The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1922-09-01
THE "WORLHS GREATEST' |.
MOTOR SPEED SPORTS
From Literary Digest.


whizzing automobile, pursued by
eaualk nervy-if generally larger
men in other cars. entertained a
crowd OF 100000 persons at Indiana
polls. not long since. ny winning the
JOU-mile sweepstakes. the biggest
thing in motor racing events now pc
inc run anywhere in the world. Jim
NV Murphy. the winner, averaged
g4.4S miles an hour for the whole ooO
miles, breaking the world record tor
the distance by Il very considerable
margin. He received some $33,oO0 for
his feat. 1t was a great sporting
event and more than sporting
event. saws w. d. Edenburn. who re-
nnrted the race for The Dearborn In
denendent: for while the average
American attended the race 10 see the
monster spectacle. the worlds great
est in motor-car speed sports, the
various manufacturers OF cars were
there for other purposes. Altho the
average speed fan may not nave
known it. the race was proving
ground for automobile engineering
and the men who design and improve
the ears driven all over the country
were studying the results of the speed
test"
First, as to the sporting side of the
race:
Aurphv's drive was unique in that
he was able to jump the average al
most five miles an hour on brlck
course. comparatively fiat, which was
designated for maximum OF NJ
miles an hour. a matter .of twelve
wears ago. The Los Angeles lad was
out to beat Ralph de Palmas record
average of 1884 made in 1915 and he
topped it by exactly AGA miles an
hour.
Harry Hartz. another Los Angeles
youth. crowded Murphy all the way
finishing second at an average or
1888 miles an hour. 1t was the first
time in the history of the annual
classics that the cars showing the
fastest speedS in the examinations
were able to withstand gruellng
pace and finish in the order they
qualified. Murphy averaged 1OO.50 in
the trials and HartZ 99.99 in his trial.
TGe only foreign car TO figure in
the money was the French Ballot,
driven by Eddie Hearne. In the last
four races Ernest Ballot has made
every effort to win. This year his ears
were not so fast as the American pro-
auctions. but if jules. GouX had not
met with misfortune early in the race
without a doubt he would have had
third or fourth position. if not second
place won for Ernest Ballot.
u L.,
in three years, did not have the fast
est car in the race. He held on to
front row position at the start but
was not among the first ten at the
halfway mark. 1t was unusual for
De Palma to be so far behind as
twelfth at $50 miles. For three years
he has led at this point. De Palma,
like MANY others. did not believe that
the leaders could keep their cars run
ming at pace better than 95 miles an
hour and planned to save his DueSen-
berg in the first half. driving very
conservatively In the last half he
pushed his car and climbed from
twelfth to fourth, but was not equal
to catching the flying Murphy, Hart2
and Hearne. The first four drivers
drove the entire 500 miles.
This race taught the engineering
fraternity one thing. if nothing more
says Mr.. Edenburn:
That was that they had concentrat-
ed on engine faults and neglected the
GLASSES. OF the twelve cars to go out
of the race eight were eliminated
through chassis defects. the "freez-
ing" of differentials and the breaking
of axle shafts One was a broken
frame, while another threw front
wheel. breaking the front axle spindle
The other four were minor engine de-
fects, two being valves, another OF
broken gas line, and one, general en-
CINE trouble
Three cars finishing the race had
steering arms break. luckily all on
the right of left-drive cars. so that
the right wheel would caster and the
( driver could manage the car with the
left wheel still connected to the
steering. Joe Thomas's car. which fin.
ished tenth. had this misfortune early
in the race. Ralph de Palma haG
double arm and only one broke. SC
( he was not forced to stop. |. P. Fet-
. teIIiidu. uFiNlHS MS Gar lHlO seventh
place. fooled it around the last ten
/ laps with the tie rod and the steering
! raggine. He had good control of the
stretches and eased up on the turns
/ This again proves that the metallur.
gists .must give more attention to the
chassis metals, especially those that
get the full force of vibrations.
/ In the last few years the main
/ trouble has been the engines. princi'
pally fabrication. which results in al
/ most every instance in the melting ot
connecting rods. In not single in
/ stance of elimination was connect
ing rod or fabrication at fault.
The GLASSES are not standing up fol-
4 the reason that the engine speeds are
much greater and the amount of pow
or applied greater in proportion, due
to the lightning UP of the GLASSES fol
the smaller engines,
The Indianapolis race has done
much to refine the mechanism of thu
mnt0r car. This two and ona-half mil,
brick track has always been thu
worlds most difficult course to drive