The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-05-23
SPEED TRIALS
STARTED FOR
5OO-M|LE SPIN
Drivers Line Up Today for
Qualification Tests;
So Entries.
THRONG TO BE PRESENT
Examinations Will Cut List
to Forty for Grind on
Decoration Day.

Clear skies and warmer weather
sent thousands of speed fans
thronging to the Indianapolis
Motor Speedway today. for start
Of trials which will determine the
opening lineup for the annual 500
mile gasoline and oil gallop next
Saturday.
Dave Evans, star veteran, was on
the Zine" early this morning and
he hoped to be given the right
of way" in his Diesel car exactly
at 10 o'clock, starting time for
qualifications.
The Cummins' Diesel is the only
car OF the remaining Sixty-e eight
entries which has been exempted
from the ninety mile-an-hour speed
necessary for qualification. The
Diesel has to make only eighty
miles an hour to win itself a place
in the starting lineup Decoration
day.
Forty Allowed to Start
Forty cars are permitted to start
in the grind and that left thirty
nine places open for gasoline-en-
gined cars. The original entry list
totaled Seventy-two, but four cars
were Withdrawn late this week be-
cause the machines could not be
made ready in time.
Should more than forty cars
qualify, the Slowest qualif1ers, not
including the Diesel, will be stricken
from the lists.
A brilliant battle of speed was
promised for the coveted pole" po-
sition. At least four drivers were
ranked as possibilities for No. in
the front row and fifth may break
into the fast competition.
Louis Meyer, who turned a lap
Thursday afternoon at more than
lit miles an hour; Shorty Canton,
Billy Arnold and Wild Bill Cum
mings were those conceded to be in
the race for the pole, and it was
predicted that should Leon Duray's
car have the stuff" Duray also
would be in the thick OF it.
All Heroes Of Past Races
Meyer won the race in 1928 and
finished second in 1929. Both years
ne was A. A. A. champion. Canton
finished second last year. Arnold
won the race last year. Duray is
holder OF the one-lap and four-lap
qualification records. Cummings,
star Indianapolis driver, is one Of
the newer and more popular of the
| drivers.
Other drivers who expected to put
their cars into the qualification lists
were Ernie Triplett, Buckeye-Dues-
enberg; Russell Snowberger, Russell
Eight; Babe Stapp, Rigling 81 Hen
ming Duesenberg; Paul Bost, Empire
State Special, Louis Schneider and
Tony Gulotta, Bowes Seal Fast Spe-
Gals; Joe Caccia, Jones-Adaley Spe-
cial; L. L. Corum, co-winner in the
1924 race, Stutz Bearcat; Phil Shat
er, Miller, and Deacon Litz, Hank
MaIey Duesenberg.
Meyer Is Favorite
Meyer was the favor1te among
the guessers, and his sixteen-cylin-
der mount is said to be capable OF
more than lib miles an hour. II
is the same car he used in last
years race. Cantlon's machine is
a sixteen cylinder, rear drive, also,
and is the Harry Miller Special.
It IS owned by Bill White.
Arnold's car Is the Miller Hartz
front-drive eight which carried him
to victory in 1880, and Cummings
car is a front-drive eight. Cum
mings, however, is undecided among
the two Empire State Specials, and
indicated early today he might
drive the rear-drive mount.
Duray's car Is a racing freak"
It is sixteen cylindered tWo-cycle
motor, Of his own design. TWO are
entered, the other to be driven by
Cliff Durant, the millionaire who
drives race cars as a sport.
-Four Laps Necessary
In the qualifications, four laps are
necessary. the time for each lap be-
ing totaled and the average speed :
computed. The cars are timed cleo
trically by ODDS A. Porter's chrome
meter in the press pagoda. Porter,
chief timer, is assisted in the trials
by S. j. Williams, chief scorer. and
Chester Kicker, director Of scoring
and timing.
w. e. Edenburn, A A. A. rep
resentative, Is in charge OF qual!fi-
cations and the race. Edenburn an
nounced that no cars viii be
qualified after Wednesday shutdown.
and that the usual late boys are
going to find it just too bad"
Only one accident has marred the
qualifications, that late THURSDAY
afternoon, when Frank Brisko OF
Milwaukee dived into a wall on the
north turn, and ruined the front
end OF his car. Brisko may be
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