The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-05-28


In the first row positions, so ca
two professional" race cars and or
car Is the one that has the "pole. :"
Russell Snowberger, in his Russell
Eight. which has a Studebaker
President Eight as its power plant,
is sitting on the inside rail. Next to
him is Bill Cummings, the Indian
apolis star, in the front drive En-
pire State Special, and next to Wild
Bill is Paul Bost in the Empire
State rear-drive.
Paul and Russell probably could
call things almost even in a battle
of speed with Russ perhaps having
a slight edge. But the young fellow
in the middle has the real speed Of
those three cars and it is no secret.
Russell and Paul might manage
TO stretch up to 113 miles an hour,
but there is a hint that Wild Bill
can mosey up TO 118 miles an hour,
fast enough to leave his two 'front.'
row companions struggling in the
backstretch as he reaches the north
turn on the first official lap Of the
race. That is, Of course, if Bill
wants the lap prize gravy"
In the second row are three reg
ular pro" race cars, Hank Maley's
Duesenberg with Deacon Litz, one
Of the finest drivers at the track,
sitting at the pole, Ernie Triplett in
the Buckeye-Duesie next to him,
and then Babe Stapp. one of the
snartest and ablest drivers in the
nation, on the outside, in the Rig
ling 81 Henning Duesie.
The third row will find Bill Gardner in
the front-drive Miller m otored Nutmeg
State car; Fred Frame in Harry Hartz's
DuesenberE. and Stubby stubbIefeId in the
dones-MiIIer rear drive.
The second and third rows haven't, on
the face of things, got enough speed to
challenge for the lead early in the race
and all Of the six drivers in those high
positions probably will be content to let
the frOnt-line speeders set the pace.
tn. fourth and aftp rows are ABOUT
Miller Special. rear drive; Phil Pardee
in Duesenberg: Chef Miller. in the Mari.
q four cylinder pro" racing car: Luther
Richards fob; Louis Schneider in the Mil
ler-motored BoWes Seal Fast; Cliff Bergere
II the Elco- Royale a Reo-poWered ma
cylindered pro, car:
In the sixth row comes the fun.
There's Joe Russo, the "blindfold
man." in the Miller motored Russo
Special; Dave Evans, in the races
sensation, the Cummins Diesel, and
Billy Arnold, in the car which car
Yied him to victory last year, the
Miller Hartz front drive.
Joe may not step out right at the start
and neither will Dave in the Diesel. The
Diesel is built and acts as If it can run
an day and it may do 1t without ever
stopping The oil burner has plenty of
power and II Dave ever gots to a point
where he needs speed. he has 1t.
It
Arnold, you can almost bet, will be up
With the front-runners before four Laps
are done. Biny's car was the fastest of
the forty auaIifers and he would have had
the pole had he passed the brake test after
his frst qualification Saturday.
ArnoId probably will room through the
ranks like scared deer and those six
rows won't mean much to his buggy when
1t starts singing the song of speed
In the seventh row are three machines
Ali about even in speed. Tony Gulotta in
the Hunt Special; Jimmy Gleason in a
Tappet Ford. All can do about Ill.
In the eighth are three Just $3.50 f9;.'
are Frank FARMER in the Jones-Miller:
phil Shafer in his Shafer Eight, and
John Boiling in the Morton q Brett
GRAPHIC.
The ninth row finds some more interest
ing data. There Is Louis Meyer, 1928
winner, In his sixteen-cylinder Sampson
Special, capable Of about III miles an
hour; Shorty CANTON in the extremely
high powered Harry Miller Special, another
sixteen cyIindered baby" and Frank
BriskO in his frOnt-drive Miller.
Meyer and Canton can and prob
ably will step through to lead posi-
tions before the race is very old,
and it may be q case OF CANTON
chasing Meyer, who is chasing Ar
uOlO, WllOs III DuAilS 10 NA4ooAAAS ONAAA
mings. That would be a swell game
of tag.
4
The remaining fve rows in the main
are slower mounts with the possible eX-
ception OF Gene Hausteins Fronty Ford,
which may be able to give some OF the
higher powered buggies quite battle.
q &
In the tenth row there Is one outStand-
ing car--Leon Duray's two-cycle machine
which carries a positive displacement
supercharKer. Leon may not be the hot
pace setter he usually has been on the
indianapolis bricks, but his car is SEN
sstion. II is an innovation in motor car
building. and he may prove some definite
objects.
The cummins Diesel. CT course. is in a
class by itself. It might be said that the
car almost is stepping out Of its class TO
prove its worth. The Diesel idea for auto
mobiles always has been and still is, Tor
that matter scoffed at by automotive en-
gireers and II Dave Evans drives his usual
type OF consistent. heady race, Clessle
cummins really, may have "somstning' ne
can throw I'D IN the scorers races
So II not only is motor car race Of
speed. but battle Of wits. of courage and
Of brains. Indianapolis once again is prov
Ing itself the worlds greStest proving
ground for automobiles.