Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 29 May 1941 — Page 15
| SCRIPPS — HOWARD |§
=
TREE
Foreign-Built Cars Facing A Real Duel
U. S.-Made ‘Machines Are in Top Shape
America’s best racing mechanics have spent the last three years pre= paring to meet the foreign car challenge and tomorrow will attest to their success or failure. Certainly the test will be a hard one for in the front row will be two foreign motors and only one Ameri-can-made racer, These three are Rex Mays’ No. 1, Wilbur Shaw's No. 2 and Mzuri Rose’s No. 3.Rex will be driving the lone American-made car which is powered with a Meyer motor. Both Shaw and Rose will be piloting Maseratis.
Designed by Lou Himself
The superchafged Mays motor was designed and perfected by the old master driver and three-time winner, Lou Meyer. Lou built the motor in 1938 and that year met with only indifferent success. However, he drove brilliantly in 1939 and was leading the field with a few laps to go when he spun out of competition on the southwest turn. Last year Mays, with the same motor, was r g in second place, ready for a last-minute tussle with Shaw when a drizzling rain held the race under the slow flag to the finish. Because of Meyer's spin and Mays’ unfortunate luck with the weather many are convinced that thus far there has been no “mile-for-mile” test between the two cars. Proven, ‘however, is that the two motors have both speed and stamina, the two requisites of the modern race car.
Rose’s Car a Maserati
Another threat to the American hopefuls is the Maserati in which Mauri Rose this year took the pole position with the speed average of 128.691. This car proved itself among the top motors in competition last year when it finished tenth. : : Shaw’s motor, while it has never ° seen competition before, is the twin to the power plant which brought . Wilbur home in front last year. It ‘is believed to be “a shade faster” than last year's motor by the mechanics who have tuned it for to_morrow’s grind. Another foreign car, also a Maserati, has been tuned in Elgin, Ill, and will race under the sign of the Elgin Piston Pin Special as a partner to Rose's mount. The only Alfa-Romeo in competition this year is the mount of Harry McQuinn, Indianapolis driver. An indication to the speed of Har(Continued on Page Two)
Sr Ta en
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WHAT & WHEN
THE EVENT—The 29th annual 500Mile Race.
THE TIME—Gates open at 6 a. m. Cars leave the starting line on the stroke of 10 a. m. (C. S. T.)
Motor Speedway, six miles northwest .of Monument Circle, in Speedway City.
WHERE—The Indianapolis
TRANSPORTATION — Shuttle trains, busses, and taxis to and from the track.
They’ll Drive Like Mad for $20,000 Plum
First Ten Finishers Will Split $63,100
Approximately $100,000 in cash
FIRST ROW
No. 1—Rex Mays Bowes Seal Fast Spl.
SECOND ROW
- No, 15—=Harry McQuinn No. 36=Doc Williams Ziffrin Special Indiana Fur Spl
THIRD ROW
No. 34—Clifr Bergere No. 23—Billy DeVore Noc-Out H. C. Spl. Payday Candy Spl.
No. 3=Mauri Rose Elgin Piston Pin Spl.
prizes await the first 10 drivers to}.
mission to the grounds only) $2.75; | Mile race.
Grandstand seats from $2.75 to $10; parking spaces, $2.75 to $20.
THE CROWD—Estimated in excess of 150,000.
THE FIELD — Thirty-three cars chosen in qualification trials, consisting of 10 miles at an average speed of 115 miles an hour or more.
500-miler:
Third prize . Fourth prize ,. Fifth prize ..... Sixth prize ..., Seventh prize . Eighth prize .. Ninth prize ...
THE WEATHER —. Preliminary forecasts calls for fair weather. If 300 miles are run it constitutes a race.
THE PRIZES — First 10 finishers share $63,1000 Winner gets $20,000. These prizes are exclusive of lap prizes.
THE OFFICIALS — T. E., Allen, chairman of the contest board; Guy Vaughan, referee; Ted H. Doescher, chief steward; Col. A. W. Harrington, technical committée chairman.
awards.
THIS SECTION
The Race Box Score ............ 14 Mechanical Specifications ... Drivers’ Biographies ......
