Evening star., 1927-05-08
DISTRICT AND MARYLAND FANS
EAGER FOR AUTO RACE THRILLS

of the continuous buZzing Of motors
for the 250.mile single feature.
The n. r. A. drivers were for the
most part dirttrack pilots, with
| enough of their members having eX.
uerience on the hard-surfaced speed
ways not to make them altogether
novices TO the faster but less hazard
Gus game. Their gameness compen-
sated for their lack of board-track ex-
perience, and for sheer gameness It
must be admitted that they were un.
excelled. Those who never. had been
on board course wheeled their
| mounts. not too well tuned for the
! faster going, onto the Laurel track
| without hesitation, and they gave the
cars that we constructed for dirt-track
! racing everything that was in them.
There was no questioning the grit of
the outlaws, and they brought re-
sponse from the ranks Of motor rae
ing enthusiasts that was genuinely
laudatory.
Where the A. A. A. drivers had been
competing for their individual slices
of the large purse of $4,000, with an
additional $500 for every driver who
survived the qualifying runs. the n.
NJ. r. A. pilots had no such guaran-
tees Of reward which come from the
circuit that operates on more com
mercial basis, The dust eaters took
their risks for prizes that were depen-
dent largely on the size Of uncertain
gate receipts.
They proved to be an interesting lot
and their skillful handling of cars that
were decidedly handicapped for the
most part on a track as fast as Laurel
marked these drivers as having stam-
ina unexcelled by any other group.
A 25-mile sprint. a 5O-mile race and
the 100-mile headline event supplied
the program that contrasted with the
first two schedules, which called for a
single 250-mile race in each instance.
The slower cars were entered in the
opening 25-mile run, but neither cars
nor drivers were altogether equal to
the demands of a track which the
builder, Jack Prince, declared last
Summer was the steepest one he had
built so far. They kept on, however.
until they limped into the pits with
mechanical ailments that put them
definitely out of the running.
The other two races for the faster
cars developed nothing spectacular,
but they did illustrate the gameness
of the pilots. who left the starting line
with more than one handicap. A spir
tied duel of splendid driving ability
between GledSOn ana JACK desmond,
who held the wheel of the Bugatti, one
of the three or four really good cars
entered. was productive of the after
Moons high point of interest, but the
Bugatti broke down and it was Glea-
sons race without competition. The
dashing Celt won both the so and 100
mile races. The 50-mile feature devel-
oped one unexpected thrill when Rus.
sell Snowberger's engine cracked and
his Miller Special went hurtling from
the track and turned completely
around before he brought it to halt
beside the boards.
\. NJ. n. A. Drivers Return.
Then automobile racing experienced
another respite until it was announced
that the National Motor Racing Asso.
citation drivers were to stage a return
engagement on September 25. They
were to bring several new cars and
were to return equipped to take a more
successful try at the big Laurel oval.
They displayed the same undaunted
spirit, but enjoyed little more success
than on their first appearance. The
program was varied and two 25.mile
and one 100-mile races were scheduled
The one 25-mile event was very slow
as racing time goes. but time for the
faster cars in the other events was