Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 29 May 1939 — Page 21

PAGE 20 .

RACING TOUGHER BACK IN HIS DAY, DURAY BELIEVES

Greatest of All in 1928 Recalls Holes in Bricks | And Tires All Shot. | er The man who drove the then fastest single lap in Indianapolis)

Speedway history in 1928 — 124.018 miles an hour—looked two ways to-|

day: Looked back to the days of his |

own driving and ahead to tomorrow when the 27th Indianapolis] “500” will be run. And this is what Leon Duray|

thinks: That the Indianapolis rac- |

ing driver of today has a plushupholstered job as compared with the throttle-jammer of a decade ago. “The boys out there today,” says| Duray, “still have the toughest as-| signment in the entire sports world. | Still takes nerve and lots of it, still takes split-second judgment. But] those boys just don't know how nice] it is as compared with the way it

was when we old gaffers were pups.” |

Bricks Had Holes in Them “Looking at it from what we know today,” Duray went on, “the oldtime driver had conditions against In the first place, there just of material and

equipment to be found today. Besides, just look at this track. It's nearly all smooth asphalt today. Back in mv day it was all red brick. And the bricks had plenty of holes in them. Todav the track at the very least is 50 per cent better than in 1929, | That great lap registered by Durav still stands out as an epie inci-| dent of a racing plant replete with stories of skill and daring. It stood as a record until Jimmy Snyder turned in a mark of 130.492 in 1937. “I've listened to a lot of talk about that lap.” Duray says. “And as the, vears roll on I think more and more that the greatest angle on it is that stich a small-motored car was able to be checked at such a speed. Remember. that car had a tiny engine only 91 cubic inch displacement. That's only about as big as the one the speed cops use in their motoreveles today. And it didn’t have the spring suspension, shock absorbers and lots of other refinements that these new cars have.

Puts De Palma First

him.

wasn't the sort

“Most of all it didnt have the’ tires. I know, because I went all out on that one lap. I barreled into every turn with every bit I dared to, to the board with my before IT was out

and IT went right foot almost of the turns. And you should have seen those tires when I came back to the pit! They were completely. completely shot. I wouldn't have tried to even roll the car with those tires.” Excepting Mr. Duray whom does Mr. Duray regard as the one great driver of all time? “Easy. Ralph De Palma. That's the man. No modern first-flight driver can ever come close to that fellow. As a matter of fact there is no one standout today lenty of awfully good drivers you're seeing here at Indianapolis. Maybe the best in the world. But over the long haul, from the time they thought 60 was fast and to the present day when 120 is not a certain winning speed. De Palma stands out over the crowd as Babe Ruth does in baseball. Knew When to Quit “I know I could get an argument, but I look at it this way: Barney! Oldfield had it. So did Tommy Milton, Boyer and Wilcox. And some more. But Ralph had it over a long time.” And why did Duray quit? “I just came to the point where I knew I wasn’t quite as good as I had been. I still could drive with the best of them, But I knew that there was a split-hair difference in my work so I quit while my record was

as good as I was healthy

‘Like Father—'

good enough for daddy so I thought it would be good

enough for me’ That's how Billy DeVore, popular young dnver, answers the most common question asked of a racer —how did he get into the sport. Billy iz the younger portion of a big-time father and son combination. His father was Earl DeVore, a veteran of 20 vears of driving, who was drowned in the tragic Vestris steamship disaster. Tragedvy of this sort is tremendous enough in any case. For Billy it was a particularly crushing blow for he not only idolized his daddy but was his almost constant com- | panion. But the younger DeVore—Billy is 7, which is young in big-time rac- | ing-—carries on. { Only other even similar nation was that of “Zeke” and his son Charley. “Zeke” was a famous driver and stunt man. and in his last couple of years in the business his son rode with him as mechanician. No manner of ill luck daunts this younz DeVore, He suffered a broken back while driving in a smai race in Atlanta early in May. 1936 He was back, ready to drive on July 4. but the American Automobile Association barred him, fearing he haa not fully recovered from his injuries,

“

combi- | Mever |

This scene may easily be duplicated during tomorrow's race. Deacon Litz of Du Beis, Pa., drives No. 53

cars are Italian Maseratis. past Wilbur Shaw of Indianapolis

HIS LIFE WORK

Bets There's Few Men in U. S. Who Work Harder At Racing Game.

Motorhoats to airplanes to racing cars—that's the life story of Joel Thorne of Tucson, Ariz, New Rochelle, N. Y., and Los Angeles, Tal. This lanky youngster—he's only 24—tells you that he has now found his life's work. You ask him how

{long he expects to stay in the ex-

citing of the Speedway and this is what he says: “Only all my life.

sport

Don’t

Both

in No. 2. The former is an entry

Leader,

The greatest leader in Speedway history hopes for a new kind of lead [this vear. He wants to lead at the! finish, Elbert (Babe) Stapp of Los Angeles who has led at least part of

the time in eight of 11 races, thinks

the one to end a record Speedway jinx. ' Although the Babe has showed some convincing early foot of his challenges, he has finished in the money (among the first ten) only once he was sixth, Despite this fact, Babe made what many believe to have been a better] showing back in 1933 when he was

of Dick Wharton, while the Shaw-piloted car is owned by Mike Bovle

of Chicago. The picture was tak Speedway just a few days ago.