THE GUARDS—The new Indiana State Guard, 1200 strong, will be in charge of William P. Carpenter, Speedway Safety Director. They will be aided by Indianapolis| The Former Winners . polives State Police and deputy Official Records ..... sheriffs,
TAKE YOUR CHOICE.. SHAW 5.TO-1, AND THE FIELD AT 25.TO-1
THERE ARE A great many differences between the Kentucky Derby and the Indianapolis Speedway but there is one thing in common—the crowd. Both annual events attract the same kind of people— lovers of sport—followers of that intangible something called luck. The one big difference is that there is pari-mutuel betting at the Derby and none at the local track, tending to prove the contention that horse racing and. gambling are an integral part of each other while automobile racing is’ not. : However, Speedway fans who have picked their winner and “are in the know” can put their money down at specified odds—but not at the track. If you want to bet on the roaring mechanical monsters you can do so, but not on the Speedway groynds.
Bet the odds listed in the adjoining column if you want to, but youll have just as much luck picking the
winner by closing your eyes and stabbing at the: entry list with a hat pin (if there still is a ‘hat pin in this modern world). For betting on a Derby jockey and his mount means weighing past performance, the condition of the track and your dreams of the night before.
Tomorrow’s “500” is something else again. A horse, trained for the Derby, is a living, breathing animal which
1000 times out of 1001, will finish the race no matter what.
On the other hand, a race car tuned for the long
This sum includes lap prizes which the fast boys will pick up in the first 70 laps. In addition to the lap prizes there is the-$63,100 offered by the Speedway Corporation to the drivers finishing the 50G-mile grind. " Here is how the finishers split the pot-of-gold at the end of every
Second prize ....s..0000..... 10,000) Kennedy Tank Spl 00
Tenth prize ......co000u...s
The consolation prize of $13,000 is divided among all other entries. The lap prizes of $100 each go to the driver who holds first place in certain designated laps. Seventy of
| PRICES—General admission ihe 20th running of the 500% F 200 laps are covered by prize
Race History cerereciraesaeeees 13
FOUTH ROW
- Bowes Seal Fast Spl. Sportsman’s Club Spl. FIFTH ROW
No. 12—=Al Miller Miller Spl.
SIXTH ROW
No. 14=Geo. Connors Boyle Spl,
First prize .........,........§20,000| No. 19—Emile Andres No 10—George Robson No. 16—Floyd Davis
Gillmore Red Lion : SEVENTH ROW
No. 45—Paul Russo Leader Card Spl. Airliner S, S. Spl
- EIGHTH ROW
No. 9—Mel Hansen No. 8=Frank Brisko Fageol Spl. Zollner Piston Spl.
NINTH ROW
No. 62—Tony Willman Lyons Spl.
TENTH ROW No. 26—Overt’n Phillips No. 25—Joie Chitwood Phillips Spl. Blue Crown S. P. Spl. "ELEVENTH ROW
No. 17—Duke Nalon Elgin Piston Pin Spl.
1,400
No. 53-$Louis Tomei H-3 Spl.
Page
No. 32—Deacon Litz Sampson “16” Spl
W hat the Bookies Tell Us:
Wilbur Shaw ... Rex Mays ...
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race is only as good as human hands can make it and has about one chance in two of finishing, : This chance of mechanical failure is the largest obstacle in the way of Memorial Day betting. Not even
‘the most rabid gambler is willing to give large odds on
a “hunch” if the hunch is apt to throw a rod or spring an oil leak in the first 100 laps. Wilbur Shaw at 5 to 1 should be a good bet and Rex Mays, Shaw's formidable opponent at 6 to 1 shouldn’t be such a great risk—but good drivers as they may be what happens to your dollar if their gas line clogs or a rod decides to let go?
Shaw, . heading the bookies’: list, favors pari-mutuel
THE STARTING LINEUP
| No. 54—Ralph Hepburn No. 42=—R. Snowberger No. 47—Everett Saylor
No. 35—G. Barringer 1:34.7 1:17.6 .
No. 22—Kelly Petillo No. 29—T. Hinnershitz
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CA Yostoitioe.
No. 2—Wilbur Shaw Boyle Spl.
Winner's Speed
You Can Clock The Race Cars
Get out your watch, keep one eye on' the second hand, the other on
Bill Holabird Spl.
No. 41—-Chet Miller Boyle Spl
can’ translate elapsed time for one lap into miles an hour with this chart. . min seo.
Mark Bowles Spl
mph
min sec. 9. ne
Miller Spl.
