South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-05-21
Here is the Story of Record
Race That Was Never
Run.
Murder will out.

Murder Will out.
It seems like everybody and
everything has a past. In that re-
spect. it also seems. the automobile
industry is no exception.
Here's a little inside story which
shows the lengths the dealers were
want to go to few years ago. back
in the days when cars were sold on
the name they established in hill
climbing or road race stunts.
The story was told a few nights
ago at meeting Of the South Bend
Automotive Trades Assn. No names
of those persons or cars can be used.
of course. However. it would not
make much difference as the meth
DDS are way out of style now.
At the meeting the tax drifted
around to a discussion Of the speed
claimed by certain ordinary stock
cars. One of our local dealers got
quite excited and declared with
emphasis They can't tell me any
thing about the speed of those regu-
lar stock cars. When they calmly
walk in and say they can get 65 and
20 miles out Of their boat you can
let they either are kidding them
selves or trying 10 kid you"
Another we'll known dealer spoke
up and said. We'll 1 don't know.
Now if you'll look up a record made
by a certain stock car at a certain
time YOU Will find that that car was
driven from a certain town TO an
other certain town. a distance of "a
miles over rough country roads in
q minutes"
This statement elected a storm
OF 'razzes' from the dealers hard
headed associates. The dealer stuck
10 his statement and claimed the
record still stands.
But. he said, there was niger
IN the wood pile and he's still there
as far as the general public is con-
cerned Here's the way Il happen
ed. Several years ago down in my
town the competition became 30 keen
that "A car could only be sold on its
ability 10 climb a perpendicular hill
AZ a snails pace. or could race over
a stretch Of country roads at light
would come through with a crazy
record Of some kind and the public
wanted that car and nothing else.
I'VE finally doped out big race
against time for our car. We adver-
tised IL widely. The car was 10
start from a certain town "a miles
away at a designated hour Official
starters were sent for Everything
worked out smoothly our home
town streets were TANNED with
crowds waiting for the racers te
arrive.
The start was made Our driv-
er. a tall spare man. clad IN cap
and linen buster took the wheel. His
mechanic. short rotund gentleman.
clad also In cap and linen buster.
took his place along side and at
the second. the car was or down
the road in a cloud % dust.
"Seventy-two minutes later the
waiting throng in the home town
were thrilled az the sight OF a big
dust covered touring car thunder
ing up the main street Cheers
greeted the tall. spare linen dust
cred driver and his short. rotund
companion as they ahghted wiping
the CRIME from their faces. The
time was announced and a hither-
20 untouched record for our stock
car was made.
That's the story gentlemen. Said
The local dealer. needless 70 say our
business picked up. However.
forgot 20 mention this you are al
aware or the fact that there are
such things az two pairs OF linen
busters. two pairs OF caps. and even
TWO stock cars that are exactly
alike. yes. even TO mum bers, tires.
and Al equipment Also. that there
are more than one tall. spare gentle
man who can act as a mechanic.
I would not doubt II there were more
than two OF each in this little old
world OF ours. but have never
found occasion 10 investigate II
there were more than two. so Wen
leave that unsettled Again you
know you can throw dust In the ar
and stand under il and become well