Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 128, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 May 1916 — Barney Steps On Throttle And Smashes Track Record. [ARTICLE]

Barney Steps On Throttle And Smashes Track Record.

Barney Oldfield, at the wheel of a front drive Christie, Sunday afternoon smashed the track record at the Indianapolig speedway when he lowered the record of Georges Boillot, a former race pilot and more recently an aviator for the French army, whae he was killed in an air raid a few weeks ago. Barney -thrilled the thousands gathered at the track to witness the entries in their qualification trials. Oldfield stepped the two and one-haif mile course at a speed of 102.623 miles an hour. It was the best exhibation race ever driven by Oldfield. On going into the south curve at a speed better than ninety miles an hour the two rear wheels of the Christie left the track and the crowd gasped, for it seemed certain that the wonderful pilot .was doomed, but Barney held the car and by a great spurt in the back stretch, where he traveled at a 110 (mile an -hour rate, crossed the tape in 1:27:70. Seven more cars qualified yesterday, bringing the total number of qualifiers to 21. Johnny Aitken has the (best trial lap, and will be in number one position when the race starts.