The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-05-29

close followers Of automotive de-
velopment.
The other ''freak" Is the senSa-
ton Of the race. 1t is the Cumnins
Diesel, an oil-burner, which has abb
solutely no ignition, has no spark
plugs, and runs at an amazingly
low fuel cost.
CleSsie L. Cummins of Columbus.
Ind, who has experimental with
Diesel motors for years, constructed
his oil-burning automobile early
last year and drove it from Co
lumbus to New York City for total
fuel cost of $1.63.
Engineers scoffed at the challenge
Of Diesel and declared its lack Of f1exi-
bility and lack of high speed too
much of a handicap. Cummins
blasted the high speed protest by
taking his car to Daytona Beach,
Fla, and setting an Official timed
Diesel record Of 102 miles an hour.
Two FOrds Entered
Cummins then entered the car in
the 50O-mile race and selected the
veteran Dave Evans as its pilot. The
car stunned race followers by
qualifying at 90 miles an hour in a
stiff head wind, attaining far over
100 miles an hour in the front
stretch.
For the first time in many years
two FordS have entered the speed
lists, and one of them, Tucker
Tappet Ford Special, with Francis
Quinn at the wheel, is the hot
test" flivver aver seen on the In
dianapolis race track. It qualified
at Ill miles an hour.
GrandStands A, B and G, the
length of the front stretch, will be
filled when the starting field leaves
the line Saturday morning and a
blaze Of colors will be outlined
against the morning sun as women
display their newest summer clothes
and men their natty sports attire
Hundreds of the nations nOtables
are gathered for the race, including
a host of Governors. The race,
for them, is an advance feature to
the annual Governors convention
at French Lick Springs next week.
Colonel Eddie v. Rickenbacker,
Americas ace of aces in the World
war, and president of the Indian
apolis Speedway Corporation, ar
rived Wednesday and inspected the
qualifying cars with great interest.
Hotels Are Packed
Hotel space is at a premium, and
late arrivals are taking advantage
Of the few rooms offered in private
homes. Tonight, hundreds will be
forced to sleep in their cars parked
on downtown streets, or in the
miles-long line outside the Speed
way gates.
-Four accidents Of major proper
tons occurred in the pre-race
activity, one Of them taking the
lives Of driver and his mechanic.
Tuesday, when their car appar-
emily started to come to pieces at
high speed, Joe Caccia, the driver,
and Clarence Groves. his mechanic.
were carried to their deaths in the
flaming race car which crashed on
the southeast wall and hurtled over
125 feet into a tree. Both died all
most instantly.
Car Is Burned
Last Sunday, one car was burned
beyond repair and its occupants
forced to leap for their lives when
it broke into flames and crashed on
the north turn.
Saturday. while attempting to
qualify, Louis Meyers car smashed
into the outside wall on the south
turn and was damaged badly. A
cool head and skillful handling by
Meyer managed to avert as much
as scratch and the car was re-
paired swiftly. Its frame was sprung
six inches out Of line.
A few days before that, Frank
Brisko had kissed" the wall head
ing into the north turn, skated
around on the turn and came to
rest on the lower wall, the cars
front end being torn of. Brisko
was uninjured and his car repaired
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