This race report is the second of the june 1 1916 issue of Motor Age on that years‘ Indianapoalis Sweepstakes.
The most significant events during the race and the time of occurence are described, so an almost I-was-there-on-the-spot feeeling is generated.
Text and jpegs by courtesy of hathitrust.org www.hathitrust.org, compiled by motorracinghistory.com
MOTOR AGE Vol. XXIX, No. 22 Chicago, June 1, 1916, page 10 – 13
How the Sixth International Sweepstakes Was Run – And Won
Story in Miles, Not in Metaphors, Detailing the Movement of the Cars from Start to Finish
By William K. Gibbs
10:00 A.M. – INDIANAPOLIS Speedway, May 30 Early risers who want the A. M. awakening of a perfect day are not disappointed. The 4 miles between the speedway and its Indianapolis suburb – for today at least – Is lined with cars of all descriptions. The very latest in motive art and some of an unknown vintage vie for place in the line which has as its objective the sixth International Sweepstakes. The day is all that one could ask for – bright sun, cool breeze and a field of starters that should give all the thrills sought by the most captious.
10:30-Mulford is tuning up a Hudson Super-Six and it may be a contender, although this has not been definitely decided as yet. A few cars are limbering up on the track, others are being prepped at the pits, while the most of them are still in the garages, where the drivers and mechanics are going over equipment and giving their mounts the finishing touches.
11:00-Eddie O’Donnell broke a brake drum on his Duesenberg last night and is out of the race. Louis Chevrolet just cracked a cylinder and will not be able to start. The mystery car from Cleveland – Delno’s RiChard – is 1,000 pounds overweight and will not be allowed to start. Lecain’s Delage is out with a broken crankshaft.
11:30-Gaston Chevrolet has been trying to qualify one of the Frontenac for the last half hour but does not seem able to get the requisite speed. Joe Boyer takes the wheel and drives the cigar-shaped maroon car for a circuit of the track and satisfies the timers that the Frontenac is entitled to a place before the starter 2 hours hence. Boyer turns the mount over to Louis Chevrolet, who will drive instead of his brother, Gaston.
12:23 P.M.-Judges estimate that there are 50,000 in the stands and infield at present and thousands are still coming.
12:35 The cars are lining up at the starting line and the technical committee is testing the gasoline. In the first row are Aitken’s Peugeot, Rickenbacher’s Maxwell, Anderson’s Premier, and Resta’s Peugeot. Oldfield’s Delage, Wilcox’s and Rooney’s Premiers and Merz’s Peugeot are lined up in the second tier. In the third tier Henderson’s Maxwell is at the pole and D’Alene’s Duesenberg and Arthur Chevrolet’s Frontenac are next in the order named. DeVigne’s Delage, Haibe’s Osteweg Special, Christiaens‘ Sunbeam and Chandler’s Crawford are in the fourth tier; Franchi’s Pusun, Johnson’s Crawford and Lewis‘ Crawford are in the fifth row and Alley’s Ogren, Louis Chevrolet’s Frontenac and Mulford’s Peugeot are in the last row.
1:10-Drivers and mechanics are now lined up before the official photographer. The sun is bright and the day is ideal for racing. There is a stiff west wind which should help to make the brick oval very fast. From performances during the last week it looks as if the 89.84 miles per hour mark set by Ralph de Palma a year ago will be broken on the Hoosier course within the next 4 or 5 hours, although the Italian drove five centuries instead of three. It is estimated that when the race starts there will be 83,000 spectators.
1:28-They’re off! On a lap paced by Frank Smith. Art Johnson’s Crawford refuses to start and his attendants push the car with the clutch thrown in until the engine starts. Rouse, Johnson’s mechanic, furnishes a thrill by lying over the top of the hood to fasten hood strap as the yellow machine dashes into the first turn.
1:30 The race is on. Johnson is half a lap behind when the leaders cross the tape. The spurt at the getaway brought rousing cheers from the stands.
1.32-Rickenbacher is well in the lead at the end of the first lap. Aitken and Resta are crowding him however. Rickenbacher is nearly a quarter of a lap ahead of Aitken and Resta, who are fighting for second place.
1:38 Wilcox stops at the pits with engine trouble.
1:40-Rickenbacher has lapped both John- son and Franchi and the latter has been lapped by both Aitken and Resta who are still fighting for second place, the first three being nearly half a lap ahead of the field. Resta and Aitken are driving consistently but do not change places.
1:45-Wilcox gets away from the pits as Johnson pulls in. The time for the first 10 miles is 6:35.6, an average of 91 miles per hour.
