Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-05-31

Murphy Of Los Angeles, Cal, winner
Of the 1921 French Grand Prix, carv-
ed his name deeper in the hall of mo-
tor fame today when he flashed across
the wire winner of the 500-mile au-
! tomobile race at the Indianapolis
speedway before record breaking
crowd of 1880 spectators.
Murphy smashed all records for the
distance to smithereens clipping
more than 16 minutes off the best
previous record. His time was SIT:
30:79. an average Of 944S miles an
hour, against the old record of $3.50:
| 55:51. or 1884 miles an hour, made by
| Ralph DePalma in 1915. Murphy did
something which had never been ac-
complished before at the Indianapolis
speedway and to the knowledge of
racing experts never before in a race
.of major Importance. He shot into
the lead at the start and never relin-
| pushed it during one instant of five
hours of thrilling driving.
The Los Angeles driver made only
! three stops during the entire 500
! miles. He made his first stop at 49,
miles. pulling up at the pits for two
minutes to change all tires and re-
plenish the fuel tanks. With lead
of about 10 miles, Murphy pulled in
TO the pits for another tire change
and for more gasoline and oil after he
had travelled 36S mil. The assist
lance of his pit men was nothing short
of marvellous. 1t took then lust oS
| seconds I1a
and provide him with fuel enough TO
assure his finishing.
Nhlle major honors went to Murphy.
Harry Hartz, also of Los Angeles who
| finished second. drove a remarkable
race He jumped into second place GO
miles after The start and held if
! throughout, always making a despcr-
ate fight to catch Murphy. Hartz'
time was 5:20:3i:59, an average of
93.54 miles an hour which also was
| Tar in advance of the record Eddie
Hearne, a veteran racer, piloted
French car to third place in 5:22:26:O6.
for an average of 1904 miles an hour.
while Ralph DePalma, one of the ia
Vorltes was fourth in 5:31 :04:65, an
average of 9061 miles an hour Ora
| Haibe was fifth in 5:31:13:45, an av-
erage of 90.56 miles an hour. Jerry
| Wonderlich was sixth in 5:37:52:S4, an
! average of SS.79 miles an hour. |. D.
t'etterman finished seventh in 5:40:55:
! "A, an average of $3.50 miles an hour
| Eighth place went to Ira Vail in $50:
07:42 an average of $3.50 miles an
| hour Tom Alley was ninth in 5:57:
I 34.12 ayera of loo Vbo,,
as finished tenth in Cos :01:47, for an
!average of S2.19.
! Confusion among the judges and
| timers resulted in the rroneous an
nouncemcnt shortly before the 200th
mile that Murphy had lost the lead
and IIartz had gone into first place.
| Signals We're passed to the drivers
/ that Hartz was leading and even Muir
ply thought the checking was correct,
J as he began to force a much faster
pace in his fight to regain the lead. lie
jumped the average of 1852 for 200
miles to 94.4l for 275 miles. and then
! again to 1854 for 800 miles.
| AS winner of the event Murphy will
receive approximately $4,000. Twenty
| thousand dollars was awarded first
place and $4,000 as lap prize money.
| In addition, automobile accessory
companies provided cash prizes which
will bring Murphy's total>u up to the
! $4,000 mark.
! Howard Wilcox of Indianapolis was
! the first driver forced out. his car
| breaking a valve spting after travel
ing II l. miles. Jules Ellinghoe fur
nished the first big thrill when he
| threw right rear wheel on the couth
turn The speeding machine turned
| completely around on the track and
crashed into a concrete retaining wall.
| Ellinghoe and his mechanician remain
ed in the car and neither was injured.
wilbur D'Alene furnished a second
thrill when his car caught fire on the
back stretch. D'Alene and his mechan-
ician jumped and escaped with a
slight smuggling. The fire was eXtin
! guished but the car was eliminated
from the race. This was DAene's
second narrow escape from death
from fire. His previous experience
was at the Chicago speedway in
1917 when his machine caught fire
and his mechanician was burned to
death. D'Alene escaped with slight
burns.
Tommy Milton. 1921 speed cham
pion and winner fof the 500-mile race
here last year, was among the drivers
forced out of the race, early. A leak
ing gas line caused his withdrawal.
Jules CouX of France went out of the
contest on the Goth mile with broken
axle. He was among the leaders
when the axle gave way.
Leon Duray, claimant of the 1921
dirt track championship and driving
his first speedway race. gave Murphy
a terrific battle early in the contest