Death Marks Indianapolis Speedway Opening – Automobile Topics – August 28, 1909

An extended write and read on the first Indianapolis Motor Speedway three days‘ race meet in August 1909. A very extended survey of these three days of racing, including the several accidents that took place.

Text and jpegs by courtesy of hathitrust.org www.hathitrust.org, compiled by motorracinghistory.com

AUTOMOBILE TOPICS, Vol. XVIII, No. 21, August 28, 1909

Death Marks Indianapolis Speedway Opening

    INDIANAPOLIS, Ind., Aug. 21. – The greatest sacrifices in all motor history have just been made-sacrifices of life, sacrifices of speed, sacrifices of machines. Never has any test or series of tests of the motor vehicle called forth so much from makers, drivers and machines as has the three-days‘ racing carnival just ended at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
   Heralded as being the fastest track ever constructed, it was but natural that this great course would instill in the mind and nerve of every contestant the desire to grasp the high honors of his profession from those made on other tracks and many of the drivers did it. But at an awful sacrifice.
   That the speedway has the making of a great track is undeniable, but that it was a track of death in the condition upon which the races were held is equally undeniable. And this in the greatest measure accounts for the depressing phase of the meet. Urged and fairly goaded on to win, win, win, the men behind the wheels threw caution to the winds and drove over a course far worse than most country road courses, at a rate of speed in almost every event never before equalled on any track in this country.
   It was this awful mania for speed coupled with the fact that the track was literally filled, with deep holes and awful ruts (and the last day with thick oil) that is responsible for the casualties.
   In a trip over the course at the close of the 300-mile event to-day, holes were found six and eight inches deep and fully twelve to fifteen square feet wide, scattered all over the track. Ruts ten to twelve inches deep and many feet long were common occurrences. The country road from Indianapolis to the Speedway was nearly as much more smooth and even than the speedway proper, as a ballroom is smoother than a barn floor. In addition to these ruts the surface of the speedway presented as undulating a condition as does the surface of a storm-tossed sea – of course, in a lesser degree, but sufficient to have called for more stamina and endurance in both men and machines than has ever been required before.

   De Palma, Oldfield, Christie, Lytle, Strang, Burman, Chevrolet-all these and others openly said that they had never in their lives driven a road race that was harder than this track race. And in spite of all the statements or accounts of what happened that have been given out there is just one incontrovertible fact staring everybody in the face, and that is this: Had the track been built with a sloping bank of twelve to fifteen feet on both sides of the track proper and all the way round it, had the deep tile ditch at the north end been closed, as it should have been long before the race started, and had the races not been held until the track was ready for racing, the chances are that no lives would have been sacrificed. True enough, 300 miles, or 200 miles or anything over 100 miles, seems to be too long for a track race, but even at that, faulty track and faulty track construction seem to be the real cause of all the tragedies of the opening meet on the speedway.
   Of the racing end itself there is but one conclusion. It was the greatest success that has ever been witnessed in this country. Record after record was broken, only to be rebroken a little later, until speed marks heretofore undreamed of were hung up in profusion. Then, too, the vast crowds that thronged the stands and grounds were treated to driving spectacles, the equal of which probably never were before produced. The course was handled in grand style, thanks to the particular efficiency of Di- rector of Contests E. A. Morross, and to Starter Fred Wagner, who excelled himself at this meet.

