Eddie Rickenbacher, captain of the Maxwell team of automobile racers, Pete Henderson, his teammate, and Lou Dutton, mechanician for Earl Cooper, noted Stutz driver, arrived in Des Moines early today for the big speedway race to be held on the speedway track west of Des Moines on Moday, June 26.
Ralph DePalma, the intrepid Italian driver, and a big local favorite, will not reach Des Moines until next Monday owing to the fact that he has signed for a race with Dario Resta, winner of the Indianapolis and Chicago speedway races, to be held in Chicago next Sunday. DePalma finished second to Ralph Mulford in the first big speedway race here last year.
The list of entries for Des Moines' biggest automobile racing meet of the season is nearing completion. The biggest drivers on the circuit of the American Automobile association with the possible exception of Dario Resta are already entered, and negotiations are still in progress in an effort to induce Resta to come here. Cash prizes of $10,000 to winners in the 150 mile race and the fifty mile free-for-all are being offered by the speedway management in addition to the $18,500 prizes hung up by the American Automobile association to winning drivers on the circuit at the close of the season. Resta is leading for the grand prize with Rickenbacher as second.
A pretty race is expected to be staged between Ralph Mulford in his Supersix, and DePalma in his Mercedes. Mulford driving a Duesenberg, barely defeated DePalma last year, the result not being finally determined until after a conference of officials. DePalma will drive his Mercedes this year, while Mulford will also be at the wheel of a new car so that the battle between the rivals for honors will be renewed.
The entrance into this year's race of Earl Cooper, who last year was proclaimed with Gil Anderson, his teammate, as the champion driver on the American continent, is expected to figure materially in the result. Also, Joe Christiens and Frank Galvin, European drivers, have registered their Sunbeam racers. Christiens was a close third in the Chicago automobile races.
The elimination trials will start one week from Thursday and continue to Sunday, inclusive. DePalma, O'Donnell, Rickenbacher, Mulford and several other drivers will seek to establish world records for the twenty-five mile distance during the elimination trials. No admission charge will be made to holders of tickets to the big race but to others, a nominal admission charge of fifty cents will be made.
Reservations for grandstand and box seats are now being made at the downtown office of the Des Moines Speedway association at 505 Locust street.