BIG SPEEDWAY RACE TO BE HELD TODAY

Final Elimination Trials Will Be Held at Board Track This Morning.

DE PALMA AGAIN IN RECORD

Famous Italian's Work in Preliminaries Makes Him Favorite in Main Event.

For the second time in two consecutive days Ralph DePalma, the intrepid Italian racer, established a world record on a mile speedway track by pushing his powerful Mercedes racer in the elimination trials Friday afternoon at the rate of 102 miles an hour.

DePalma was clocked by W.C. Barnes, western representative of the American Automobile Association, and Fred J. Wagner, official A.A.A. starter, for the mile lap in exactly 35.2 seconds, clipping one-fifth of a second off the mark set last year by Barney Oldfield in a five mile run the week before the 1915 sweepstakes race.

Ten Drivers Try to Qualify.

The Italian driver topped all entrants for the 150 mile sweepstakes which is scheduled to start at 1:30 o'clock this afternoon. Ten drivers participated in Friday's eliminations and all except Bill Barndollar, the Des Moines entrant, averaged ninety miles an hour or better. Eddie Rickenbacher, in his Maxwell racer, again seconded DePalma by negotiating the track at the rate of 99 miles.

By reason of his preliminary performances, DePalma today is the favorite for the big race. Ralph Mulford, winner of last years race, declared at a meeting of the race drivers with speedway officials last night, that he would have his car in shape for the final eliminations this morning. Mulford worked all night in an effort to repair a broken piston rod on his car and expects to qualify today. Joe Christaens also is having trouble with his car and may not be able to compete in the big race. However, his teammate, Frank Galvin, who made ninety-seven miles an hour yesterday, will drive a Sunbeam racer.

To Hold Trials Today.

The ten drivers and cars who will be given the flag by starter Fred Wagner will be selected following the morning trials today. A number of the late arrivals, including Mulford, Ira Vail, George Busane, Otto Henning, Art Klein, Jack Gable and Tom Milton will attempt to qualify today.

The probable entrants for the big race and cars follow:

Gable May Start Today.

Jack Gable, who has entered a Burman Special, may break into the final list in place of either Chandler or O'Donnell. The latter is driving a new car and he was unable to attain the speed he usually shows with his old Duesenberg.

The 150 Mile race will be the first on the program starting promptly at 1:30 o'clock. The program will end with a fifty mile free for all in which many of the drivers who failed to qualify will drive.

Representatives of the American Automobile Association met last night with the drivers at the Wellington hotel and gave them final instructions regarding the big race. The starts will be determined by the speed attained in the eliminations.

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