Evening star., 1948-06-01
Breaks Decide Rose
Triumph in Perfect
indianapolis Race
BY The Assesiatsd Press

BY the Asseeiatsd Press
INDIANAPOLIS, June IA COM
bination Of perfect racing weather
. fast field and q minimum of acci-
dents today shared credit for the
speediest 500-mile automobile race
since the Indianapolis Motor Speed
way ran OF its first Memorial Day
feature in 1911.
Mauri Rose, South Bend, Ind,
engineer, crossed the finish line yes
terday with an average Of 1888
miles an hour for his third speed
ways victory and his second in q
row.
Right behind Rose were his hard
luck teammate, Bill Holland, Read
ing, Pa, at 1914; Duke Nalon, Los
Angeles, l18,034, and Ted Horn,
Paterson, N. j., 117.844.
All four of those times were better
than the previous record OF 117.2
miles an hour, set 10 years ago by
the late Floyd Roberts.
The record smashing performances
answered the annual prerace ques-
ton as to what would happen in a
perfect" race. This one approached
perfection to the extent that almost
the entire 500 miles were run at
racing speed. Most OF the races
have been slowed for long periods
by wrecks. spilled oil or weather
conditions.
Only One Serious Accident.
The field ran only 10 minutes
and 20 seconds yesterday under the
yellow flag that requires the drivers
to hold their positions. The delay
resulted from the only serious acci-
dent, q crackup by Duane Carter,
Santa Monica, Calf, that left him
unharmed.
It seemed to be a record crowd
as well as a record race. Although
the speedway management never
discloses attendance figures, the
crowd appeared to be between $780,
900 and 100000.
Drivers had to fight of challenges
from behind all the way and any
one of the first four flnishers could
have won with a few breaks. Rose
got them.
Last year Holland led most Of the
race and surrendered the victory to
Rose on instructions from Lou
Moore of North Hollywood, Calf,
owner of the two four cylinder Blue
Crown Spark Plug Specials. Moore
said Holland misunderstood the pit
signal. Anyway, 1t was a tough
break for the easterner in his first
speedway race,
Holland had bad luck again yes
terday. He was running strong near
the end when his transmission be-
gan kicking out of gear. Duke Nalon
also was coming up fast in the Novi
Grooved Piston Special when he had
to make a pit stop for fuel.
Nalon and Horn both made two
pit stops to one apiece for Rose and
Holland. and that was the differ
ence at the finish. Horn neverthe-
less remained the most consistent
driver who ever rode the Indianap-
oils bricks. 1t was the ninth
straight race in which he had placed
fourth or better, although he never
has won. He drove Wilbur Shaw's
old Maserati, now owned by H. c.
,Cotton) Henning, which apparently
was unharmed by mysterious pre-
race sabotage attempt.
Hellings Finishes Fifth.
Mack Hellings, Burbank, Calf,
won fifth money in the new Don Lee
Kurtis-Kraft. The other Don Lee
entry. a prewar Mercedes was dis
appointment for the second time.
Chet Miller, Glendale, Calf, had to
pull the German car off the track
at 1o8 laps with oil-line trouble.
Only Wilbur Shaw, now speedway
president, and Louis Meyer, Los An
geles engine builder, ever equaled
Roses feat of three speedway VIC
tories. Shaw duplicated the two-in-
Arrow performance in 1939-40.
As Rose drove into the victory
bull pen Screen Actress Barbara
Britton waited with a smile and the
kiss that traditionally goes to the
winner OF the race. She turned
out to be temporarily unemployed.
Miss Ruth Wentworth of South
Bend. Ind, was waiting in the WIN
ner's cage. announcing happily that
she and Mauri would be married
June l3 She got the winners kiss
two of them-complete with the
grease that always smudges the
faces Of speedway drivers. She just
smiled happily.
Tries to Look Useful
Miss Britton smiled gravely and
tried to look useful.
I'll shake hands with you" the
swarthy little champion from South
Bend told her. "and save the kiss
for Miss Wentworth"
Little Mauri, jr., son by a previous
marriage, was there, piggy-back on
Shaw's shoulders. He and his
younger sister. Doris, got greasy
kisses, too, and young Mauri tried
out the seat his father had bounced
in for more than four hours around
the Speedway track.
Some one offered Rose a bottle
OF beer and he waved it way, ask
ing for water.
n-IHeII TI