The Southern Jewish weekly. [volume] (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1939-1992, 1939-09-01

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would have been out of the lead
ing lap. But it was this short
stop which made race and which
made for that spectacular finish.
After an hour and some minutes
after the race begun, the probable
winner had been cut down to a
field of three, "Swede" Hansen,
Dutch" Carson, and Babe" Bow
err. These three were looming
down the straightaway and cut
ting capers over the curves that
kept bloodpressure all over the
park mounting in apoplectic
climbs. Near the 2O0th lap, Bower
was forced to the pits for a brief
stop. And stops in the repair
grooves count. By the time Babes
white racer was wheeled onto the
field again, Carson had Tapped
the field completely. But Bower
went after Carson doggedly. Lap
after lap he gained until he had
his lost lap back and then steadily
closed in until, thirteen laps from
the finish line, he came abreast
of Carson. Both cars were hurt
ling down the straightaway in
full view of the vast throng. The
question the crowd wanted ans
wered was who would be the man
to take the lead over such dan
gerous curves. Likewise, it be-
came apparent from our lofty
perch in the press box that Gar
sons brakes weren't holding. In
stead of slowing for the turns, he
coasted in and then slipped out
of them, taking a close call in
doing so. Naturally, Bowers bug
gy right alongside the Carson
chariot couldn't feel the clutch of
the brakes at such a moment
even if the move meant death
for an application of brakes might
mean the loss of the race. With
wide open throttles both cars shot
over the sharp curve at so great
a clip that it seemed to us and to
the crowd-as well as to the driv-
ers of the ambulances-tha both
were headed for the drop over the
retaining wall and sudden death.
Miraculously, both cars made it
and it was here that Bower forged
ahead. He held his close lead I'M
til he was tagged home-a win
ner and new champion.
A ROSE-BOWER
COMBINATION
A ROSe-BOWer may be a really
idyllic SpO- but to the racing fans
of the country this combination
means a duo of the fastest Jewish
men on wheels. -Mauri Rose, for
mer number one driver of the
American raceWayS, is the out
standing Jewish racing driver in
the world. Rose, A Chaplinesque
figure, is small. Yet the way he
handles those roaring juggernauts
is well nigh incredible. Bower on
the other hand, is big, massive,
the direct counterpart of diminu-
tive Mauri Rose. But Bower likes
to drive only the midget-cars
whereas Rose prefers the big bug
gies.
Incidentally, it was Roses bril-
liant victory over the very same
track some four years ago that
earned him the Number One post
with the American Automobile
Association in 1886. At the Van
derbilt International Cup Race
the Roosevelt Raceways Inaug-
ural-the Jewish driver from the
Midwest was the first American
driver to cross the finish line.
Bower is different from Rose in
more than their professional pref
erences for racing chariOts and
their physical size. Rose is never
affable when he meets a member
of the press. Bower will talk.
And, so far as we're concerned,
whether the champs drive kiddy
cars or rumbling giants makes
no difference to us; but whether
the guy will talk to uS-dOeS. So
it's hats off to BOWer-a new rae
iuO ohio v1oniou oud ik1II I,o hocou