The Indianapolis News from Indianapolis, Indiana • Page 27

C3 LET'S CHUCICTT AND SEE THE RACE. ONCE" JOKE OF OD1E PORTER, CHIEF RACE TIMER i 'Let's chuck this Job for Just Thus went the proposal of Odis tco mtte race la 1911to his partner tiTiJr.j and scoring system for the grind, and their conversation same r.jy Harroun, Johnny Altken and others. In the picture Porter la at the Ir.j 'and computing machines also are Saw One Usee. Porter recalled having seen the race at Allentown, about ten years ago, end iilcJcrr's memory went back to stUl earlier days, when he served on the speedway technical committee and actually watched the event. with the advent of the 100 mile an hour race and the multiplicity of du ties attending the timing and scoring or tne speed event, tne auues 01 tne two became more and more constant.

Today it falls to the lot of Porter to jt down on a moving paper tape the numbers of cars as they pass the starting wire at a frequency, or one machine every two and three fourths seconds. Rlcker Is on his feet every minute of the big race, shuttling back and forth In the Judges' stand, keep In? time and reebrds straight, prepar lr? statistical, reports on every, ten mile period and seeing that the hun tired or more scorers and assistants understand what they are doing. In Glass Car. Occupying a glass Inclosed cage on tha floor of the judges' stand, Pcrtrr and flicker are the cynosure of all eyes In the spectators' grandstand Just across the track. Their Utile bay window, affording an view up and down the entire front stretch.

Is an object' of envy to prae tically every race fan who would like to see the traclc Just a little bit better. Many times In the grandstand tht exclamation has been heard: "Gee. those lucky guys. They ought to have to watch the raeefram here once." Eut Porter and Rlcker, on the other hand, almost pity themselves. "Ches tcr, if I'd known twenty years ago what I do now, they'd never got me up here once, exclaims the chief timer to his partner.

Called to all parts of the United rtates to time various speed events. rcrter carries practically all his in tr irately adjusted timing apparatus wiuv him. Recognized as an out standing technician. Porter Is called cn to time all of the bigger events of the American Automobile Association, the Pulitzer air races, the Schneider seaplane races and the government's aviation speed tests. He was the of ficial timer at the Florida event in "which Major IL O.

IX Seagrave, of England, drove a special car over the sancs at 231 miles an hour. Govern rnrr.t scientists regard Porter's timing as tne most accurate in thft world, outside that in laboratories rurrcunded by Ideal conditions. Possible Error. Then his equipment Is hooked tro cn the Indianapolis course and adjusted the maximum possible error in ti.lr.3r a speeding car simmers down to about a thousandth of a second, an Jn'uutefciniaUy small epace of time. other year hl chronometer Is riLLrated by the United States Naval and In alternate years by tha Uritd States bureau of stand ard s.

Calitration by the two agencies tr.xues Porter's records of speed events acceptable pa world over. across tha track Just above the tricks Is a steel wire, taut as a violin string. As the ears pass over at terrific speeds the wire Is de rrt by the front tires and re tcu 5, but net until the rear tires i a cleared. The impulse Is com TRACK RECORDS TLs fastest time for the S3 3 was made by Pete DePaolo ii 1225 in a Duesenberg Special. 1.: average for the entire distance was 10143 miles an hoar.

fastest lap was made 'In a allfylng trial May 28. 1S2S. when Lon Dnray, la front drive III Irr Special, went sroand In 1:12 JI rr at a rate cf 121.01g miles an jr. At this time Duray aho stt a new ten mile etaalifyia reccrd rf 4:51.14, or 122m vlet sa hoar. V'i THE IND1AJUPOLIS NEWS.

THURSDAY. MAY 30, 1929. secona reading involves tne reading on a seals similar to that of a vernier caliper. By close observmtiaa Porter abia to reduce the time tne thousandth of a second. As the cars pass over the wire in the great race all Porter has to do is make a mental note of their cumbers and Jot them down opposite their respective time records, as shown on the tape.

This means that his view of the race is limited to a hundred yard stretch of traclc immediately In front of the Judges stand. When the machines come down the track in dus ters, as they always do at the first of a race, about all he is able to do is catch the leader and the following two ot three cars, if the pace be comes too fast Rlcker pitches in and catches tne numbers of ears following, thus making the official record more nearly complete. Other Features. The time recording machine, it was explained by Mr. Porter, is designed to run about two hundred ths of a second fsst and the chronometer to serve as a governor for the Instrument proper.

