Evening star., 1948-09-07
Airline Pilot Wins
Surprise Victory in
Thompson Cup Race
Nv ,hs As,oe;o,sd s,...

CLEVELAND, Sept. 7.-Anson l.
johnson OF Miami Springs, Fla,
pinched himself today and looked
for q $l6,500 check to prove that he
had won the Thompson Trophy
world classic of closed-course air
racing.
Johnson's surprise was shared by
80, 900 persons at the final day OF
the national air races. The National
Air Lines pilot didn't know until he
was on the ground that he had won.
His average speed was 383.767
miles an hour. computed from an
elapsed time Of As minutes, 81 sec
onds, for the 300-mile run around
the 15-mile rectangular course. 1t
was more than II miles an hour
below the record speed set year
ago.
Four Prizes Go Begging.
The race was one of the safest
though it started out as the fastest
in the history of the Thompson
It began as a three-plane race, with
the three leaders doing better than
400 miles an hour. And 1t ended
as a three-plane race. -Four prizes
totaling $500 went begging.
Seven of the 10 starters dropped
out because of mechanical trouble
among them the three hottest racers
in the contest.
Charles E. Brown of Indianapolis
who looked like sure winner with
a new record, was the last to quit
His fuel pressure fell until finally
he had no power and landed dead
stick.
Quit After Five Laps.
Cook Cleland Of Cleveland and
Richard Becker Of Toledo, Ohio,
flying twin entries, pressed Brown
for the lead, but quit within five
laps. The three planes had been so
far ahead of the field 1t was not
really a contest. Brown had Tapped
all but johnson when he quit.
The only other finishers were
two old timers, Bruce E. Raymond,
46, of Hammond, Ind, and Wilson V.
Newhall, 48, of Chicago, who has
been racing since 1929. They get
$4,000 and $4,000 respectively.
Herman r. Salmon of Van Nuys,
Calf, won the $1,000 first prize in
the Goodyear Trophy race for mid
get planes. SteveWittman OF Osh-
kosh, Wis, last years winner, was
second. The winning speed was
1895 miles an hour. A new record
by four miles an hour.
Speed Trial Cancelled.
During the day, the Air Force
announced that its F-S6 North
American jet fighter had averaged
669. .48 miles an hour in three timed
passes over the world speed record
course on Sunday. No record was
set because four timed passes are
needed.
The Air Force abandoned its
record quest at Cleveland and prob
ably will try again over the Muroc
(CalifD course. e
Racing pilots called meeting
today to distribute prize money,
complain about the 1948 events and
plan for 1949. They were expected
to support a proposal for new
type racer which will be in the
300 to $50 miles an hour class.
Contestant Disqualified.
The Contest Committee disquali-
fed John E. Saum of Baltimore
yesterday because of extremely
hazardous low altitude flying" in
Sundays. Soho handicap race.
Saum damaged the leading edge
of his right wing and propeller
spinner and collected leaves in the
oil cooler air scoop when he
SKINNED some trees on the back
stretch. y s.
As a result, saum loses the $3.50
second place money which he would
have received for averaging 3l8.198
miles an hour in his F-38 Lightning
H. S. Gidovlenko of Alhambra
Calf, was moved up to second with
his speed of 317.952 in an F-38.