Evening star., 1926-06-20
i'm GLEASON RACES
TOFAME At LAUREL
Youthful Pilot Captures Two
Big Features, Going Into
Lead for Title.

James Gleason, the 24-year-old racer
whose driving was a feature at Indian
apolis a few weeks ago. drove his way
to leadership in the race for the Ma
tional Motor Racing Association cham
pionship yesterday afternoon when he
won both of the classic contests of
the three-race program at the Laurel
Speedway.
Twenty-Five thousand persons, kept
on their feet throughout both duels by
the spectacle, saw the youth defy
danger time and again as he mounted
high TO the rail at the steep turns.
Gleason's victories came in the So
mile and the 100-mile races, the only
contests he entered. He won the 5O-
mile event in 25 minutes and so sec
onds, for an average speed of more
than 10 miles an hour. Jack Des-
mond, driving Almond Pugh's Bug
atti. was second in this event, with
an average speed of 109 miles an
hour, and Fred Winnai, plotting
Duesenberg straight eight, third, with
an average of 105 miles.
DesmOnd's Motor Fails.
In the l00-mile event Gleason led
the way home with IS laps TO spare,
but this was due to the failure OF
Desmond's motor, which was giving
the boy pilot the race of his life until
the siXty-sixth lap. Ray Keech, dr1V-
ing a Miller Special. and AL Aspen, in
an F and Special, fought a GRIP
ple's" battle for second and third hon
ors. with. Keech winning by lap.
Gleason's time for the 100 miles was
81 minutes and 55 seconds, making
an age of only los miles an hour.
After making sure Desmond was per
manently out of the race, however, ne
throttled his car down to compar-
atively safe speed and took no
chances, all competition having been
removed so far as he was concerned.
In each race Gleason used the Miller
Special with which Leon Duray set
the world motor speed record III Cah-
fornia.
Takes Lead for HOnOrs.
Bv virtue of his double victory yes
terdav, Gleason assumed the lead IN
the race for the National Motor FAC
ing Association championship, passing
both Fred Winnai and Russell SNOW
berger, who had held first and second
places. respectively. incidentally, both
drivers raced against Gleason today.
In addition, Gleason pocketed cash
prizes aggregating about $4,000 and
other mementoeS of less intrinsic
value.
Tom Reed, driving an f and j Spe-
cial for Ewood Wolf after his own
car developed engine trouble and
forced him to scratch his entry, cap
tured the 25-mile race in the rather
slow time of Is minutes and 10 sec
onds, which averages about 90 miles
an hour. Lou Fink, in a Frontenac,
was second and Il. s. Penjuke, in
p and Special. was third.
Three times tragedy seemed immi-
nent and was averted by the driving
of the pilots. Twice death seemed
ready to claim victims at the steep
first curve. The third time was at
the curve at the end of the back
stretch. The drivers escaped each
time. however, with inconsequential
Two Cars Collide.
The first narrow escape came in the
opening race, when Fink and George
Rowland tried to pass at the first
curve Rowland's car careened down
the steep bank and nearly locked
wheels with Fink's speeding midget.
Both cars skidded and swayed over
the track, but were stopped before
more serious than blow
out for Fink and a broken wheel for
Dowland resulted.
The second mishap came at practi-
cally the same spot when Russell
driving a Miller Special,
smashed a cam shaft. He was just
the banked curve to pass
another car when there was d loud re-
port. When the dust cleared away
car was heaped up
against the fence. but second later
the driver appeared unhurt. His
engine, however, had been smashed in
two.
Machine Turns Over.
Ben Shaw was the victim of the
third smash-up, which occurred at
the north end of the back stretch in
the 1O0-mile race. Shaw was attempt
ing to pass Tom Reed when his Cog
giles became smoked and he lost con-
troll of his machine. 1t turned over
twice as it rolled down the incline and
stopped amid a cloud of dust. The
was rushed to the scene,
but before it got there Shaw ran on
the track and waved his hand at the
Continued on Page 1, Sport Section.)