Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 131, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 May 1912 — DAWSON IN NATIONAL WINS 500 MILE CLASSIC. [ARTICLE]

DAWSON IN NATIONAL WINS 500 MILE CLASSIC.

Only Ten Ont of Twenty-Four Entries Finish Long Race Over Speedway Average 7S.fi Miles Per Hour. Joe Dawson drove the National to victory yesterday in the great 500 mile race classic. He covered the distance in six hours and twenty-one minutes and six seconds, breaking former records and making an average speed of 78.6 miles per hour, winning a $20,000 prize. After leading all the way from the start to the 198th lap, Ralph De Palma’s Mercedes developed engine trouble and Joe Dawson’s National came up from six laps behind and won the second international 500 mile automobile race. Tetzlaff in Fiat took second place and a SIO,OOO prize in (R31:26, and Hughes in Mercer was third, 6:34:56, with a $5,000 prize. Dawson averaged 78.6 miles per hour, as compared with 74.61 miles per hour made by Ray Harroun, who won the race last year in the Marmon “Wasp.” Harroun’s time was 6:42:08. Only ten out of the twenty-four started finished the race. It is estimated that over 75,000 spectators were present at the start of the races and that there were about 12,000 cars parked at the speedway and along the streets. It is gratifying to know that no lives were lost for the glory of the racing automobiles this year. Several accidents occurred that caused excitement for a time, but none resulted seriously. Many Rensselaer people saw the races and were greatly impressed when with an explosive roar of the enormous engines, especially built for this ultimate test of speed and. endurance, the cars came together at the starting line. Among Rensselaer people there were B. Forsythe, Clarence Fate, Don Wright, Fred Hamilton, Elmer Wilcox, Chas. For tar, Herbert Hammond, Ray D. Thompson, J. J. Montgomery and Delos Thompson. George Ade advertised the route running pßst his farm and through Brook and got a few tourists going to the races, but most of them are coming' back through Rensselaer. They have been coming in groups qnd at intervals since early morning, and those that , have a sufficient supply of oil and gas pay little heed to the speed limit.