1:48-Oldfield stops at the pit for a right rear tire and is followed by Rickenbacher, while Aitken jumps into the lead. Resta is second.
1:54-Billy Chandler stops at the pits, Rickenbacher is still in. There does not seem to be much difficulty so far with tires, most of the stops, in fact all except Oldfield’s, having been for some mechanical trouble. Announcer says Rickenbacher has broken his crankcase and is forced out of the race. Chandler stops at the pits again. The Crawfords do not seem to be running right.
2:00 Gil Anderson stops at the pits; mechanical trouble. Aitken and Resta have finished seventeen laps. Christiaens comes into the pits for a right rear tire. Franchi’s Pusun is out of the race. Johnson stops at the pits.
2:03-Resta takes the lead when Aitken comes in for a right rear tire. Aitken gets away in 1 minute. Wilcox stops at the pits again. Johnson also pulls in. He stops nearly every lap. At the end of fortieth mile Resta is leading, Aitken is second, Henderson in the Maxwell, third, and Merz’s Peugeot fourth.
2:05-Resta has finished his fiftieth mile. Aitken is gaining on Resta and bids fair to wrest the lead from the wily English-Italian within the next 50 miles, if his car holds together.
2:10 Christiaens stops at pits for right front tire. Resta now leads the field with Aitken nearly a minute behind him. Resta’s speed at the end of 50 miles was 88.14 m. p. h.
2:15-Aitken stops at the pits at the end of the twenty-fifth lap for a left rear tire and gets away in 29 seconds, the crowds in the stands cheering lustily.
2:16-Resta has finished the sixtieth mile, his speed being 87.64. Merz brings his Peugeot to the pits for a right rear tire. Also raises hood. Rooney changes spark plugs and is back on the track. Lewis brings his Crawford to the pits; more engine trouble.
2:21-Resta, Henderson, D’Alene, Louis Chevrolet, Haibe, Mulford and Al- ley have not stopped at the pits yet, but all the others have. Resta is on his seventy-fifth mile.
2:26-Merz is out of the race. Resta leads at 75 miles, his speed being 10 87.01 m. p. h. His average is dropping slightly as the distance covered increases. Three cars, Merz‘ Peugeot, Rickenbacher’s Maxwell and Franchi’s Pusun, are out of the race. Aitken is second, Louis Chevrolet third, D’Alene fourth and Henderson fifth; time 51:43. At the end of the eightieth mile Resta’s time was 65 minutes 14.17 seconds.
2:36-Arthur Chevrolet starts again after 15 minutes‘ delay with engine trouble. The time for 90 miles is 1 hour, 2 minutes, 13.35 seconds; average, 86.78. Still the average mileage drops, Resta being 3 miles behind the average set by de Palma in his Mercedes last year. The order at 90 miles is Resta, Aitken, D’Alene, Louis Chevrolet, Hender- son and Mulford. Alley makes his first stop, his mechanic carrying the exhaust pipe in his arms as the Ogren rolls up to the pits. The time for 100 miles is 1 hour, 9 Arthur minutes, 4.57 seconds. Chevrolet stops at the pits again. The average for 100 miles is 86.86 miles per hour, while last year’s average was 88.88 for the first century.
2:45-Oldfield and Louis Chevrolet stop at the pits, the latter for the first time. Oldfield’s stop was for a right rear tire, oil and gas.
2:53-Billy Chandler stops at the pits. At the end of 110 miles the positions were: Resta first, D’Alene second, Aitken third, Mulford fourth and Henderson fifth. Louis Chevrolet stops again. Resta’s time for 120 miles is 1:23:00.4.
3:00-Aitken stops at the pits for a right rear tire. Takes on gas. Resta leads at 125 miles; time 1:26:28. Average, 86.78. All but five cars- D’Alene’s Duesenberg, Henderson’s Maxwell, Haibe’s Osteweg Spe- cial, Mulford’s Peugeot and Resta’s Peugeot-have made stops at the pits. At the end of 125 miles the leaders were: Resta, Aitken, D’Alene, Henderson and Mulford.
3:06 D’Alene stops at the pits for right rear tire. Henderson is relieved by Rickenbacher.
3:10-Rooney’s Premier turns over on the south end of the track. His car struck the outer wall, threw the mechanic, Thane Houser, out and the car rolled back down the bank with Rooney in it. Rooney is taken from the wreck with a dislocated shoulder, a broken thigh and cuts and bruises. Alley comes into the pits with a nude right front wheel.
3:20-At the end of 150 miles Resta leads his time being 1:43:45; average 86:89 miles per hour. * is averaging a little higher.
