Page:Motoring Magazine and Motor Life February 1915.djvu/12

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For daring, wonderful head-work and great skill, the driver of a racing motor car must be placed at the head of the list of expert sportsmen.

No known sport of to-day demands such quick thought, decision and action as is required of the racing driver, such as will be seen in the races for the Vanderbilt and Grand Prix cups. We present here a few words concerning the racing history of the man at the wheel.

It will be seen that of the list but two can be called veterans, and that the majority of the premiers of the road to-day are under thirty.

Louis Disbrow.

Louis Disbrow, who will be at the wheel of the Simplex car, is known as the "King of Dirt Tracks." Disbrow, who was born in New York City 33 years ago, started motor car racing in 1906, when he took part in the 24 hour contest held on the Brighton Beach track. Between 1906 and 1908 he spent most of his time in these contests. In ten weeks he was in five contests, never getting worse than third during that period. In 1908 he drove second in the Medowbrook Parkway. In 1909 the principal contest in which he took part was on the Atlanta, Ga., speedway, when he won the $10,000 trophy. In 1910 he drove third on the Long Island Motor Parkway. In 1911 he made all records from one to three hundred miles on Pebble Beach, Florida. In 1907 he took part at Savannah in the Vanderbilt and Grand Prix events. In 1912, 1913 and 1914 he followed the dirt track circuit, traveling all over the United States wherever an automobile contest was held. He has taken part in every Indianapolis speedway race. At the present time he holds 17 official records for time made on speedways, dirt tracks and beaches. His greatest success in his racing career was achieved at the wheel of the Simplex.

"Howdy" Wilcox.

H. S. Wilcox, better known as "Howdy," claims the good old automobile town of Indianapolis as his birthplace, which dates back 26 years. "Howdy" began his racing career in 1908, acting as mechanician to the celebrated Johnny Aitken. The following year he drove in his maiden event in New Orleans, and won the race. 1910 he spent driving on the Indianapolis speedway, winning a large number of racing events, and also hill climbs all over the United States, the most prominent of which was Dead Horse Hill climb at Worcester, Mass. In the same year, established the straightaway record in the mile and five mile events at Pebble Beach, Florida, which records still stand. He also took part in the Santa Monica road race. 1912, 1913 and 1914 were devoted to racing in the big events on the Indianapolis speedway. Last year he also raced at Sioux City and Elgin. The coming contest marks his first appearance with the Stutz racing team.

Gil Anderson.

Gil Anderson, who will drive the 296 cubic inch motor Stutz, was born 36 years ago in far-off Norway. He began his racing career in 1906, starting as a mechanician on the old Mathewson cars, and followed the Eastern circuit of minor events, driving and acting as mechanician until 1913, when he took up racing of the Stutz cars, winning the Elgin race and figuring prominently in all the classics from that time until date.

Eddie Pullen.

Eddie Pullen, born in Trenton, New Jersey, began his racing career in the Mercer cars, acting as mechanician with Hughey Hughes. In 1912, he drove first at Tacoma, winning his maiden race and captured second the same year in the Elgin contest. In 1913 he drove the Mercer in the Elgin contest, while he was also relief driver at the big Indianapolis speedway. In 1914, he won the Grand Prize cup at Santa Monica, making a new record for the distance, and had the honor of driving the first American car to capture this trophy. He was second in the Elgin race, losing by one mile, but, however, created at that time a new world's non-stop record. He was leading in both of the Tacoma races last year when his car went out of commission. He, however, was credited with making the fastest lap of the meet. He also acted as relief driver in the big Indianapolis speedway. He finished up his wonderful record of 1914 by setting a new world's speed mark over the Corona course of 87.89 miles per hour average for 331 miles. He lost out the racing honors for last year by the smallest of margins.

Guy Ruckstall.

Guy Ruckstall is a California production, having been born in San Francisco twenty-six years ago. Ruckstall started his racing career in 1912, taking part in "bush races" throughout the State, the most prominent contests being the winning of the big race in Bakersfield. His real racing career, however, began in the year 1914, when he drove second at the Tacoma races. He then captured with the Mercer first place in the Bakersfield and Fresno events. At the former place he set a new 25 mile record for a mile dirt track in the 301 cubic inch motor class. He was running a good second to Pullen in the Corona race when his car ran out of gasoline. He has started this year with a splendid showing over the Point Loma course, but lost out on mechanical trouble.

Louis Nikrent.

Louis Nikrent, who will drive the Baby Mercer car, was born in Detroit 31 years ago. Ten years ago he began driving racing automobiles in the East at the wheel of the Punz car. He was still racing this make up to 1906. At the beginning of 1907 he came to California, locating in Los Angeles with the old California tourist car. For two years he, with his brother, was the racing team for the California Tourist. In 1909 he took up racing the Buick, and won the 1909 road race to Phoenix, the Nikrent brothers being on the winning car. From 1909 to 1913 he "bushed it" with the Buick car, winning many light car races throughout the State. In fact, he won the light car class in 1911 and 1912 over the Santa Monica course. 1914 saw him joining the Mercer team and driving that car for the first time in the Corona race, being at the wheel of the new Baby Mercer.

Caleb Bragg.

Caleb Bragg, the millionaire amateur driver, was born in Cincinnati 28 years