The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-05-29
TALKING
IT OVER
By JOE WILLIAMS


NEW YORK, May 2o.-The next
~ time Mr.. Edison is inspired to
contrive one Of those quaint ques-
tionnaires which seem indigenous
to life in the oranges, hope he in
ciudes this one in the list:
1s-B-"what sports event annual
~ attracts the biggest crowd in
American"
For I have a notion that not many
of the bright little boys and girls
will be able to rate A plus in their
answers. It so happens that the one
sports event in this country that
annually outdraws all other events
at the gate is one of restricted ap-
peal and limited general popularity.
refer 70 the J00-mile automobile race
az indianapolis. Year in and year out
along the byways Of sport I hear less
chatter about the 500-miIe race than any
other fixture on the American sports
calendar. Indeed 10 is not until early in
May when get sheaf Of dope from Mr..
stephen Jerome OHannaEan, the house
publicity man, that I am even aware that
there are any persons left who stu 20 in
for automobile racing. And yet this event
Iured 100000 paid admissions through the
gates last May.
Mr.. o'Hannagan explains that the 500;
mile race is what you might call the world
series Of the automotiye Industry ana tnse
carries 5as5 sngss s ashnlSe ahe to
the trade and the private owner OF hlgh-
This race not only attracts represen-
tatives Of the trade from all parts OF tne
country. but individual speed enthusiasts
saws avs Mr. a' o'Hannagan. VINO should know
what he Is talking about.
f. u
A s a spectacle, the race is both
IA an eye-popper and a yawn-
After the first hundred miles. the
picture. becomes quite monotonous.
The early illusion of neck-breaking
speed becomes commonplace. All
that is left to stimulate the interest
of the non-technical and average
spectator is the possibility OF a
smashup. I used to have the
thought that it was this morbid In
terest which attracted the vast.
throng, but Mr.. O'Hannagan as
sures me I am mistaken.
The statistics Of the race would seem
to bear him out There have been few
fatalities and not a great many casualties.
s'If we depended on accidents for our
crowds. we would have to furnish more
than we do SAYS Mr.. o'Hannagan. and
not without q vestige Of convincing logic.
. n
Most of the drivers who concentrate on
1ne 9oo Tb tsT major peTcentaee Of fatal
ties occur on the smaller CIT Ld,,, tra aSS6
around the cogn1ntTy Ray ays HerF s a i've
and though he no longer drives: ne Is
usually TO- be found on the ground on
the day of the race.
only one driver has succeeded
~ in winning the race as often
as twice. He is Tommy Milton, a
consulting engineer with a national
automobile agency. Milton scored
his triumphs under an extraordi-
nary handicap. In a competitive
test which demands the Sharpest OF
vision at all times, Milton twice out
distanced roaring fields OF speed
with one eye.
=
Attesting to the gradual development In
motor power and driving skill. the speed
record for the race has advanced from
IS to IOf1S miles an hour. an upward
trend of better than 25 miles to the hour.
The present record was set in 1925 by
Peter De PaoIo and it is pretty fast 60
ing considering the fraiIities of the hu-
man body. the time that must be de-
Quoted for refueling and changing tires
and the traffic which prevails on the
course at the start with some thirty cars
battling for first position and the open
So ces.
THE fastest mile ever driven over |
i the speedway course is credited |
to Leon Duray. But it was not made
in the race proper; it was, made
in the preliminary speed tests by
which the cars qualify for entrance
and position. Duray Topped the
track with its four quarter turns
at a gait of 124 miles an hour in
1928. 50
ST -
Mr.. OHannagan tells me this was the
most perfect exhibition of driving he has
ever seen on the Indianapolis track. che
hit the speed grooves with the accuracy
Of locomotives wheel 1anges contracting
rails. He wasn't a quarter of an inch
on his route at any fraction of second"
n
BUT WHILE THIS WAS SUBSTANTIAL
PROOF THAT DURAY HAD A GREAT
CAR AND WAS A GREAT DRIVEtt. 1T