Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1920-06-05
Drives American Car to Victory
Time: 5:40:16.
DE PALMA'S CAR IN FLAMES
Italian Forced &c Give Up Lead in
437th -ap-Thonas Second and
RaiIton Third-125, 600 Wit.
ness Contest.

car to victory in the international
sweepstakes before a cheering multi
tude of 125,000 spectators. Chevrolet.
plotting a Monroe special, made the
ooO miles in 5 hours, 20 minutes and
1914 seconds, an average OF 49,
miles an hour. His is the first Ameri-
can-made car to win the event in
seven years. Rene Thomas in a Ballot
(French) finished second, three min
utes behind the winner, and Tommy
Railton in a Duesselberg was third
with a running time of 5:46 :43. 49,
Jimmy Murphy, in a second Duesen-
berg, finished fourth, his time being
5:52 :3137.
De Palma Finishes Fifth.
But it was Ralph De Palma, who
came in fifth in his Ballot. that fur
nished the sensation of the race. The
famous Italian, driving at top form,
led, the field during most of the race,
but with victory within his grasp his
car burst into flames, which were not
eXtinguiShed until he had lost eleven
laps. From then on pe Palma drove
one of the most daring races of his
daring career in a vain effort to regain
the lead. When he came limping across
the finish line in his cream-cOlored car
a spontaneous cheer burst from all Of
the thousands within view-a tribute
TO the Italians plucky fight
De Palma'S average time for the
course was S212 miles an hour.
Winner Gets S21, 300.
Chevrolet's victory brings him in
hard cash SD 300, his share of the
$4,000 purse being 100000 for first
place. The $500 is his for making
the best time for IS laps
Rene Thomas winnings are $40, 700
for second place, plus seven lap prizes
of 500 each. De Palma won SO lap
prizes, which with hts share of the
purse, melted him $1,000.
Contrary TO expectations the track
record IF 1854 miles per hour did not
fall, due probably to Chevrolets I'M
willingness 10 risk losing first place
for the sake Of lowering the mark.
ESSn bFlNSF OneeFSQ.F
Each driver came ID for his share
Of cheers as he took his position. Bar
tney 0Jdfeld, in big yellow bus. with
the eyer-present Havana, paced the pi-
lots around the trial lap.
Hard luck rode with he Palma from
the starring gun. Despite his front
row position, his Ballot developed a
balky streak and was the last to leave
the tape. AS the cars came down the
I home stretch ON the first lap Joe Boy
! er, millionaire Detroit sportsman.
pushed his Frontenac into the lead. He
/ held first place until Re turned 80
miles, when DE Palma'S Cream-culored
car hove into view and passed the
/ brown Frontenac on the back stretch.
Then Thomas Ballot led the rest Of
fhe field for few laps, when De Pal
ma took the lead again.
! Here commenced the most spectacu-
lar driving of the race. Pushing into
one Of the famous spurtS that have
| brought him victory on many another
course. the daredevil Italian soon led
the pack by two laps, and the experts
/ in the press stand teamed back with
the unanimous verdict; It's all over
I For almost a hundred miles their
verdict seemed justified. With the half
way mark behind him, he Palma held
grimly to his two-lap lead. But at the
fatal 437th mile the luck turned First
De Palma was forced to make a 1850
oud stop for tire changes This lost
/ him nothing but on the back stretch
lis gasoline supply gave out and his
mechanic was forced TO walk to the
pits and back with fres4 fuel After
travelling a little over mile his car
burst into flames, which were extin-
/ guished without any damage, but not
/ before ne had lost II laps.
Easy fer Chevrolet.
Castor Chevrolet had things his OWL
way after the 437th mile. when he
brushed into number one position. He
joy-rided around Tire course to The fin.
ish, stopping for gasoline once without
endangering his lead.
Mechanical troubles asserted them
selves in some Of the weak sisters as
early as the seventeenth lap. Jean P0r
puruto's Gresore did everything but
throw a shoe His car was ruled of
as being unsafe.
Willie Eaupts Meteor dropped 8
wheel. After il was replaced While
turned his mount over TO Bill Barton
who shared Porporato's fate due to E
broken rear spring.
Gene Chassagne in & French Bano
car went out of the race in the fna
| stages. due 10 sprung axles on his car
He was occCCying fourth place at tht
| tine, with less than 20 miles 10 go.
zoe Boyer, in a Frontenac. won tht
first prize money Of the race, 500, by
leading at The first lap, His team
mate. Art Klein. was second. The tim,
was Lao :53. average S9.53 miles al
! hour.