Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-25

7 IA The monarchS Ievee VIII last hve
hours and as grand finale, new
prince of time annihilators, his face
virtually unacceptable under a mask of caked
oil and dust, will don the ermine indicative of
championship in the American Grand Prix, the
5O0-mile automobile race representing the
longest, toughest, toughest test of stamina for
man and mechanism in the entire world
Who is to be this years championship
princeling?
No one can predict that with assurance until
the last lap is being turned on the most famous
speedway in America
Perhaps it will be one of the American Auto
mobile Association championship group a
pilot young enough to retain youths indomit-
able fighting spirit and zest for victory, backed
by several years seasoning on the country'S
major racing bowls. Perhaps it will be one of
the old-timerS, number have been lured
from retirement for this years outstanding
classic. The winner may be one of the re-
nowned foreign drivers induced to appear in
America by the genial T. E. (Pop) Myers, track
manager, who made recent visit to Europe
for that express purpose. Mayhap it will be q
caliow youngster, an unknown, whose barn.
built speed creation has somehow, through luck
and ruggedness. survived I'd the finish the
sledge-hammer 'battering Of 500 miles over
the bricks.
That's one item that makes an Indianapolis
motor race distinct from all others. Any pilot
Il years Of age who has proved himself pos
sessed of sufficient driving skill and Judgment
and can wheel the bricks for 10 miles at not
less than IS miles per hour is eligible as
have found victories at the great Indiana track
stepping stones to international fame.
THIS years international sweepstake at the
- Hoosier track Is to be unique In q number
Of particulars
First and foremost, it marks q return to
larger. heavier cars. Piston displacement limit
has been raised to 366 cubic inches from the
SI.5 prevalent since 1926, and minimum weight
Of the machine, exclusive of gas, oil and water.
has been raised to 1,750 pounds.
Second. There has been q reverSion to the
conditions of 1922, and two men, driver and
mechanician. will ride each car, instead Of one
occupant, as has been regulation for the last
seven years.
Third Cars of four-cycle-type engine will
not be permitted the supercharging equipment,
by which fuel was forced into cylinders at o
pressure 20 pounds greater than suction feed
Of an ordinary car and which brought steady
increase in speed despite constant reduction in
piston displacement.
Renewed public interest Is one of the results
sought by the changes. Crowds at Indianapolis
racing events have been growing larger from
year to year, but elsewhere there has been some
decline.
1.-The decline" says Capt E. w. (Eddie) Rick
enbacker, one-time racing pilot World War
flying ace and now president of the Indianap-
oils Motor Speedway and chairman of the
American Automobile Association contest
board, probably is due to the type of racing
car in use 1t had become a highly specialized
machine, costing many thousands of dollars.
with such tiny motor and equipped with SO
many special gadgets-the supercharger, for
tnstance-that there were few resemblance to
the standard passenger car. .-
1T had narrowed to a point where only
couple of manufacturers were turning out rae
ing cars and, after all, we believe the fan de-
rived more pleasure from the race, got more
pride out of the winners achievement when
the victorious machine more closely resembled
. stock car, perhaps bore the name of the
machine housed in his own garage"
The return to two riders has been decided
upon for several reasons Primarily, it is to
provide q new and extensive crop of COM
petent driving recruits. In the crucible Of
actual racing alone can the game be learned.
From the repair pits to the pilots nacelle 10