COOPER KILLED AT SPEEDWAY

Joe Cooper, driving a Sebring car, drove off the side of the track, immediately in front of grandstand, containing a crowd of 7,000 spectators, gathered to inaugurate the new speedway, and was killed when his car fell on him.

His mechanician, Geo. Peil, was fatally injured. Peil was rushed to hospital.

The accident occurred on 34th lap.

It happened almost before the big crowd realized what was the matter. They heard the loud report of a bursting auto tire and then the car lunged over the edge, thru the so-called "safety zone," which is to protect spectators, and dropped 15 feet beneath the grandstand.

The car turned a somersault and covered the racer and his mechanician, killing Cooper instantly.

DE PALMA LEADS OFF IN RACE AT SPEEDWAY TRACK

A crowd, estimated at 7,000, was present when the 300 mile Des Moines speedway race started at 1:35 p.m. Many hundreds more were arriving in a steady stream.

De Palma, at the pole, covered the first seven laps at the rate of approximately 100 miles per hour. His time per mile was 39 seconds.

At the sixty-third lap O'Donnell was in the lead a clear lap ahead of De Palma and Mulford who were battling for second place. Tom Alley was fourth and close behind came Chandler. DePalma lost the lead when a tire blew out on him and was forced to give the lead to O'Donnell who fought desperately to hold his advantage over the field.

On the 75th lap, O'Donnell was leading with Mulford second and De Palma following. The latter fixed a bursted tire in 32 seconds.

Des Moines and Iowa does like auto racing. Every train into the city early Saturday was packed with visitors for the races and that desoite the fact that additional equipment had been put onto most lines.

Every road leading into the city dumped autoists bound for the races. The rains to the east of the city marred ideal motor conditions, but did not bar a great many, evidently.

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