The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-05-18

whether a light or heavy car will lead
the procession on the last lap of the
long, long trail. They bicker about
relative merits Of fours, skies and
Fights. They debate as to the merits
of favorite drivers, domestic and for
eign- But when all is said and done
they shake their heads and they join
in q glorious chorus of "Oh Boy, some
race"
For days the old question, what
has De Palma got this year?" has re-
sounded along the pit walls. Thursday
the crowd found out. De Palma has
a sweet running, fast flying speed
creation that turned off the record lap
Of the year for the 122 cubic inch cars.
at a speed OF a shade less than 103
miles an hour.
His Packard teammates. Dario
Resta and Joe Boyer insist their
De Palma built Packards will be
equally speedy. De Palma stock al
ways is high, but it sure went zoon-
ing Thursday.
Two Of the five Mercedes cars were
towed to the track late in the after
noon. They Immediately became the
center Of interest. There was no
secrecy. The Germans threw open
their garage doors and invited the
public in. 1t accepted in a body The
cars look heavy, fat and cumbersome
as compared with the American and
French entrants. They are four cylin-
der, two seated affairs.
They were equipped with mud
guards and one of them sported a
large, old fashioned. rubber Dubbed
horn. which Benny Hill just couldn't
resist the temptation to squeeze.
Bautenschlauger and Sailer, two
of the drivers, did the best they could
to explain details of construction to
the crowd. but in most instances the
linguistic hurdles were too high.
Benny Hill got the real inside dope.
After the clinic he confided to Joe
Boyer that sixteen kilometers had
something to do with it, but ne, wasn't
sure whether that was the speed,
Wheel base or piston displacement.
FARL COOPER made his first ap-
pearance and proceeded to put
- his Durant around at ninety
hight miles an hour. He seemed to
have something left in reserve and
left the track smiling.
As soon as the Germans arrived 4
delegation from the Bugatti team Com
posed Of Major Cooper. Major Gallup.
Pierre De Vizcaya, captain of the
French outfit. and Count Zborowski,
drove over from their headquarters
and made a brief call. Much Of the
conversation centered about the diff
culttes Of the italian largo Florio
course. It must be hummer for never
do two European drivers get together
but they begin TO talk about that race.
The loyal college alumnus always is
on the lookout for good athletic ma
terial. When Story Larkin, Butlerite,
heard De Vizcaya IN addition to being
driver of note also was a crack
sprinter and tennis player, he looked
thoughtful and said:
'I wonder how many years Of eligi-
bility he has
ODDS Porter, the only man in the
world who can make the tempera-
AIehId4s HlsHly strung lIHuHS machine
function properly, was out Thursday
as usual. Porter has hung a special
sun parlor for himself and machine
on the judges pagoda this year. The
machine is at the track but will not
be put in place until just before the
start of elimination trials May 26.
THE Bugattis are anxiously
awaiting the arrival of their
- new and smaller wheels. With
the present wheels the strain on tires
is too great and they dare not go into
the turns wide open. Decystria and
De Vizcaya lost two tires Thursday
attempting to hit the curves too hard.
The new wheels will be twenty-nine
inches in diameter.