NEWS FROM THE U.S.A.
NEWS FROM THE U.S.A.
BILLY WINN, BOB SAIL AND REX MAYS WIN IMPORTANT EARLY FALL CONTESTS. JOHNNY HANNON BADLY INJURED.
NO A.A.A. Championship races were held during the early Autumn season in America, but many Fair events, and the weekly Pacific Coast races held the interest of motor racing enthusiasts. Young Rex Mays, sensational Riverside, California, driver passed Ernie Triplett in the contest for the Pacific Southwest Championship, while Billy Winn, Kansas City crack, gained much ground on Bob Sall and Johnny Hannon for the Eastern A.A.A. Sectional Championship.
The last two months were marred by the accident to young Johnny Hannon at the fair races on Mineola, Long Island, speedway. Hannon, leading in the race for the Eastern title, suffered a broken collarbone, and several fractured ribs when his fast Miller ” 4″ got out of control in a time trial, and crashed into bales of hay at a turn.
The races at Mineola were featured by Bob Sail’s line driving in defeating a crack field of dirt track pilots, winning the 25-mile feature narrowly from Chester Gardner. Frame, after showing the fastest qualifying time and emerging victor in a shorter race, was forced out of the feature 25-mile race with motor trouble.
At the Woodbridge, N. J., speedway on September 24th, Bob Sall was also the winner. The following week at Trenton, Billy Winn drove his Murray Special to victory. Sail’s victories were scored with a Vance Special. Billy Winn shattered three American dirt track records for half-mile flat tracks at Richmond, Virginia, October 8th, defeating a field of crack big-time and dirt track aces that included Fred Frame, Johnny Sawyer, Don Moore, Bob Sall,
By T. MERIWETHER SMITH.
and others. Billy turned the half-mile oval in 26 2/5 seconds in the trials, and won the 5-mile and 15-mile sprints in 4: 34 2/5 and 13: 52 1/5 respectively. These victories put Winn close behind the injured Hannon and Sall in the Eastern Championship race. The winner of this sectional title will be awarded a $1,000 silver cup presented by William Quinlan, Philadelphia sportsman.
Rex Mays, driving the Hispano-motored Gihnore Special, is now leading Ernie Triplett for the A.A.A. Pacific Coast crown, by virtue of three victories in September and early October. Al Gordon came through to victory in his Millers September 27th, defeating both Mays and Triplett. The race between Triplett and Mays for this title is arousing intense interest in the west, and great throngs are attending the Ascot speedway events weekly. With the advent of colder weather in the Eastern portion of America, many of the big-time drivers will leave for the warmer California sector. Wilbur Shaw, Chet Gardner, and Sam Palmer are en route there at this time. Cummings, Rose, Caution, Moore, and several others are expected to race on the western tracks during the winter. The standing of the five leaders in the race for the Pacific Southwest Championship is as follows :
1. Rex Mays, 417.56.
2. Ernie Triplett, 406.39.
3. Al Gordon, 300.91.
4. Chet Gardner, 208.69.
5. Kelly Petillo, 165.53. (This was the rating early in October.)
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials announced in September that the prize money for the annual 500-mile race will be $50,000 in 1934. This means a top prize of $20,000 for the winning driver from the speedway company, and the total represents the same amount awarded prior to the reduction for the 1933 race. Together with accessory prizes, lap prizes, and trophies, the total awards at Indianapolis next year -will probably exceed $100,000 again.
Glen Shultz, who had previously won the Pike Peak annual hill-climb six times, raised his total to seven in September, racing to victory up the dangerous mowatain-side in slightly less than his 1932 record of 16 mins. 47.2 secs. The course is over 12 miles of steep grades, with one hairpin bend closely following the preceding one. It is the most difficult course in America. Al Miller, in an Essex Terraplane, was first in the stock car division.