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

THE Indianapolis track, where the 1890 race
will be run next Friday, Is the oldest speed
plant operating in America It was constructed
in 1911, the prime movers being Carl q. Fisher,
James A. Allison, A. c. Newly and the late
Frank H. Wheeler, all of whom made fortunes
in the infancy of the motor car industry.
Situated just outside the Indianapolis city
lir-..ss it glands on plot of ground 433 acres
in extent and is one of the show places of the
city The course, az miles around is surfaced
with $4,000 paving brick. These blocks have
meant permanency, but have provided tricky
surface far more bumpy than the board speed
ways.
A driver who has completed an Indianapolis
event bears bruises and stiffened muscles for
days thereafter Back in 1922, when Jimmy
Murphy won the classic, they had to lift him
from the car upon completion of his last lap.
The seat cushion came out with him, glued to
his body with dried blood His legs had worn
raw during the terrific grind.
Front and back straightaways at indianapolis
are $500 feet in length; the four corners each
are 1920 feet, and the two short straightaways
at the north and south ends are geo feet long.
The track is SO feet wide on the stretches,
broadening to go at the turns, exclusive of the
concrete safety apron along the inner edge.
For the first SO feet the turns are banked from
the lower edge at an angle of 1928 degrees,
gradually increasing in pitch to 362s degrees.
Approaches and releases OF the turns have a
2-degree bank, while the stretches are per-
fectly level.
THE fastest average speed ever attained In
a race at the big Hoosier plant was that Of
1925, when Peter de Paolo nephew of Che
famous Ralph de Palma, himself an Indianapolis
winner in years gone by, wheeled the bricks at
101.13 miles rer hour.
In comparison with the world record velocity
attained on the Daytona Beach sands. such an
average appears snail-slow. It must be remem-
bered, however. that at Daytona speed Is MAIN
tained only over a measured mile; the whole
course Is but miles in length. At Indianapolis
the test is 500 miles, over q stone-hard surface.
with four turns to be negotiated IN each 21s
miles. At Daytona the test Is continuous. AT
Indianapolis the average is reduced by stops at
the pits for fuel REFRESHMENTS, tire changes
and repairs. Oddly enough the weather plays
. dominant part in determining pit stops. Cool,
dry days mean fewer stops, fewer tire changes.
II it Is hot and sultry, don't hope for new
speed records at the Indiana bowl. The heated
paving has tendency to soften rubber treads.
They wear thin rapidly and there Is as great
q chance for accidents as when thin rain
ID falling for while the latter may mean skids
and possible "crack-ups'' against the unyielding
retaining WALL blowouts on q hot day are as
ever-present a menace. In either instance. q
car out of control may mean death or injuries
70 the occupants of half q dozen other ma
chimes.
1nIs years race WILL ne the elgnteentn con-
tested at indianapolis. There were no events
during the war years of 1917-1918. With the
exception of 1916. when the race was 500 miles.
all of the classics have been over the 500-mile
route. .--.-=.az 81. -.-.s..
To Ray Harroun fell the honor in 1911 Of
winning the opening event. Ralph Milford fin
ished second The winners average was 745
miles per hour In giant machine of 600 cubic
inches piston displacement. Joe Dawson, now
Philadelphia automobile dealer, won the fol-
lowing year. Teddy Tetzlaff, who died recently,
was second. The average was 1877.
IN 1913 the major prize went to Jules Groux,
the French star, with Wishart second. Pts
ton displacement was $50 cubic inches The
winners average was 1853. Rene Thomas won
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