Evening star., 1924-05-30
22 AUTOS GET AWAY
ON 50O-MILE GRIND
Thousands Cheer Speedy Cars Rae
ing for Rich Stakes at
indianapolis.
$4,000 GOES TO WINNER
Leaders Average More Than
Ninety.Eight Miles an Hour.

SPEEDWAY, INDIANAPOLIS. May
ao.-Twenty-two flying little speeders
dashed away on the annual 500-mile
race at the Indianapolis Motor Speed
way promptly at 10 am. today.
AS the racers got away to a flying
start they were given thunderous
cheers from the solidly packed stands.
Jimmy Murphy, at ten miles. led the
field, driving at an average of 1915
miles an hour. Benny Hill and Harry
Hartz were in second and third posi-
tions.
1t was announced that Joe Boyer. in
winning the first lap, established a
record for the first 2Is miles In any
race on the local track. his average
being $3.50 miles an hour.
Ernie Ansterberg. an Indianapolis
driver. was In the first accident. when
his car turned over on the back
stretch during the first lap. He was
not seriously injured. but his car
was out Of the contest.
Winner Gets 80, 600.
To the first ten cars finishing the
200 laps over the two and one-half
mile brick track will be awarded cash
prizes aggregating $4,000, of which
$20,O Is bestowed upon the winner.
As consolation, $4,000 will be
divided among those who start but
fail to finish among the first ten,
The race now established as the
classic Of automobile contests. has
attracted veteran drivers who have
won fame in the past as well as
some who have yet to earn their
laurels on speedway tracks.
Henry Ford, motor magnate. is the
referee.
The racing cars. babyish in appear
ance, are all specially designed for
speed The tiny motors, approx
mately wo-thirds the size OF power
plants installed in ordinary passenger
automobiles. possess tremendous en-
ergy capable of driving the slim lit
tie chassis in which they are mounted
at better than 100 miles an hour.
Thousands Mt Track.
Throngs attracted by the spectacle
Of speeding cars laundering down the
straight-aways and roaring around
the turns were on their way to the
track early. The day was crisp and cool
electric railways deposited thousands
at the gates, while other thousands
made their way to the track in ma
chimes.
Prospective winners was an obsorb-
ing topic with the race fans. Many
thought Tommy Milton, the only driv-
er who has ever won the race twice,
his victories coming in 1921 and 1923,
was likely to add another win. 9th
ers held that Jimmy Murphy. the 1922
ton today. would lead. Harry Hartz.
Joe Boyer, Earl Cooper and Ira Vail
each had a strong following.
Murphy has the pole position by
virtue of making the fastest speed in
the qualifying trials. He completed
the ten miles in 5:33:22. an average
of 10S.04 miles an hour.
Line Up in Rows.
The cars lined up for the start in
the first row alongside Murphy were
Hartz and Milton. The lineup of
the other rows follows:
Second row Boyer. Hill and
Cooper.
Third row-Jules Ellingboe. Cliff
Durant AND Antoine Mourre.
Fourth row-Ernie Ansterberg, Jerry
Wonderlich and Frank Elliott.
Fifth row-Peter de Paolo, Eddie
Hearne and Ira Vail.
Sixth row-Fred Conner, Ora Haibe
and Robert McDonogh.
Seventh row-William Hunt, Alfred
Moss and l.. L. Corum.
Eighth row-Fred Harder.
The field of starters was definitely
established at twenty-five, when F.
H. Wells and Harry Thicksten failed
to qualify in a speed contest early
this morning.
Ford Insures Drivers.
Henry Ford has taken out a $4,000
insurance policy for every driver en-
tered in the race. 1t was announced
today. today by speedway officials; :,.., Mr.;
that the drivers be kept in ignor-
ance of his action until after the
race, it being his opinion that they
might become depressed at the
thought of life insurance.
The policies provide for the pay
ment of $4,000 to the family Of any
driver killed in the race. II the driver
is seriously injured and should die
within sixty days, full payment will
be made. Disability sustained dur
ing the race will be paid for at the
rate of $50 a week for one year.
Relief drivers also were covered by
the policies, which total 100000.
The amount of the premiums was
not announced. although it is known
that they were high. because of the
excessive risks involved. The policies
cover the men only for the period Of
the race. - uljDis