Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-05-31
BY KELLY PETILLO.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. May 81


INDIANAPOLIS Ind. May 81
You can't beat the Italian To-
year cycle-thats the goodie in
the coconut as to why won the
5OO-mile gasoline derby at the Indian
apolis Motor Speedway.
That was my bunch before the race,
and Just how well it worked out is re-
Elected in the way I finished. Just
figure for yourself-De Palma the
winner in 1915-De Paola in 1925
and yours truly in 1935-10 years
apart and all three Italians
Believe me. that boy, Rex Mays,
certainly gave me scare for the first
300 miles, and. when he went out of
the race, there was no taking the
heavy foot off the gas, as Wilbur
Shaw was hanging on like grim death.
Knew He Had Power.
7 KNEW had the power in my Gill
more Speedway Special as well as
the speed, but I had the worry in the
late stages of the race of wondering
whether or not I would pop out of
gasoline. On the first day of the
qualifying tests I won the pole posi-
ton. only to have it taken away from
me because I used half pint of gaso-
line too much. averaged better than
121 miles an hour, and knew that I
had the mechanical baby that would
capture the race if I got anything
like an even break in the luck.
A big share of the credit for win
ming this international event should
60 to my pit manager and friend,
Pete De Paolo. He gave me the signals
as I flashed past the concrete wall,
and I followed his instructions to the
letter.
Before the starting bomb De Paolo
said to me: Kelly, you've the ability
and you've got the car. You do the
driving and let me do the thinking
here at the pits, and don't want you
to miss single signal"
Adheres to Instructions.
7 FOLLOWED instructions, although
it was mighty big tempetation
for me to step down on that throttle
during the first so miles of the race.
when I realized that I vas running
along in about twelfth position But
I had made my promise to Pete, and !
kept it. anG I'm the happiest man in
the world for doing so.
De Paolo nodded me to give the
racer a bit more speed between the
so and 100 mile mark. although he
slowed me down when I hit anything
beyond ITO miles an hour for lap.
Mays, Stapp and Gulotta were the
only ones ahead of me when we hit
the century. but I knew that I was
within striking distance and was sat
isfled with my position.
made two stops at the pits and on
both occasions De Paolo shouted into
my ear, Keep following Instructions
it's your race" The first time I
pulled into the pits was at 70 lapn,
when I took on water and gas, and
the second time at l40 laps for water,
gas and right rear tire.
Sure After Half Way Mark.
1T WAS not until the halfway mark
L that I felt sure I would win, al
though Shaw sped past me into first
place when we had reached $50 miles.
There's nothing to it-Wilbur drove
q grand race to win second position,
but I had too much under the hood
of my racer for him. He's fine guy
and deserves as much praise as myself.
Will I continue to race? Certainly.
Why break up that 10-year Italian
cycle? You can't beat it.
Three years ago, I begged for
chance to drive when I came here.
I've only started to win in races. I'm
going to win more of 'em-that is. if
Pete De Paolo remains as my pit man.
ager to do the thinking for me while
! do the driving.
copyright. 1885 by the North American
Newspaper Alliance. IncD