Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-03
SPEEDWAY CLASSIC
RULES REVAMPED
u. S. Racers Determined to
Regain Auto LaureIs Re-
Gently Lost to French.

DETROIT, Mich, November 2 (N.A.
MAJ Radical changes in the regula-
tons that will govern the annual 500
mile automobile race at the Indianapolis
Speedway May 80, 1880. just made pub
lie, show how determined the racing
automobiles of this country are to re-
cover some of the speed records lost to
French drivers recently.
The new rules call for two-seated cars
Of the powerful roadster type instead
of the tiny one-man racers, which Tor
three years have competed in MAJOR
races throughout this country Except
for dirt track racing, the pigmy size
engines of Ella cubic inches displace-
nnent--less than half the size of Ford
engine from the standpoint of space In
which power is developed-wih be abol-
ished.
Multiple Cylinder Engines Seen.
The expectation is that the new type
racers will partake of the multiple CYL
Under designs similar to those aIreaay
produced in the 12-cyliner Volsin, the
European car which viii be seen here
shortly and which is credited with
wrestling numerous speed records from
American drivers this Fall
The trend on this side of the At
lantic is seen in the projected l6-cylln-
der design of the Cadillac Motor Gar
~.
not sigrified its intention of allowing
It's newest development to become rae
ing factor.
Here are a few of the requirements Of
the cars that will go into competition
next year and from which the engineers
hope to learn lessons in the way OF
research that will improve the breed"
Wheelbase.-There will be no reStric-
zion on wheelbase other than the gem
eraI restrictions that the. car. must be
easily handled.
Displacement will be limited to
a maximum piston displacement OF 500
cubic inches. or 8 literS.
Weirht-A minimum weight of 7le
pounds per cubic inch displacement is
flxed, with final minimum weight. II
respective of displacement, or 1,T5O
po,Inds, without fuel. oil or water.
Tread.-The tread, measured at the
center of the tire contact with the
road, must lie between 81 and so inches.
Valves.-In poppet valve type engines
q limit is placed of two valves per CYL
inder. No restriction is made regarding
the number of valves In any other type,
including sleeve or rotary valve power
plants.
Amonkthe radical changes is the one
barring superchargers from four-cycle
engines. -Four cycle" means an engine
that makes four revolutions for each
power stroke. The rules say, however,
that positive displacement super
charger may be. used in two-cycle en-
4ineS.
Superchargers used on racing cars
generally have been credited with boost
ing the speed from Is to 20 miles an
hour; and as almost all engines in cur
rent use are of the four-cycle type.
barring superchargers means that the
engineers will be called upon to put ex-
listing systems of gasoline feed up to
new peaks of performance.
The new regulation for carburetors
permits not more than two of them on
four-cycle engines 1t is provided that
9 duplex carburetor, although it has
only a single float chamber, will be re-
garded as two carburetorS.
Herein lies another restriction. which
engine building skill will have to cope
with. Before superchargers were used
on racers the number of carburetors
often ran as high as four to one en-
CINE, and in one instance an engine that
won the 500-nile race had eight car
buretors on it--one. for each cylinder.
No restriction for 1880 will be placed
on the number or type OF carburetorS
or manifolding for two-cycle engines,
Diesel, semi-Diesel or turbine type
power plants.
Six Brakes Required.
The rule on brakes requires two in
dependently operated systems, one Of
which must operate on all four wheels
and be capable of continued use with
out failure. A secondary system, eff
fective on two wheels only, must be
capable of arresting the car from rate
of 100 miles an hour for i've times in
succession without failure.
The transmissionS used must ineor-
porate declutching device and re-
verse gear.
To qualify for the race at Indianap-
oils a car must be able to average IS
miles an hour for. 10 miles, or four
times around the 2I2-mile track.
Copyright, 1929, by the North American
Newspaper AllianceJ