Ralph DePalma whose name is a synonym for speed; the driver who has probably traveled farther and faster than any man who ever sat at the wheel of a racing car and who has finished in the van of more big races than any speed demon who ever burned the track, is in Des Moines tuning up and getting his powerful white Stutz racer ready for the 300-mile grind Saturday.
But you would never know it if you waited for DePalma to tip it off to you. He is a medium sized man with a young face - he is about 26 years old - well built and looks "fit." The striking thing about his appearance is that his thick hair is about half black and half gray. He saw me gazing at his head. Before the question was half out of my mouth he threw up a hand and said, "Hold on, hold on, I know what you are going to say." Then after a slight pause he went on. "No, my hair didn't turn white since I entered the racing game. It's a family characteristic. My father was gray at 27."
"There is very little danger in road races or speedways either," said the veteran driver in discussing racing in general. "I have a leg and two ribs that were broken in accidents, and had my abdomen punctured once but that never interfered with my liking for the game. It is great sport. Right here let me get that idea out of your head about the wonderful amount of money made by racing car drivers. Only a few of them ever come clear. If it were not for their love of racing it is doubtful if very many good drivers would stick. The racing business offers little financial return."
When the driver slowed up to take a breath here are a few of the questions I turned loose at him: "Does your mechanician wipe off your goggles in a road race where oil is used on the roadway? Do you ever get shaky when when some driver gets it like Wishart did at Elgin? Does the wind cut your face when you peep up over your shield? Does your wife mind if you race? A car going a hundred miles an hour doesn't hit the ground more than half of the time does it? How can you tell when a tire needs changing when you're in a race? What is the maximum speed of most racing cars? Do you get fussed when you have to stop to change a tire?
DePalma smiled. "I wipe off my own goggles," he said: "Did you ever have somebody put your hat on your head for you? Did it feel right? No. Neither would my goggles. My helper would probably choose a time to do it when I was trying hard to see the road, which would mean a cornfield for us."
"No, I don't get shaky. When you get shaky the jig is up with you as far as racing is concerned. An accident makes us a little more careful, that is all. The wind does not cut my face because it is tough. I don't often use my shield. A driver needs the fresh air."
"My wife is here in Des Moines with me. She watches the races. She knows that racing is lots of sport and she also knows that I'm bound to do it, so she does not object. You are away off about the time a car is on the ground in a race. There is about four percent slippage. That is, we lose that much power during the time the wheels are not gripping the track."
When DePalma got to my tire question he led me over to a corner. There corded up like doughnuts on a kitchen table were fifteen extra wheels for his Stutz. He showed me where a red line showed thru on a worn tire. "In a race we watch for that red line," he explained. "That is the warnig signal. We can change a tire in thirty-four seconds. That is not long but listen! A car going ninety-five miles an hour will go around the Des Moines speedway once in just about the time it takes us to slip on a fresh tire. We lose about a minute all together. That means two laps. It is no use to get fussed over delay. It's all in the game. The maximum speed of racing cars depends on their size and class. My Stutz will go about 105 miles an hour."
Somebody stepped up and asked DePalma a question. "I'm going out to a real spaghetti feed tonight with one of my countrymen," said the driver.
"They'll be taking you for a recruit for the Italian army," said his friend.
"Not with this game leg," laughed DePalma. "Anyhow I am an American. I came to this country at the age of four years. The family were all naturalized. But, if it came to a show-down I'd feel like going back to fight for Italy anyhow."