   The meet started on Thursday, August 19, and lasted through the three days of the week. The following officials had charge of the affair:
Committee of Management. – Carl G. Fisher, president; A. C. Newby, first vice-president; F. H. Wheeler, second vice-president; J. A. Allison, secretary and treasurer.
Honorary Referee. Lewis – R. Speare, president of the A. A. A., Boston, Mass.
Referee. – F. B. Stevens, A. A. A., Rome, N. Y.
Paddock Managers. – F. E. Edwards, Chicago; W. J. Smith, Indianapolis, Ind.
Starter. – F. J. Wagner, New York, N. Y.
Announcer. – E. A. Moross, Automobile Club of Maryland.
Board of Judges. – F. H. Elliott, secretary A. A. A., New York City; C. H. Heeker, president of the Detroit Automobile Club; Frank Remy, Anderson, Ind.
Board of Timers. – E. H. Warner, Frank Trego, G. M. Cobb, F. C. Donald.
Board of Umpires. – Henry Ford, Detroit; C. M. Wainwright, H. G. Donald.
Board of Scorers. – A. G. Batchelder, New York; H. D. Weller, H. L. Henckel, J. A. Barclay, B. G. Saltzgaber, J. R. Nadall, Chicago; W. H. Brown, Harold King.
Timing Director. – Walter Baker, C. A. C., Cleveland.
Scoring Director. – John Cox, Terre Haute.
Technical Committee. – David Beecroft, Chicago; Frank M. Joice, Minneapolis.
Clerks of Course. – Charles P. Root, Chicago Motor Club; O. G. Temme.
Press Board. – Paul P. Willis, Star; Roland R. Mellett, News; Harry G. Copeland, Star; James Kelly, Sun.
Military Board. – Captain E. P. Carpenter. Captain P. A. Davis, Lieutenant M. Levy.
Drivers Committee. – C. G. Sinsabaugh, Chicago.
Chairman of Contest Board. – F. B. Hower, A. A. A., Buffalo, N. Y.
Representative of the Racing Board. – C. W. Sedwick, Indianapolis, Ind.
Board of Handicappers. – F. A. Barker, Thomas Hay, Chicago; W. J. Bowman. Surgical Staff Director. – Dr. Frank R. Allen.
Chief Engineer and Superintendent of Construction. – P. T. Andrews.
Ambulance Service. – A. M. Ragsdale Company.
Assistant Announcers. – W. H. Wellman, W. S. Gilbreath.
Director of Contests. – E. A. Moross.
   It must be remembered that this track measures 2½ miles around, and that, naturally, it is much faster than a one-mile track. This is especially true in the case of the mile records made, which are timed from back of the last stretch to the timers‘ stand, and which are consequently made with only one turn and that a wide and broad one.

First Day.
   Of principal interest on the opening day was the record made by Oldfield in his big Benz, which he hurled around the track for a mile in .43.1, as against De Palma’s circular mile time in a Fiat at St. Paul of .51, and Webb Jay’s unofficial .48.2. The second record to be hung up was that of ten miles, by Chevrolet in his Buick. This he made in 8.56.4, reducing Oldfield’s Empire City figures of 9.12.6.
   Five cars started in the first race, five miles, 161 to 230 cubic inches displacement. Schwitzer in a Stoddard-Dayton won, Wright in a Stoddard-Dayton second, De Witt in a Buick third; time, 5.13.4.
   Eight cars started in the second event, ten miles, 231 to 300 cubic inches dis- placement. This finally narrowed down to a Buick race, with the three drivers, Chevrolet, Strang and Burman, leading most of the way. Chevrolet finally won in record time, with Strang second and Burman third, in 8.56.4.
   The third event, five miles, 301 to 450 cubic inches displacement, proved to be Billy Bourque’s last victory and last completed race. This was a beautiful and game struggle from the start. Nine cars faced Wagner on a flying start, but they were badly strung and so were called back for a start from the tape. All the way Strang and Chevrolet led Bourque by inches until the stretch of the first lap; then Burman in his Buick, and Miller in the Stoddard-Dayton, spurted ahead, all closely bunched at the wire. Bourque and Burman finally pulled a few feet ahead of the bunch and all on the last two miles fought it out nose and nose, Bourque passing Burman at the last turn and maintaining a few feet lead over the tape. Time, 4.45.2.
   Fourteen cars started in the fourth event, a free-for-all ten-mile handicap. This was won by Harroun, in a Marmon, with 1.45 handicap, in 8.22.5. Lynch, in a Jackson, same handicap, was second, and Merz, in a National six, with 35 seconds, was third. Merz’s drive in the National was a beauty, and 100 yards more distance would have given him first place easily.
   The last event of the day, the 250-mile, 301 to 450 cubic inches displacement event for the Prest-O-Lite trophy caused the death of Bourque and his mechanician, Harry Holcombe, when they drove into an open tile ditch after swerving from the track. There were nine starters.
   The race was won by Burman in his Buick 34, in time of 4.38.57.4. Second went to Clements in a Stoddard-Dayton No. 61, in time of 4.46.01.8. Third went to Merz in National No. 7, in time of 4.57.09.7.
   The progress of the race follows:
Order of cars at the end of fifty miles – 37, Buick (Chevrolet), time 46.54; 35. Buick (Burman), time 47.05.5; 36, Buick (Strang), time 48.05.8.
At the end of 100 miles – 37, Buick (Chevrolet), time 1.32.18.9; 35, Buick (Burman), time 1.37.31.5; 7, National (Merz), time 1.38.11.7.
At the end of 150 miles – 35, Buick (Burman), time 2.27.32.8; 6, National (Kincaid), time 2.36.30.3; 53, Jackson (House), time 2.37.53.3.
At end of 200 miles – 35, Buick (Burman), time 3.24.13.4; 53, Jackson (House). time 3.28.47.9; 61, Stoddard-Dayton (Clements), time 3.52.04.5.
At end of 225 miles – 35, Buick (Burman), time 4.10.27.2; 61, Stoddard-Dayton (Clements), time 4.19.00.5; 6, National (Kincaid), time 4.25.16.
At end of 250 miles – 35, Buick (Burman), time 4.38.57.4; Stoddard-Dayton (Clements), time 4.46.1.8; National (Merz). time 4.57.9.7.
   Kincaid, in National No. 6, lost his gasolene tank in his last lap, thus keeping him from getting third place.

