Cycling and Motoring Notes.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 24 July 1915, Page 3

Cycling and Motoring Notes.

L'ro-n tn« Dunlop lvubber Compauy ol Australasia, i'or tho week ending Raipii de Raima, one oi the leading drivers oi America, won this year's Indianapolis '"500 : in the tastesL time yet recorded lor a long distance content anywhere in the world. 'this event, is not only the richest, but is the most popular race held in America, and if annually attracts a tremendous crowd to the Indianapolis speedway. I'iue weather favoured the event wJiich saw 22 of the latest cars in the worl'i pitted against each other. The race resulted in a magnificent struggl.; between De Raima's Mercedes ;;«id D. Resta's l'eugeot, these great diivers putting up a most strenuous battle The result was a new record -or oUO miles, which was negotiated in 0 hours 33minutes ooseconds.. equal to jji average speed of just a fraction under 'JO miles per hour, the exact figures being 81).8 m.p.h. De Resta'was only 3 minutes 32 seconds, behind the winner and would have been closer only for the Peugot driver having a bad skid, resulting in wrenching his steering gear, besides bursting tyres, towards the end of the race. ine (Struggle beilweeii l)o i'uiuta'.---Uciceaco alia Resta's i'eugot, was a repetition ol tne Grand i'rix race a „\eai ago in I'rancc, where thesj two cas 111 different drivers' nands J'd battle 111 one ol I'l'aiice's greatest ''oad races, and when the Mercedes tri.implied, as it did 011 this occasion. I'rom point ol speed, Resta nad a slight advantage 011 De Palina, being ab'e fj pass him 011 the stretches, but losing un the turns, which Do Palma took in a superior way. I'or Jap aft-;;' lap these two veterans circled the I wo and a half mile brick track not a length apart, one lap l{esta leading m the stretch losing at the turns, and again gaining it before crossing the tape Lap after lap those in the grandstand rose and cheered as their t'avjurites took the leadership. It., was one of the grandest speed duels over witnessed, the pace at times closely appro-idling 100 miles an hour. Anderson 011 a "Stutz" was third in 5 hours 12 minutes 27 seconds. Tenth place was the closest a "Sunbeam" (England) gotThis was driven by Van Haalte, and was just over an hour behind the wiuliei. yet it recorded 57-7 111. p. h. for the "500", which conveys a good ide-i ot t lie remarkable pace set by tho 'oaders. Both Do Palma and Rest a made two stops each—totalling abo.it 3} minutes for new tyres and fuel replenishments, and neither had any mechanical troubles. A remarkable coin-

cidetice in connection with the iviuuer's peri onnam.-.e ift that in the third to last lap one of the connecting rods ia the Mercedes smashed, and punchcd two holes in the bottom of the crank ease, hut De Palma was able to maintain a good speed, and finished a winner on three cylinders. Three years ago Avlieii leading in the same race a similar accident happened to De Pa 1 inn also in the third to lap, but not with such happy results, for lie could not finish, and lost close on £10,000 by his bad luck. No better illustratl >n <>f the marked advance made in engine and transmission efficiency during the past year is afforded than in this groar race. Last year when R. Thomas won with an average of 82$ m.p.li . the maximum piston displacement was 450 cubic inches. This year it was 300 c.c., yet a gain of over 7 mi'os an hour, equal to a distance of tic* 33 miles in this race was made with the smaller hut more efficient and reliable engine.