LAT lac ~ ha Suh
brother piloted to victory, also was
in a/smash-up. His car skidded off
the course when n steering connec-
tion broke. Chevrolet's back was in
jured and he withdrew. Roscoe Sarles
had the misfortune to smash up two
cars. He wrecked his own entry as
result of skidding off the track and
while driving as relief for Bennie
Hill. a steering knuckle broke and
he crashed for the second time.
Chevrolet drove n consistent race
from the start and never was below
fourth place. Most of the time he
was either in second or third posi-
tion. He trailed De Palma from, the
350-mile point and took the lead when
De Palma had to stop.
Four winners of former races on
the speedway tried to repeat. Rene
Thomas and De Palma, 1914 and 1915
winners, respectively, came in within
the money. jules Goux, who won in
1913, was forced out after complet-
!. ing 345 miles. Howard Wilcox, last
years winner, had engine trouble
md quit after completing 165 miles.
II Out of 2a Finished.
or the twenty-three cars starting
the grind only eleven finished. The