Second Day.
  The second day’s events were pulled off with no serious accidents to mar them, and they constituted by far the most enjoyable day of the meet, being marked by pretty contests.
   Records galore were smashed. Zengle in his Chadwick did ten miles in 8.23.2, breaking the mark set the day before by Chevrolet. Aitken in his National took away a mark from DePalma by doing five miles in 4.25 flat, as against the old Providence mark of 4.26. Louis Strang, in the 100-mile event, broke everything from 20 to and including 100 miles, which he completed in 1.32.48.5, as against Burman’s 1.44 made this summer in Columbus.
   Trials against time opened the day. Oldfield just equalled his record of the day previous in the Benz. Zengle in the Chadwick did .49.3, and De Palma in Eddie Hearne’s Fiat did .46.6.
   Strang in a Buick took the second event, five miles, 231 to 300 cubic inches displacement, with ease against four starters in 4.48. Chevrolet in a Buick second; Stutz in a Marmon third.
   Seven started in the third event, ten miles, 301 to 450 cubic inches displacement. Merz in a National drove a leading race all the way and won easily. with Chevrolet in a Buick second, and De Hymel in a Stoddard-Dayton third. Time, 9.16.
   Aitken in a National took down the fourth event, ten miles, for cars entered in the 300-mile event on Saturday. He won this in 9.26.6, just beating out Lytle in an Apperson, with Mulford in a Lozier third. There were eight starters.
   Only five starters faced the starter for the fifty-mile event for cars of 161 to 230 cubic inches displacement – two Stoddard-Daytons, two Buicks, and a Velie. Wright in one Stoddard-Dayton, in 59.23.1, won an easy race, defeating Schwitzer in another Stoddard, his only remaining competitor, at the end of the fifty miles.
   Event No. 6, ten-mile free-for-all, saw Zengle lower the ten mile record in his Chadwick, by winning in 8.23. Aitken in a National was second, and Ford in a Stearns car third.
   The last event of the day, 100 miles, 231 to 300 cubic inches displacement, was one of the grandest drives of the meet. It was won by Strang in the record time of 1.32.48.5. It was in this race that Strang broke every ten-mile record after the first twenty. De Witt in a Buick was second and Stillman in a Marmon third. Strang never faltered from start to finish, and never was in danger of being headed, barring accidents.

