CROWD OVERLOOKS SPEEDWAY THRILLS

Starter Wagner Tells of Mishaps to Cars Going at High Speed.

SHOW SAFETY OF TRACK

Burman Had Desperate Struggle With Car When Tire Blew Out.

"There were two thrills at the speedway in the elimination trials Saturday." said Fred J. Wagner, starter, yesterday. "Some of the spectators caught the idea when the rear right tire on Bob Burman's machine blew out while he was driving at over ninety-seven miles an hour. There were not many, however, who understood that practically all speedway accidents result from the blowing of a tire."

"When a tire blows at high speed the car has a desire to swerve in the direction of the blowout; that is, to the right if it is a right tire or the left if a left tire. There is but one way to fight against an accident when the blowout comes. That is to keep feet and hands off the brakes, cramp the fore wheels toward the direction the machine is swerving and fight it out with the bad wheel until the machine looses momentum enough to permit of dropping to the safety belt. This is exactly what Burman did."

"It will be recellected that he did not go to the safety belt until he reached the back stretch. His speed was so high that momentum was not reduced sufficient to permit of the drop."

Got Fierce Beating.

"Those who watched Burman and who understand driving realized the struggle he was having to keep his car from swerving out at the rear and plunging him off the track to the safety zone. None of them knew, though, that before he could gather in and duck behind his seat shields that the tire caught him above the elbow and across the back and raised black and blue welts as big as pancakes and that will stay with him for weeks."

"In the struggle Burman carried his car at least ten feet higher up the bank than it was when the blowout came. At the same time he demonstrated that the triple radius and the banks on this track are the safest of any in the country, for his blowout was complete, came on an almost unused tire when when not expected and at a terrific rate of speed. I doubt whether there is another speedway in the country where he could have handled his car under all the of the circumstances without a turnover."

Chandler Hit a Plank.

"The other thriller was observed by probably less than a half dozen people. It came to Chandler in his Duesenberg on his first elimination trial and was the occasion of his taking another trial. Chandler was traveling at least ninety miles an hour when his right rear wheel struck a piece of 2x4 scantling not more than three feet long which some workman had carelessly deposited at the top of one of the turns, presumably not thinking that the cars would travel that high in the trials. Both the driving or rear wheels of Chandler's car raised off the track and for at least 100 feet the car traveled on the front wheels and started a slanting course for the safety belt. The scantling was at the start of the turn and coming out Chandler, who was forced to turn his steering wheel to the left, came to the safety apron with all four wheels down and in tread. It was a close shave, however, and the pitch of the track in the turn was again responsible for his safety. If the obstacle had been encountered on the leve straight away, it is almost certain his car would have turned turtle."

Collisions Unlikely.

"Those who are looking for thrills will not find them in collisions, the skidding of cars, etc., on this track, such an occurence as came to Chandler may cause one. In the big race there are bound to be blow outs such as occured to Burman, but I doubt whether there will be one so serious. These blow outs and what we call 'freezing a rod,' which means heating and swelling so that the motors choke and stop, will furnish the thrills. But they will be thrills only on this track, for a couple of blow outs and the 'freezing of a rod' on the Duschane last week have demonstrated that with ordinary experience emergencies of this sort can be handled on this track, so perfect are the curves and the pitches and so well constructed is the ribbon and safety apron."

The elimination races will be resumed at the speedway tomorrow. Six drivers remain to qualify as follows:

Scott (Anderson Special), Clark (Firestone Columbia), Lombardi (DuChesneau), Barndollar (Clergy Special), Donaldson (Mulford Special) and Henderson.

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