Through a friction clutch arranged on the shaft of timer the instrument's speed Is impeded Just the amount it is set ahead, providing an almost penect i Outside. atop the pagoda, is a dictaphone operator, who notes the number of each car crossing the wire and at frequent intervals records the time. The dictaphone records are transcribed to a tape similar to that coming out of Porter's machine, and comparisons are available by the time the race is well under way. Numbers of cars which Porter missed at tha first are filled in on the master tape, again improving the record. Seated In tiers behind Porter and Rlcker are approximately thirty five scorers, or.

to be exact, one for each car in the race. As the positions of the cars change during the race the scorers shift to stalls cumbered to correspond with the various positions, A glance at tha army of scorers will tell Rlcker at any moment Just what position a certain car may. occupy in the field. Under the direction of E. F.

Gill, of the International Tabulat ing Machine company, each scorer makes notations on specially pro vided cards, which then are run through a punching machine to provide permanent records for every ten mile period in the grind. A statistician would revel In the information available when a' fistful of the punched cards are run through an as sorting machine. 'When Cars Step. Now and then a car makes a pit stop and his scorer la the Judges' stana begins to wonoer wnaf naa Decerns of the machine. On the pin nacle of the Judges' stand Is stationed a small army of who watch the pits constantly.

Through the use of high powered field glasses they note the time a machine halts and the time it again resumes the race, and by messenger the loss of time is recorded on the punched cards. The mathematical end of the work in the Judges' stand is carried by 8. j. Williams, representative ox tne Monroe Calculating Machine Com pany. By the use of two of these machines Williams announces to the outside world the exact number of miles an hour a machine is moving.

His figures generally run to the thousandth of a mile, but can be car rled on to the fourth, fifth or sixth decimal if desired. Williams regards himself as a newcomer in the Judges' stand, notwithstanding tne fact ne has been with the other three for the last five years. wnue coming ror little or tne glory of the great race, the four Porter, Rlcker, Gill and Williams actually are the ones who make the grind understandable to the spectator by reducing a blur or color, an odor of burnt oil and a roar of mighty exhausts to plain, every day figures. Yet they are not to be envied, for they never really see a race. JOSEPH KYLE DIES Funeral Services for Retired Farmer aft VTnnvF josepn Rooert xyie.

age eighty, a resident of Indianapolis for the last eight years, died Wednesday at the homey of his daughter, Mrs. Henry I. a oorrowea a xarmer stocx iruca ana Doexaea it across tne top so macs a piauonn. rxuomg cnairs were orougnt along for comfort. The truck will be parked in the sec and line of autos in the infield from where a better view AUTOS FROM ALL PARTS OF U.

S. WAIT FOR GATES TO OPEN of the race wia be gained than from the ll ef automobiles I a 67 fcfcTe the race. I ta The rtrc a cf rt white ev st the rrtriy tr'j tt Ciatca trs one, and see the race, Chester. What A. Porter, chief timer at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since the first over the same period of time.

Chester S. Rlcker, In charge of the combined event. The two were chatting during an Interval of rest preceding the turned to reminiscences of the big contest back: In the days of Joe Dawson. left, Williams In the center and shown. municated to Porter's timing mechan ism and a figure Is stamped on the moving tape, thus providing a record for the assistant timers and the scorers.

An electrically operated mechanism, resembling a speedometer, la. turned by a shaft, which makes one complete revolution 'every two seconds. Arranged In order are email wheels, which record the number of 'hours, minutes, seconds and hundredth of seconds of elapsed time. The last EVERY FACILITY THE NEWS FOR From the time the daring drivers line up and speed away on the gruelling grind at the signal of the starting bomb until the checkered flag acclaims, the winners of the various, places. The Indianapolis News presents to its readers immediate and accurate accounts of the developments and happenings of the contest.

