Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-05-10
SPEED WAGONS
ARRIVE EARLY
Junior Specials Create Talk
De Palma and Hill With
Early Birds.

They're off to the earliest practice start
in history at the indianapolis Motor
Speedway, and the speed fans can just
sit back and save up their pennies to see
what already Is on the books to be the
greatest of all great classics staged on
the leading race course of the world.
Yesterday, twenty one days before the
race, there were four cars on the track,
and several others In Indianapolis facto-
ries undergoing d final grooming before
being ushered out to their Speedway
garages. Yesterday and today boats
carrying all foreign entries were due to
drop anchor in New York docks, and
these cars will be rushed here as soon as
possible. So, indications are that prac-
tically every car entered will be at the
Speedway next week.
This means that there will be no tink-
ering around with sick motors an hour
before the race starts, May &c. Every
body and everything is going to be ready
days ahead of time, and twenty five me
chantcally perfect speed chariots will be
on the track with motors tuned to per-
lection when the pace setter for the first
round throws In his clutch and wheels
away
Right now, it looks as though the
Junior Specials. Clifton Richards private
entries in the big classic are going to be
the sensations of the trial days. What
de Palmas great little Ballot was last
year, that's what the Juniors are going
to be this trip, as far as looks are con
cerned. The Juniors are a young
millionaire's dream Of perfection in the
automobile race car It is a certainty
tina tthey are In the neatest jobs that have
t, cr 'ppeared on the indianapolis oval
and Clifton Richards, the man who bull
and owns them, Bob Brett, designer OF
the cars and driver Of one, and Joe
| Thomas, driver OF the other, are ready
| to vouch for their ability to burn up the
! bricks. Thomas car has never been OIL
the track, but Brett had his out one
/ DAY and kicked off an 85-mile clip. The
! cars were built in Richards private
garage in the rear Of his home at Kansas
/ City, and they are named after his son
, Junior Richards.
Bonnie Hill was out on the track
Monday afternoon in his Duesenberg
/ for a short time, and was making ninety
miles without the least bit Of trouble.
| Joe Thomas says that Smiling Ralph
Milford viii not be found running around
the track with a motor under one arm
and load Of wrenches under the other
the day before the race this year Ralph
| Is to drive one OF Louis Cheyrolet's two
new eight-in-a row Frontenacs, and
Thomas says that the rich young man who
takes trouble with smile will be one OF
the most dangerous Of all contenders In
this race.
Ralph De Palma, the original tough
luck guy of the speed game, put I'm an
appea rance at the track late yesterday
afternoon, jumped into his work clothes
and Joined his mechanics in the work Of
putting his Ballot in shape. Ralph says
he is going to quit the hard luck business
from now on, starting with the 500 mile
drive. That's why he Is on the track
plenty early.
The four Duesenberg entries were n
the track yesterday morning. but taken
! back to the factory In the afternoon. They
viii be out to stay before the week is
over.