MULFORD'S VICTORY AT DES MOINES

RALPH MULFORD, at the wheel of a Duesenberg car, was declared the winner of the 300-mile race at the Des Moines one-mile board speedway on Saturday, Aug. 7th, after the officials had spent many hours in untangling a mix-up in their scoring system. Ralph DePalma, piloting a Stutz, was first named as the winner, but lost the victory, when after an all-night session, the officials handed down a ruling giving the race to Mulford. The latter's official time was finally announced as 3:27:05.35, an average of 86.91 miles an hour, while DePalma was credited with driving the 300 miles in 3:28:12.02, an average of 86.45 miles an hour.

Eight of the fourteen cars that started completed the 300 miles. Drivers of seven of these cars were awarded prizes, while Tom Alley, the other driver, who piloted the Ogren, filed a protest after the race, contending that he was entitled to either fifth or sixth place.

While a large crowd turned out to witness the running of the first automobile contest on a mile board circuit East of California, the race was a disappointment from the speed standpoint, the expected 100 miles an hour average being far from the speed made by the contestants. Two fatalities and the serious injury of two other participants also marred the race. Joe Cooper, a comparatively new comer in the speed world, was instantly killed when his Sebring mount turned turtle after crashing through a railing in front of the grand stand. Billy Chandler's Duesenberg also turned over, burying the driver and his mechanic, Morris Keeler, under it. Keeler died from his injuries and Chandler was carried to a hospital seriously hurt. Cooper's mechanic was also badly hurt.

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