In truth, The News takes what it believes to be Just pride in its record for covering the annual racing event. To present a thorough account of the eon teat The News employs every available means of newaeatherlnff. Members of the large corps of staff writers at the track send their descriptions by telegraph and telephone, and staff photographers send by spe cial automobile messenger pictures taken of high lights of the track. as the large force works at the speedway a radio, stationed in the r' 4 i 4f II 5 'j do you say? Bicker at the right. The special tlm wheel is divided into two sections, each carrying.

figures for every five hundredths or a second ana marxs between giving the hundredths. When a When a ear passes over the wire the latter is depressed and a small hammer Is driven down on a type writer ribbon which Is stretched across the paper tape immediately above the time recording wheels and an impression is made on the paper. The Impression shows the number of EMPLOYED BY SPEEDWAY RACE in the annual 500 mlle speedway race newsroom of The News, keeps the members of the editorial department advised at all times, thus giving double coverage. The custom of placing a radio in tha newsroom has been followed by The News for several years. For the '1929 race an Erla five tube set.

provided by the Em Roe Sporting Goods Company, was placed. The radio keeps those in charge of editions advised as to the stages in the race, supplementing the thorough service given by the staff on hand at the course. hv vygvxr ttm v.r i I 1 i ii 3 autos next to ths track. i I miiHi hoars, minutes and seconds in exact figures, but that for the nundredth YOUTHS BRING'PORTABLE GRAND STAND' FROM WHICH TO VIEW SPEEDWAY RACE A group of enterprising youths from Uzton took their own grand stand to the SOO mCe race at the speed Here they are shown waiting in the long line of autcs for the rates to open. From attending other races at the speedway, the boys had learned that a high perch on the infield is much to 4e wished.

Accordingly, they man shown In the picture Is Roy from rf. TV who walked from Brooklyn to Indianapolis. He is a student in New York University and plans to go from indlanspolU to Texas after the race is over SPEEDWAY CITY'S MAIN STREET HAS BIG DAY; RACE TANS DEFY THAT TIRED FEELING TO GET THERE 1 I I i lo Weber, 38 West Twenty sixth street. He had been in Impaired health for several weeks. Kyle was a retired farmer, coming to this city from Hanover.

Ind where his active life was spent. Survivors are five daughters, Mrs. Frank Hunt ington and Mrs. Weber, Indianapolis; Mrs. Nora Hewitt and Mrs.

Nan Davis, Chicago, and Mrs. Julia Crlpe, St. Louis; three sons, Robert. Ray mond and Ralph Kyle, Indianapolis, and one sister Mrs. Nan Dougherty.

Dallas. Tex. Funeral services will be held Fri day at '3 p. m. at the Methodist church at Hanover.

Burial will be the cemetery there. CROWD AT RACE ASSAYS HIGH IN WORLD FAME AND WEALTH Among Aircraft Notables Are CIenn Curtlss; Ceorgo Halde man Heads of Gret Auto Companies Appear Possibll ity of Lindbergh's Attendance Keeps Throng on Tiptoes. Meeting face to face with notables of the country meant little In the cosmopolitan assemblage at tha Indianapolis motor speedway. Thursday, and it was nothing unusual to run into a eluster of world famous men at intervals. Some came by motor, others by train and several by ah One of the outstanding veterans of aircraft manufacture and development, Glenn H.

was a. guest of Edward V. Rickenbacker, president of the Speedway George E. Haldeman, pilot of the plane in which Miss Ruth Elder essayed to cross the Atlantic several months ago. was at the big race, and Miss Elder, herself, was expected.

Reld Chambers, Washington, one of America's leading war aces and a former buddy of Rickenbacker, was another guest at the speedway. Carl O. Fisher, former head of the speedway and widely known capitalist with extensive Interests in Florida and New York, was on hand early for another look at the speed events. Among' Automotive Notables. automotive field also; boasted large contingent headed by such notables as Horace E.

Dodge, Detroit financier; Harvey S. Firestone, Akron tire manufacturer; Joseph Graham, of Graham Paige; Joseph Fields, vice president, and Fred Veeder. chief engineer, respectively, of the Chrysler corporation; Larry Fisher and party of General Motors executives from Detroit; Ray Harroun. Miami Beach, Fla winner of the first SOO mlle race In 1911; William S. Knudson.

Detroit, president of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company, and his vice president, IL J. Kllnger; Frank Witt, president of the Thomp son Products Company; Frank A. peine, an oxxiciai oi oooayear Tire and Rubber Company, and B. O. Roos.

