THRILLERS IN AIR AT LOCAL SPEEDWAY

OLDFIELD STAR ON TRACK

Buzzes Around Newly Built Track at Rate of 103 Miles an Hour.

Barney Oldfield whizzed past the grand stand numerous times, De Lloyd Thompson's aeroplane looped,spiraled and wriggled about in the clouds like a coy tango dancer, a covey of motorcycle drivers buzzed about the track, and Eddie O'Donnell indulged in a ten mile race against time, all to introduce the new Des Moines Speedway to about 7,000 Des Moines people yesterday afternoon. No one was killed, no one was even hurt, and after it was all over everybody that participated in the event was arrested for violating the Sunday closing law.

One new world's record was established in yesterday's time trials, Oldfield negotiating five miles in his big 100 horsepower Fiat in 3:01 4-5, or at an average speed of about 100 miles an hour. This is the record for five miles, for tracks of all sizes and kinds.

Programme Too Long.

The speedway management had arranged a programme that would have taken all afternoon and a good portion of the night to complete, and it was found necessary to cut some events and to double up others in order that the visitors to the speedway could get home in time for supper.

Oldfield went on the track at 2:30 for the first time, in his snub nosed Christie, and after going but one preliminary lap to test the speedway, did two miles in 1:10 1-5, or at the rate of 103 miles an hour. After this trip he sat nonchalantly on the speedway railing, chewing the cigar that had helped him to buck the wind, and watching his flying partner do stunts up in the clouds.

Thompson, the aviator, was easily the hit of the afternoon. He flew three times and each time when he had come back to earth the great braying of hundreds of auto horns attested his popularity. In the first flight he looped several times; spiraled and twisted until those neck craners below remarked to each other that his was a job that none of them hankered for.

In Ten Mile Spin.

O'Donnell was scheduled to make a trial for the 100 mile record in his Deusenberg, but it was so late before his part of the programme came around that the distance had to be cut to ten miles. He did the first half of this trick in 3:20 and the second half four seconds faster, making his total time for the ten miles 6:36. This is a rate of nearly ninety-two miles an hour.

Oldfield's competition with Thompson in a two mile test was a hippodrome event upon which no time was kept. It proved popular with the crowd, particularly at those times when the aeroplane and Fiat were traveling down the back stretch, the plane hovering like a buzzard only a few feet above the scudding little tub of a racer.

The time for the motorcycle events was not particularly fast, the winner of the two and three mile races averaging a speed of about eighty miles an hour in both events. Larry Fleckenstein of Denver, holder of the world's motorcycle speed record, was winner of the two mile race, and Hal Ward of Los Angeles first crossed the finish line in the three mile race. Other participants in the motorcycle races were Dave Kinney of Los Angeles, Roy Shaw of Broolyn, George Myers of Los Angeles and Bert Burgerman fo Denver.

Bunch of Racers Here.

Those of the entrants in the big race who now are here are: A.F. Scott, who will drive an Anderson Special; Chandler and O'Donnell, each of whom will tool Duesenbergs; Bob Burman, who will drive a Peugot; Strunk, the White pilot, and Joe Cooper, who has entered a Sebring. Ralph DePalma, who won the Indianapolis race, will arrive today, and it is expected that Ralph Mulford, who will drive a Duesenberg, also will get to Des Moines before this evening.

Autoists to the speedway were routed through Valley Junction after all, and the roads were passable. It was evident that considerable eleventh hour work, in the shape of dragging, rolling, and filling of holes with rock had been done by the Valley Junction officials.

The speedway management was well pleased with the attendance, though the management recognizes that threatening weather kept many away from the speedway. O'Donnell and other drivers who have tried the track say that it hardly could be improved.

Oldfield participated in the 500 mile race at Tacoma, driving a Puegot that he rented. A new Delage now is being assembled in Chicago for him which is scheduled to be ready for a three cornered race between DePalma, Resta and Oldfield on the Chicago track Aug. 7. The speedway management will urge him to bring his new Delage here for the 300 mile race.

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