3:22-Aitken and Resta brus in front of the stands. There is a gap between them in Resta’s favor. Rickenbacher is giving his Maxwell all it will take. Haibe stops at pits for first time. He has finished his fifty-eighth lap. Alley stops for a tire. Johnson brings his Crawford to the pits again. Aitken is giving Resta a hard run.
3:27-Aitken stops for two rear tires and makes a change in 25 seconds. Resta stops for right rear tire, oil and gas. Lecain, who went in to relieve De Vigne, has turned over on the north turn.
3:30-Resta gets away. Aitken still at pits.
3:35-Aitken gets away as Resta passes on next round.
3:36 Lecain sustained injuries to head, face, abdomen and back. Mechanician, Charles Bellacohio, unhurt. At 175 miles Resta leads, his average being 86.89 miles per hour. Aitken and Arthur Chevrolet are at the pits. Aitken is out with broken valve.
3:40-Resta finishes seventy-fourth lap. Rickenbacher and D’Alene are next for place. Rickenbacher stops at pits for right rear tire. Mulford makes first stop at pits for right rear tire. He has finished his seventy-second lap. He gets away in 20 seconds.
3:45-Louis Chevrolet changes with Joe Boyer. Oldfield stops for left rear tire, water, gas and oil. At the end of 180 miles Resta leads, his time being 2:14:26:15. Mulford is second.
3:55 Anderson’s Premier is out with a broken oil line. After finishing seventy-five laps Boyer and Wilcox stop at pits.
3:56 Twelve cars only are running, ten having dropped out. Those still in are Resta, Boyer, Chandler, Alley, Wilcox, Mulford, Rickenbacher, D’Alene, Haibe, Lewis, Oldfield, Johnson and Christiaens.
4:00 At 200 miles Resta’s average was 85.79.
4:02-Rickenbacher stops at pit, mechanical trouble. Resta leads Mulford by 5 minutes. Lewis‘ Crawford out of race with broken gasoline line.
4:15-At the end of 210 miles the five in the front are Resta, Mulford, D’Alene, Christiaens and Rickenbacher.
4:24 Rickenbacher stops at pits with broken oil line. Resta has finished his 245th mile. At 240 miles his time was 2:49:36.45, average, 84.90. His average continues to fall. Haibe stops at pits. Mulford is second. His time for 240 miles was 2:54:53.6. He is about 5 minutes behind Resta.
4:30-Haibe stops at pits again. Resta has nineteen laps to go. He looks like an easy winner and he is fighting hard to ward off a defeat such as de Palma gave him a year ago. Mulford should finish second and D’Alene third. Rickenbacher back in the race again.
4:33-Resta’s time at 250 miles was 2:57:08.04, average 84.68. Boyer stops at pits. Johnson stops at the pits on the nineteenth lap. D’Alene has moved up into second place. Mulford drops to third. Resta’s lead at 260 miles was 4 minutes and 15 seconds. D’Alene’s time at 250 miles, was 3 hours, 4 minutes, 7 seconds. Lecain’s condition improving. Christiaens is in fourth place. Gil Anderson is at the wheel of Wilcox’s Premier.
4:48-Oldfield stops for a right front tire. Haibe also stops. Resta’s time for 275 miles was 3:16:30.95.
5:00-Anderson stops at pits. Resta seems confident of winning and is slowing up, evidently saving his car. D’Alene and Mulford are putting up a pretty battle for second place.
5:02 Resta gets green flag.
5:04.17-Resta wins. Time 3:34:17.51; speed, 84.05 m. p. h.
5:06:15.2-D’Alene, second; time 3:36:15.28; speed 83.25 m. p. h.
Photo captions.
Page 10.
They often were bunched as they passed the grandstands and entered the first turn
The railbirds were interested in the activity about the garages early in the morning
Page 11.
Drivers, pit men, mechanics and officials faced the big camera that stood half as high as the press stand and was mounted on a truck
Oldfield’s mechanic signals the pits that the Delage is about to stop for a new casing Elapsed Time at End of Each Ten Laps of the Indianapolis 300- Mile Race, May 30, 1916
Page 12.
The crowd along the safety zones had to have its attention frequently called by the mili- tiamen, else they would have rushed the fence. Those with coveted front row positions would not leave for a moment, for the others, like water, sought the lowest level, which in this case was tight against the wire fence
Mulford’s Peugeot passes Haibe’s Osteweg Special in front of the stands
Page 13.
Johnny Aitken led Resta a merry chase during the early part of the race, but the pace set was too much for the former’s car, and it was out with a broken valve Henderson’s white Maxwell walks away from Billy Chandler’s Crawford in front of the paddock boxes