Arizona republican., 1921-11-09
RALPH DE PALMA ARRIVES IN CITY FOR AUTO RACES

Ralph De Palma. peer of automo- bile race drivers, got his first glimpse of Phoenix last night after an all day drive from Los Angeles MT. De Palma made the trip from Los An geles to Phoenix in his Lafayette ear and despite the long drive de- clared the trip one of the most enjoy able he has ever made. He offered no complaint on the condition of the roads, but on the contrary declared them much better than he had ex- pected and the wild country so much talked about was not in evidence
 De Palma is entering on his fif- teenth racing season and is recog- nized today as the greatest racing driver in the world. He drove his first race in 1907 at Brier Cliff, New York, in an Allen Kingston car. At that time the Brier Cliff road race was the automobile classic of America and De Palma made sensational 1 drive for four laps, when he was forced out in a wreck He show ed his dauntless spirit by coming back the following year and giving the vet erans hard fight for honors.
 De Palma refused to quit and went to Boston in 1908 to compete against the best drivers on the track at that time. On June II, 1908, he drove in his first road race at Boston, defeat ing Barney Oldfield, who at that time was the recognized racing champion l It was De Palma's first race@victory and the feat of beating the worlds champion in his first road race ] stamped him as a wonder at the wheel.
 | De Palma has driven In every race on the Indianapolis speedway, but his only victory came in 1915, when he i drove a Mercedes. He has broken more records than all other drivers combined and his marvellous perform ances on the race track have made his name famous in the racing world. In 1912 De Palma pushed his car across the line at Indianapolis in the l greatest finish in the history of rac- ing He was leading the field by l. l laps when his car broke down and he pushed the speed chariot across the
 finishing line, but his voctory was not allowed and Joe Dawson, driving g National was declared the winner. De Palma broke the worlds speed record at Daytona from to 20 miles driving his car at the rate of 150 mile; I per hour. Milton made faster time al five miles, but De Palma's record fol l 6 to 20 miles still stands. His record of S9.94 miles per hour for 800 mile:
 is the fastest time ever made on tht Indianapolis speedway.
 On Feb. 20, 1920, De Palma estab, lished a worlds speedway record or the Beverly Hills track, driving hi! | French Ballot at the rate of 11S mile: per hour. At that time he was driv 1 ing a car with 300 cubic inches pistoi
 displacement. This is his second sea
 son driving a French Ballot, his pres
 ent car being rated at 1S3 inches pis
 ton displacement.
 When De Palma drives his Frencl
 Ballot in Phoenix it will be the frs
 time his $25, GOO racer has touched
 dirt track. He is not boastful of hi
 track achievements and refused t of this afternoons race, stating tha
 he preferred to try the track befor making any statement.
 Ralph De Palma is an Italian b birth and an American by adoption T He was born in Troia. Italy, 3S year ago, coming to America when quit t young. His gray hair gives evidene of the pace that automobile racer , 1 follow on the four wheel charits, bU , his manner and temperament fail { t | live up to the stories of the ''grizzle p race track warrior" He loves th : racing game and his work on tn race track proved his dauntless spir
 and indomitable' courage long ago. 7 De Palma will take part in tn
 afternoons race program and wi also race here Saturday, leaving Sur day for Los Angeles. where he wi
 race on the Thanksgiving card.