Evening star., 1925-07-10
DRIVERS FIGHTING
TO PLACE IN RACE
Elliott Makes Average of
1866 Miles an Hour in
Time Trials.

Faced with the certainty that only
Is of their number could enter the
contest, Is dare-devils of the motor
speedway began the elimination con-
test today in preparation for the 250-
mile classic automobile race that is
to open the shington
Speedway tomorrow afternoon.
The first driver to be clocked in the
elimination test today was Frank FL
lott of Los Angeles, who made an
average speed of 1855 miles an hour
and whose highest point showed 80
seconds per lap for an average of 40
miles an hour. Ralp De Palma fol-
lowed Elliott. but his time had not
been accurately checked by early af
ternoon.
Storm Halts Tests.
small crowd occupied seats in the
gra ndstand and watched the elimina-
ton. During a second test by De
Palma a severe electrical storm halted
the proceedings for a half hour and
thoroughly drenched all in the grand
stand, who were unable to seek shell
ter in time.
The eighteen candidates who are
striving for unsual records in order to
be among the Is in tomorrow's race
follow:
Earl Cooper, No. 2, Junior Spe
cial; Harry Hartz. No. 6, Miller Spe-
cial; Tommy Milton. No. 4, Miller
Special; Bob McDonough, No. IA, Mil
ler Special; Jerry Wonderlich, No. 10.
Miller Special: Jim Hill, No. 10, r. ].
Special; Bennie Hill, No. 8, Miller Spe-
cial; Fred Conner, No. ), Miller Spe-
cial; Phil Shafer, No. 3. Duesenberg;
Ralph De Palma, No. s, Miller Spe-
cial; Peter De Paolo, No. l., Duesen-
nr-
Miller Special; Ralph Herburn, No. II,
Junior s Special: Wade Morton, No.
%. Duesenberg; Earl Devore, No. "a,
Miller Special; Frank Elliott, No. 81
Miller Special; Leon Duray, No. 2S,
Miller Special; Peter kriess, No. S5,
Duesenberg.
Two Will Be Dropped
Although it had been announced that
an average of 10 miles an hour would
qualify candidates for the big contest,
it will be necessary to drop the low
est two after the elimination tests
have been tabulated. Only Is cars
will enter the race and as result the
pilots are striving for far higher
marks than they would ordinarily try
to attain in an elimination test.
Earl Cooper set high speed mark
in the preliminary runs yesterday
afternoon, when he flashed around the
mile-and-one- eighth oval in 31.22 sec
onds-a rate of 1898 miles an hour.
Harry HartZ, who is one of the
youngest racers in the field. nego-
tiated the track in 31.3 seconds, or
1882 miles an hour. Tommy Milton,
who holds the world championship
for 1921, was clocked at a speed of
1855 miles an hour; Bob McDonough,
125; Jerry Wonderlich, 1915, and Jim
Hill, 119S miles an hour.
Fifty Thousand Expected.
Fifty thousand persons are expected
to travel to the Speedway tomorrow
morning and afternoon to witness the
titanic struggle of steel and fire,
brains and Drawn, for supremacy on
the high-banked track of the new aero
drome. To prevent accidents and
facilitate the movement of traffic both
Maryland and District police officials
are working together for the strict
enforcement of special regulations.
Despite the fact that the closeness
of the new Speedway to both Balti.
more and Washington will tempt thou
sands Of motorists to drive to the
Continued on Page 5, Column ~