South Bend, former chief engineer of the Studebaker Corpora tlon. and Fredrick XS. Moscovics, former president of the Stutt Motor Car Company of America. Many were accompanied by their wives and parties of friends. Although busily engaged entertain ing tne visible and mvisibie au diences, Paul Whiteman.

noied or chestra leader, who played at inter vals during the race, and oraham MeNamee, radio broadcaster, availed THE CAR WINS THE RACE The ear. not the driver, wins the race, according to A A A. rules. The driver of a car at the start credited with his final position no matter whether a relief driver goes in later and is driving at the end of ths race. The relief driver is credited with points for ths annual national championship toward which first place in ths Indianapolis race counts 1,000 pointsv 1 Race fans on foot formed a olid mass ef humanity before the main entrance gates at the Indianapolis motor speedway, as shown in the upper picture taken by The Indianapolis News photographer almost at sunup.

Many had been standing or sitting in their places all night. Guards were busy a formation in the lines of the restless lot. Moat of these nearest the gates were old timers and knew the advantage of an early start for the Main street in Speedway City a solid line of vehicles of almost every description except the horse drawn type as sunrise found eager race goers waiting for 6 a. m. when the gates to the Indianax)lis motor speedway would open.

Some were reclining peacefully, dosing in their autos. Youth was up and stirring. Restaurants along the street did a thriving business at. breakfast time. themselves of an opportunity now and then to nod a how do you do to some old acquaintances in the crowds.

Relhald Werrenrath. New York, noted singer, and Mrs. were among' the prominent visitors. ST' Eyes ea Lealle'a Bex. Eyes of the multitudes were fixed on the box occupied by Governor and Mrs.

Harry O. Leslie, for it was rumored about that America's most famous benedict might arrive. Since the marriage a few days ago of Charles A. Lindbergh and Miss Anne Morrow, reports have been circulated that EARLY BIRDS" DETROITERS it i Among tne early arrivals at the Many persons had their own box lunches. Down the line a way a portable phonograph ground away on a Jazz tune as it was perched on the ton neau of the roadster.

None seemed to be paying any attention to it, being either too. sleepy or too full of vigor to heed. It was the one big dsy of the year for Main street, a view of which is shown in the lower picture. they might be bound for the speed wsy. tecaiung unuDergn statement some months ago that he would like to see the race, Leslie kept two seats THE RACE PRIZES First prize 120,0 00 Second prire 10,000 Third prize 5,003 rvurm prize Fifth prisa Sixth prize Seventh prize Eighth prize Ninth prize Tenth prize 41 I 3,5 C3 3,000 230 .1,800 1.603 1.503 1.400 Total In addition there are special lap prizes and trophy awards which add approximately $30, 000 more to the prizes.

The speedway also gives 510.CC0 to be divided among starting cars that do not win one of the ten place prizes. tar the race every year for the last five years. This year they arrtvM at 6 a. them taking lunch" before entering the galea, rra Ictt to rlt tie; belle, Lir, Label: and Mr. Thorp, FOR THE SPEEDWAY RACE; EAT A BITE BEFORE GOING IN i 'i speedwsy were two couples who have i i for the pair.

Sitting with the Leslies were and Mrs. Joseph Andrews and Mr. and Mrs, Ed Randolph, all of Lafayette. FIRST RACE 1911 The race today is the aevf nteenth SOO mlle event en the Indiana polii track. The races beran in 1311, but in 191? and 191S none was The 500 mile distance wss departed from only twice In 1918.

when the 200 mile dstne ws tried but proved unpopular, and la 1225. when after one top ef an hoar the race was resumed bat was ended by officials at 400 miles because rain had made the track too foppery. Too Much Cun, or Was It Gas? for Vint3rcust BI Ed mnterrasi Richfield Oil representative at the speedway, had a touch ef sunstroke or else he was overcome somewhat by gasoline fames Wednesday afternoon while getting the gasoline ready for the drivers to ase In the rsce. It was necessary to take him Into the office ef Majcr George, Greene and call a doctor. WIntergnst Is a familiar figure at the speedway and other courses In country.

Cls company has followed the racing business for years merely as a eoartesy te the drivers, many ef wnom live la CaUi ornia, the home state ef the company. Eddie acts ss liaison officer for the company In dispensing the gas, which is riven the boys without cost, st whatever track they may be. riven Ir. trr i n. We r.f? r.ci jj I.Irs.

Lici'4 iizcrp, La..