THORNE FINDS Stapp, Always an Early Fights Old Jinx

The reserve supply was enough to carry the car into the pits. Trouble was that after the first stop the mechanicians didn’t shut off the petcock on the reserve tank. So when the Babe's car stuttered it really meant it—it was out of gas for sure. And pitmen raced across the 300-acre infield carrying

his mount for tomorrow's “500” is enough fuel to bring him into the Wouldnt mind if they ganged up

pits. “That wait Babe said tod

seemed like years,” ay. "In reality they

in alll did it in six or seven minutes which €bony hue, Roberts was grateful.

world and right after

have been a new record. But

must Dlympic

That was in 1928 when that the clutch began acting up and the meower, he promptly named it

I was all through again.” Born in San Antonio

In 1928 Stapp was leading at three

forget | driving a Boyle Valve front-drive. times but his supercharger conked scared

that this is a real business with me.| He was on the pole most of the way out.

Why I'll bet there were few men in America who worked harder in the last five months than I did. I nut in Art Sparks as boss of our racing garage out in Loos Angeles and then I put myself directly subject to his orders, “He tells me what to do and T do it.

{for the first 385 miles. Then came one of those raceway tragedies which make the “500” the thrilling sports event it is.

Runs Out of Gas

His car ran out of gas, ran out fin the cruelest sort of way. Babe

tank started to stutter, he turned

Born in San Antonio 35 years ago the Babe got his schooling in Los Angeles where he now makes his home with his attractive wife. He studied automotive engineering and drifted by easy stages into dirt track racing at San Luis Obispo. He made his bow on July 4, 1923. The

And ever since December his|had a trick reserve tank on his car|late Frank Lockhart, race track im- L Moore own it orders have been to come early and |that year. As soon as the regular mortal, started the same day. This C0! Moore own if.

|stay late and work all the time.”

year Stapp is driving the powerful

Just as Thorne has an almost ir-|a valve and the reserve supply went | Alfa Romeo entered by Bill White repressible enthusiasm for his rac. |40wn into the regular container.|of Los Angeles.

ing activities so does he have a few

{

violent averdlons. And of these the [it makes me mad when the facts are was scared to leave because I knew greatest is to be tabbed the “mul:i- {that T haven't even one little, small! I couldn't get back in. So I slept be-

millionaire of the speedways.” Thorne's great-grandfather was a wealthy man

million. Not one.” In 1933 he came to the Indian-

hind in Tom Beal's lunchroom." Joe came back to Indianapolis in

So was his grand-|apolis race as a mere spectator. The 1936 and wanted to drive a ~ar. But

father who increaséd his fortune as|next year he got a job at the Speed-| Chief Steward Charles Merz told

a pioneer with the Great Northern

|way, Worked for nothing as me-

him he should get some experience

Railroad. And Joe's father was one chanic's helper in the Lou Moore first, He was given a chance in 1937

of the chiefs of the Central Hanover Bank.

“I wouldn't like it anvwayv, not

garage “I'll never forget that experience.” he savs. “I had hardly anv money

but was too slow in his qualifying runs. Last year Joe brought three cars here and drove one to ninth

{even if it were true,” Joe says. “Rut {and I didn't have a track pass. I place.

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| THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES °

Round and Round They'll Go Again Tomorrow a

en during a practice spin on the

BLACK CAT BAD LUCK? NOT FOR ROBERTS

| { To the average person, a black cat is an omen of bad luck and if one crosses your path, you have a shaky feeling that something is going to happen. However, Floyd Roberts of VanNuys, Cal.,, who won the 19383 race, is not that wav. Roberts welcomes black cats and

and paraded in front of him. And g0, when the Advertising Club of Racine, Wis., sent him a feline of

| The crate

in a strawberry Roberts received

arrived when

cnt

and

ven-

Le —————— a ne

| “Black Magic.” Roberts’ first ture into the racing game was 21 tyears back and was marked bv a black cat appearance. He was stiff, thought surely he'd have bad luck because of the cat walking in front of him. He went

out the next day and won the race. |

Roberts will drive the same chassis which he drove in last year's winning effort. It has a new motor. His motor of last vear will be in a car which Frank Wearne of Pasadena, Cal, will

drive, Roberts and

DRIVERS SAY SPEED

MONDAY, MAY 29, 1939"

running slower than most of the | close a lot of times but have neves

rest of the fleld. b t m Az. youl Of ‘this they cite, the] "2 Seriously: bur, while coms case of Billy Arnold, winner here paratively slow drivers are reported

LIFE-SAVING FACTOR —— in 1930, who in two later races aS casualties at a half dozen tracks It seems like a curious theory, but | oppea the wall at around 125 miles | 11 the country. drivers actually believe that they |an hour and came out alive. have a better chance of escaping| Also the fast boys like Rex Mays death if they are traveling at top |and Kelly Petillo, who are always] speeds than if their mounts are battling for the pole position, come

ROBERTS GOT $31,950

Floyd Roberts received $31,950 fon winning the 1938 500-mile race.

ven

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ob INDIANAPOLIS — Floyd Roberts, Wilbur Shaw and Chet Miller, all using regular stock Gulfpride Oil, took 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in 500-Mile Memorial Day Race at faster average speeds than ever before were achieved on this track. This is certified by the Contest Board of the A.A. A:

SYRACUSE — Jimmy Snyder won the 100-Mile National Championship Race at Syracuse State Fair on Sept. 10, using regular stock Gulfpride Oil,

PIKES PEAK — Louis Unser, using Gulf No-Nox Ethyl gasoline and Gulfpride Oil, won the Pikes Peak run on Sept. 5 and set a new all-time speed record:

ALTOONA — Mauri Rose, veteran race driver and former National AA A: Champion, won the Labor Day Race at Altoona, using stock Gulfpride Oil;

51 NEW TRACK RECORDS were established on the leading big car speedways in 1938 by drivers who used Gulfpride Oil in their motors.

43 DIRT TRACK RACES were won on the leading Eastern and Mid-Western

tracks in 1938 by drivers who used stock Gulfpride Oil in their cars.

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