The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1935-06-21
wanted to see who and what was at

the track.
Bill walked out of the garage in
closure and directly on to the brick
track. It was a rare May morning.
Here was a track that was q track!
Two and a half miles around; not cir:
cular, not oval, but a four cornered
course. A long front and back stretch.
rather difficult corners And there
you were. It took everything that a
car had, and everything a driver had,
to win. It was the greatest race since
|Ben-Hur had crowded on enough horse
power to win from MESSIAH, if one lis
tened to Bill Brandt tell about it.
By May Is the great speedway
grounds were alive with activity. All
the great and the n%ear-great, the big
and the little, the rich and the poor
ir racing land were in various stages
Of preparation for the big event on
Decoration day.
Twelve days before the rac Bill
closed his hood of the Brandt Special
and looked at Red: "Just about ready.
Handles like a dream-and fast. A
few little odds and ends, and then we
wash up for the elimination trials"
That night Red did not come in
until 2. Bill pretended not to notice
the lapse the following morning.
At 3 o'clock the following morning
Reds bed was unoccupied. Bill then
out. The roadhouse was going full
blast. Red was sitting at q table with
several other mechanics. AS Bill start
ed toward them, oblivious to every
thing else, he felt a OBTAINING hand
on his arm. He turned: Hello" he
said, impersonally to the young mar
and young woman beside him.
How are you, Bill?" the remark
came from the young man. First time
I've seen you this year."
The girl said nothing.
Bill flushed. Fine, thanks" he
said. See you again, some time"
The girls eyes were defiant. Then
hurt. Her brother reached over and
patted her hand. He's still a great
fellow, Anne. Some day he'll find out
he was all wrong"
500 shstts go D;g homs;n his hi sis sister e,,r1 replied
Bill advanced toward the mechanics
table. Come ON, Red, let's CO." was
all he said. The mechanic next to
Red stood up n eXpostulated. The
speaker swayed as he talked and then
sat down.
Lets get going, Red" Bill said
again.
The drunken mechanic got to his
feet again. Bill gave him a shove and
he suddenly sat down. The crowded
room suddenly grew quiet.
Another man, not of the mechanics
party, arose. Don't pick ON a drunken
man." he said.
He accompanied the words by a true
ulent move toward the driver. He was
big enough to have picked Bill up with
one hand.
"Are you drunk" asked Bill softly.
"You know I'm not" came the re-
ply.
20. K" With that Reds boss swung
a right to the mans jaw, and the re-
cipient promptly slid down to the floor.
Without so much as a further look
Bill turned to Red and the two walked
out together.
Bill decided to take his car out that
afternoon for a final check and then
put it back into the garage to await
elimination trials, which began the fol-
lowing day. To get a position in the
front row Of three cars 1t would be
necessary to be n Of the three fastest
in the first two days of the elimina-
ton trials.
Bill warmed the Special up for three
laps and then opened the throttle for
a few fast laps. Coming into the home
stretch, with everything wide open. he
heard an ominous noise in the engine.
He closed the throttle instantly. but
coincidentally with the movement Of
his foot there came a burst Of flame
from the side of the hood.
A wrecker towed the Brandt Special
into its garage. There we're tears in
Reds eyes. Honest. Bill. I don't see
Row it could have happened. I had
the bearings set the way I always do.
Oil pressure was o. K. I was watch
inp it,"