Evening star., 1925-05-30
z AUTOS SPEEDING
FOR RS1OO,OlOPR|zES
Worlds Greatest Drivers
Struggle Before 125,OO0
Watchers at Indianapolis.
By the Associated Press.

by the Associated Press
SPEEDWAY. Indianapolis. May
30.-With a roar from perfectly tuned
motors, % of the worlds greatest race
drivers shot away at 10 o'clock today
in the start of the 5oo-mile automobile
race over the motor speedway. The
attendance at that time was about
10000, with a steady stream pouring
through the gates
The drivers, contesting for prizes ag-
gregating 100000, set a terrific pace
after the first lap of the 21a mile brick
course, indicating they were deter
mined TO break all existing records for
the event.
De PaoIo Has Trouble.
Peter De Paolo, nephew of the fa-
nous Ralph De Palma, whose car
baked slightly at the start finally
caught the flying field and thundered
into the lead at the end of the first
lap, with Leon Duray second and Earl
Cooper third. Harry Hartz was
fourth. The time was 1865, an aver
age of 104 miles an hour.
When the 5O-mile mark was reached
De Paolo had a lead of about a half
mile, with Cooper trailing him and
Harry HartZ in third place Dave
Lewis. plotting the only front drive
car in the race. wath fourth. The time
was. 2S:4S:51. an average of lO413
miles an hour. De Palma was forced
into the pits after speeding 40 miles
to adjust a shock absorber with the
result that he lost two laps.
Shafer a Sensation.
The driving sensation of the first
100 miles was furnished by Phil
Shafer, who. driving the car that won
the 1924 race. had worked himself
from 22nd place, the last in the race
to fourth.
De Paolo was clinging to the lead at
100 miles with Cooper second, Hartz
third, then Shafer. Less than three
quarters of a mile separated this
quartet. The time was 57:44.94. an
average of 103.S9 miles an hour Jules
Ellfngboe. veteran driver. was the first
to drop out of the race. quitting at 60
miles because of a smashed steering
gear. Depaolo, leading every lap from
the start. had earned $4,000 in lap
prize money.
Get Away With Roar.
As the starter gave the signal for
the drivers to warm up their cars, a
noise split the air like the roar of a
couple hundred lions fighting for the
same piece of meat. The glistening
llltic TdCl1S creations came roaring
down the track behind a massed band
of $500 pieces for the traditional
parade and review. AS the band
swung into The Star Spangled Ban
ner' every person within the inclo-
sure was on their feet cheering. A
huge American flag f1uttered in the
sunlight high above from it's bursting
bomb salute.
Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker. famous
American aviation ace in the war, a
former noted racer and now a manu-
facturer of motor cars. set a 6O-mile
pace for the drivers on the first lap.
The cars thundered around the
course, and when they shot past the
cheering stands. after circling the
track. the race was on. They roared
into the stretch in perfect line, each
driver jockeying for position.
Charles M. Schwab, steel manufac
turer and financier. was referee. while
Louis Chevrolet, noted car designer
and former racer. and Joe Dawson, an
other old-time racer, assisted Ricken-
hacker s starter
Duray was awarded the honor of
starting from the pole position with
De Paolo and Hartz lined up beside
him In the front row. Cooper. Lewis
and Hepburn were lined UP in the sec.
ond flight, while the others roared into
action from the remaining seven rows.
Ihe weather was perfect. both for
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