Third Day.
   Walter Christie made his first appearance on Saturday, doing a kilometer in .28.7. Oldfield, however, beat this in his Benz by covering the distance in .26.2. The first race, fifteen-mile free-for-all handicap, was won by Kincaid, in a National, with 1 min. handicap, his corrected time being 13.23.5. De Palma in a Fiat, scratch car, was second, with Stillman in a Marmon third.
   Eddie Hearne had little trouble in winning the ten-mile amateur championship of America in his Fiat, in 9.44.3; Greiner in a Thomas, Ryall in a Buick, and Cameron in a Stearns were never close.
   It was in the twenty-five-mile free-for-all open for the famous Remy Grand Brassard that Barney Oldfield did the only real work of the meet so far as he was concerned, and here he did it with a vengeance, smashing five records with his big Benz. He won the event in 21.27.7, breaking the record of De Palma, made in a Fiat of 23.35, at Boston, June 17, 1909. De Palma in his Fiat Cyclone came second, and Zengel in his Chadwick third.
   When the first five miles had been reeled off beneath Oldfield’s car, he had hung up the time of 4.11.3, beating the record of Aitken in a National of 4.25 flat established Friday on the speedway. In ten miles Oldfield sent to splinters the record of 8.23 1-5 held by Zengel in a Chadwick, made Friday on the speedway, by beating it with 8.15.9. For twenty miles he made the time of 16.53.8, beating the record of 18.41.7, made by Strang in a Buick Friday on the speedway.
   The other entries in the race were De Palma in Eddie Hearne’s Fiat, and Zengle in a Chadwick. De Palma had to use the stock Fiat in all the races because he found it impossible to hold his Cyclone on the terrible track.
   It remained for the last race of the day, the closing race of the meet, to climax all former events, both in spectacular work and in death results. it was the 300-mile open to all cars under 600 cubic inches displacement for the valuable Wheeler-Schebler trophy. After three people had been killed when a National flew over a bridge and the Marmon had crashed into another bridge post, the race was declared off at the end of 235 miles, with the Jack son, Lynch driving, first; De Palma in a Fiat second, and Stillman in a Maron, third.
   There were sixteen starters in this event and the first 100 miles witnessed a wonderful drive by Aitken in a National, also the establishing of a new 100-mile mark of 1.31.49.1 by the same driver. Shortly after this record was hung up cylinder No. 4 cracked across the top and the car had to be withdrawn.
   In the twenty-fourth lap, Lytle furnished a thrill that was miraculous in that death or injury did not result. The tie bar in his steerage system broke just as he passed the pits. Running wild, the car started up the banked turn, running straight for the club stands. Almost at the top, the wheels swung in, turning the nose of the car toward the lower edge of the track. By this time Lytle had gradually lessened the speed of the car, so that when it crashed into a big bank of soft earth, it only threw the mechanician out for forty or fifty feet and harmed nobody. Lytle gamely went to work, dug out his car, replaced the steering column with a new one and resumed the race.
   With Aitken out of the race in the 105th mile, Burman took the lead, which he held till the end of 123 miles, when he, too, withdrew. Both Strang and Chevrolet, in Buicks, had previously been forced to quit with broken cars. Merz then went ahead in his National, with De Palma second. Merz was soon put out by a break down of his battery on the back stretch. His mechanician, „Red“ Lyne, ran the mile or more to the pits for a new battery, and after making known his errand, fell in a swoon. This saved his life, for Claude Kellum, who had been driving with Aitken until his car broke down, was sent back with the battery. Kellum was killed when Merz went over the bridge in the fatal accident of the day.
   At the end of 150 miles Lynch in the Jackson was still ahead, with De Palma in the Fiat second, and Stillman in the Marmon third. These positions were not changed at the time and the race was called off, at the end of the ninety-fourth lap.