Des Moines NewsAugust 3, 1915
DEPALMA SETS FIRST RECORD ON SPEEDWAY TRACK IN EXHIBITION
BY HI HEK
Ralph DePalma, crowned king of auto drivers and one of the favorites for the big 300 mile speedway derby next Saturday afternoon, bears the distinction of establishing the first record on the Des Moines speedway track.
In a five mile race, DePalma covered the mile track at an average speed of 97.55 miles an hour last Saturday and negotiated the five miles in three minutes, four and sixty-five hundredths seconds.
New World's Record
Incidentally, DePalma's time is a new world's record for five miles on a one-mile motordome, shattering the mark of Caleb Bragg made on the Los Angeles track. Bragg's record was three minutes, eleven and seventy-five hundredths seconds.
On his last three laps, DePalma negotiated the track at a rate of speed exceeding 98 miles an hour.
DePalma expects to show greater speed after additional workouts. He experienced some difficulty in getting his car into shape for the first elimination trials.
Enters Elgin Race
DePalma will defend the Elgin National and Chicago Automobile club trophies on the Elgin course August 20 and 21. He is backed by E.C. Patterson and will race in a Mercedes. He holds the record for the Elgin course.