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URI XELTSHON
Noc-Out H. C. Spl.
PA EE CE
15101520 15 20 1905 08 3 S380 Bi S15 10 19 05 83
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Marks Spl.
FIRB BLADIDE
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No. 5==Joe Thorne Thorne Spl.
New Iron Man?
When—and if—CIiff Bergere passes his i87%-mile mark this year he will become the “Iron Man” of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. ; Cliff has driven 5064 miles in competition on the Speedway track. Louis Meyer, the present “Iron Man,” traveled 5249 miles before he. retired two years ago. If Cliff: goes 187% miles his total will be 525114.
No. 28—Sam Hanks 7-Up Spl
No. 4-Ted Horn Thorne Spl.
No. 55--Al1 Putnam ~Schoof Spl.
betting ‘not only at the annual race here but also for other motor racing tracks. : - ‘The speed king believes that pari-mutuels would not only increase the Speedway crowd by 150,000 but would bring back racing to many tracks in the country which
-Have been forced to close because of the public's dis-
interest. ; On the other hand, the A. A. A., which supervises all of the first class races in this country, is violently opposed to pari-mutuels. : ; : ‘ “To introduce betting into the sport, whether at the Speedway or in the midget contests, would kill the popu-: larity of motor racing overnight,” retorts the A. A. A. “The difficulty is that too many things can go.wrong with a car. When a horse goes to the post chances are 99 to. 1 (1000 out of 1001) or better that he will at least get started and finish the race. A racing car is much more temperamental. “A thousand things can go wrong, from fouled spark plugs to a wreck and these would be certain to cause loud squawks and charges of ‘fix’ by disgruntled ticket-
holders,” the triple-A contends.
Hunt up your favorite bookie if you want. to and bet the limit if you wish but remember that no matter how pleasing the record of a driver or how pretty the colors" of the car—an automobile race is an automobile race and : any one can win, a : Which is mayhe why theyll have. upwards of 150,000 folks -out -there tomorrow. : Py
the car you want to time, and you|’
Speedway | Souvenir
§
| PRICE THREE CENTS
s £ ) § 3 : hi x EY 2 3
Rose, Mays and Shaw Are Rated
As Favorites in Tomorrows Race With
Around 115 Miles an Hour
Interest Is at High Point as Veterans Recall Suspension of Activity During. First World War.
By TIM TIPPETT
The Indianapolis classic is the only major automobild race left in a troubled world. . And it may be. playing its swan song for a time toe morrow—a lost sport in a world gone mad, itself racing toward an unknown finish line. ! CA Already the defense program has robbed the Méde morial Day race of many of its ace mechanics and maks ing it almost impossible to replace vital auto parts. During World War I, the 500-mile race was not held. : But whether the race will be held in 1942 is not the paramount issue before America’s sport lovers today The important thing is that the 29th annual race is going to be held ‘tomorrow and that 33 drivers will answer the starting bomb ready to tear the iron hearts out their cars for a glimpse of the checkered flag.
As Usual—A Hundred Questions io The question which is on thousands of lips today is
the same question that has gone unanswered for the past several months—“Who will be the 1941 winner?” | Can Wilbur Shaw repeat for the fourth time? OF will Rex Mays make good his boast that this is his year ; Can Mauri Rose, who won the pole position with a speed of 128.691 miles an hour, outdistance his two companions on the. first row? Can Kelly Petillo overcome the jinx that’s ridden his cowl since his’ 1935 victory? Has mechanical wiza Eddie Offut mastered the tricky, unorthodox, rear-en Miller Specials? rn 4 Pros and cons: on the possible winner tomorrow endless, of course, and ‘many have no answer. Many - believe that the winner will be one of “big three,” Shaw, Mays or Rose.
. 'Rose’s Pole Run Is Significant = Mauri will: ride*a car which won the pole position
qualification time last year by Mays. Here are. the qualification times made by the. three” this year: Driver . , ROSE ....iosncrssessessinnsnnsssvenees15024 MAYS ©, cu siossansarss ees. .127.850 1.128.301 SHAW ....ove0evcccscnasssnscasscassss 129.065 127.836 The fact, that Rose won the pole gains signifi in. that he. won it despite the efforts of Mays who hai
1941 128.691
1940
announced that he was out for the pole and n
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