Motor Racing.

Manawatu Herald, 25 June 1903, Page 3

Motor Racing.

Automobile racing baa received' a severe check in consequence of the disasters of May 24th. On that the ■ start in the Paris to Madrid race was made, and the first stage, from Versailles to Bordeaux (343 miles) was finished when Louis Renault dashed into Bordeaux having made a record run of eight hours and twenty seven minutes. An hour later M. Gabriel arrived with a still better record of eight hours seven minutes. It is estimated that the times made by these automobiles averaged sixty two miles an hour outside the cities. 11 The course of this race was marked by a trail of blood. Reports of May' 25th show that six persons were killed and thirteen others injured, some of them fatally Near Benneval, ten miles from Chartress, the machine driven by H Porter overturned at a railroad crossing and took fire., The driver was caught under the machine and burned to death, and two soldiers and a child were killed. Another ohaffeur was fatally injured near Angpuleme. A woman crossing a road near Ablis was billed. The well-known, automobilist Lorraine Barrows was hopelessly injured in an accident which killed his ohaffeur and demolished* hiu. moußtooua oar. Marcel Renault, the winner of the Paris-Vienna race last year, was overturned and dangerously injured. Louis Renault was much affected whou this n*WB Mftotod wod at once ordered all Renault caw to be withdrawn from the race. Like, a cyclist, was killed at Antouleme, and twelve miles from Bordeaux Mdlle. Chayseas was thrown from her wheel, run over and mortally wounded hy a motor-car. The French and Spanish Governments at once forbade a continuation of the race Mr Clarence Moore, of Washington, gives a graphic description of the race, He timed Louis Renault’s car as it passed his, and found it making seventy-four and a half miles an hour. He saw Jarrdtt approaching at lightning speed. A huge black mastiff got in the way. Jerrott realised that to attempt to avoid the dog would cause his car to dash into trees, and he steered directly ahead. Every bone in the dog’s Body was broken, some in a dozen places. Mr Moore is of opinion that the disasters will stop the excessive speed of motor racing. Ho says that the Paris to Madrid race was leas a contest of sportsmanship than a competition between rival makers seeking to gain a reputation.