FIRST NATIONALLY SANCTIONED CHAMPIONSHIP CAR RACE TRIVIA

	Want a sure winner on American oval track racing trivia?  Ask
where the first race of the first season was held.  A lot of people
with some racing knowledge will automatically say Indy or "The
Brickyard."  Tain't so McGee.  The first 500 was not run until May
30th, 1911 (winner: Ray Harroun in a Marmon on the bricks with a
winning speed of 74.5 mph).  That was the THIRD season for national
competition as sponsored by AAA (American Automobile Association),
the sanctioning organization for "Big Car" racing until 1955, when it
was decided by AAA brass hats that racing did not give the proper
image for a consumer oriented, tourist centered organization.  That
is when USAC (United States Auto Club) was formed with divisions in
champ cars, sprints, Silver Crown and Midgets.  CART took over
sanctioning Indy car racing outside Indianapolis in 1979.

	So, where the hell was the first race?  In Portland, Oregon,
ole buddy and the date was June 12th, 1909, two years before Indy.
Three races were held that day...with Howard Covey taking the
Checkered Flag for the opener, a 43.8 mile run on a rectangular
track.  His winning speed in a Cadillac was 55.7 mph.

	The semi was of the same length...winning was Charles Arnold,
who burned up the track with a speed of 57.4 mph in a Pope-Hartford

	The feature was an astounding 102.2 miles, with the Wemme Cup
going to one Bert Dingley, at the wheel of a Chalmers-Detroit. He
boosted the speed to an astonishing 58.6 mph!!

	AAA sanctioned no less that 24 races that first season, but
Portland was not to host another event of that caliber until 1984
when the CART Indy cars came to Portland International Raceway, a
site once occupied by World War Two housing for defense workers that
was wiped out in a flood in 1948.

	That 1909 race track is still in partial existence.  One of
the public streets adjacent to the Rose City golf course is one of
the original turns.

	Oregonians who claim all this good stuff need not be
complacent nor can they rest on their laurels.  By 1912 the city of
Tacoma, Washington captured the attention of AAA officials and that
city on the Puget Sound was the scene for national races of up to 250
miles in length through the year of 1922.

	Now, aren't you glad you know all this.  By turning the page,
you'll get the idea of racing journalism from the 1909 event...each
story taken from the coverage provided by The Oregonian.  Also
included is an ad published a few days before the race...offering
taxi service.  The copy is quaint, the claims astounding and the
language, grammar, spelling and punctuation are all original.  Enjoy
and pass it on.  Your scribe got a helluva laugh as he went through
the microfiche copies of the paper.

		Yours for better car racing, 




		Edd Whitaker
		Portland, Oregon
		October, 1992


Page 2
DISPLAY ADVERTISING COPY FROM THE OREGONIAN, MAY 30, 1909:
(Graphic of Semi enclosed Renault Taxi)

(HEAD)  Wherein the Taxicab Supersedes the Horse-Drawn Carriage.
(SUB) No longer is it a wonder that the automobile has reached such
great favor.  The question now-a-days is: How soon will it be a 
necessity:

When time is worth money--When the cost of transportation is reduced-
Renault Taxicabs Phone, A123 When a perfect service is given the
public-- Renault Taxicabs Phone, Main 98 When clean, sanitary cabs
supply this service--Renault Taxicabs When these cabs are of such a
reliable make as to eradicate the probability of breakdowns and
delay- Renault Cabs are supplied with Extra Inflated Tires on Rims.
A change can be made in three minutes.  Our service will not be above
criticism, and if you discover a fault; will be glad, so it can be
corrected.

50c First Half Mile, 10c Each Quarter Mile Thereafter.

Positions are now offered to first-class, experienced drivers.  Apply in 
person, Tuesday, June 1st at our office in the Studebaker Building

FROM OREGONIAN, JUNE 12, 1909:

(HEAD) AUTO RACER HURT)
(SUB) ROY C. WILSON TESTS COURSE, RUNS INTO POLE
(2D SUB) HIS LEFT LEG FRACTURED
(3D SUB) DRIVER'S COMPANION ESCAPES MIRACULOUSLY--ACCIDENT OCCURS AT TURN
NEAR GRAVEL PIT--BOTH MEN ARE HURLED INTO THE AIR.

	Traveling at a high rate of speed yesterday afternoon over the course

where today's automobile races are to be held, Roy C. Wilson, who was 

entered as one of the racers in Class C with a 24 horsepower car ran into

a telephone pole along the roadway, breaking his leg and wrecking the 

machine.  Wilson was testing the course in the car in which he intended to 

race today.  He was accompanied by a machinist who miraculously escaped

injury.  When the automobile struck both men were hurled into the air.

	The accident occurred in front of the Al Cleveland farm, between

Gresham and the gravel pit on a cross road running from the Base Line road 

to the Section Line road. The road there forms a sharp "S" turn. Whether

the accident was due to the sharpness of the turn or to a mistake in 

judgment neither of the occupants was able to explain.  The car first 

struck the fence in front of the Cleveland residence and sliding along

the rear wheels caught on the pole bringing the car to a standstill

and tossing out Wilson and his assistant with great force.
Page 3

	A short distance behind the Wilson car was Jack Peterson who has had

several nerve-racking experiences in automobile accidents and M.C. 

Dickinson, manager of the Oregon Hotel.  They secured a couch from the 

Cleveland house and conveyed Wilson to the Good Samaritan Hospital.  

Wilson's left leg was found to be fractured in two places between the knee

and the hip.

	Wilson is well known in automobile circles in this city.  He is the

agent for Touring and Locomobile cars and has always been active in 

automobile sports. 


FROM OREGONIAN FRONT PAGE, JUNE 12, 1909

(HEADLINE) FETE ENDS TODAY
(1ST SUB) BIG FEATURE ON CLOSING PROGRAMME OF FESTIVAL
(2D SUB) FAST AUTOS WILL RACE
(3D SUB) HUNT CLUB EVENTS WILL ALSO BE HELD THIS AFTERNOON AND ELECTRICAL
PARADE WILL BE REPEATED TONIGHT

...Befitting the last day of a great festival is the programme today.  

Features are provided sufficient to satisfy the most exciting.  The 

essential features of the list are three in number: automobile races, a

tournament of racing events at the Country Club and an electrical pageant

in farewell to the Festival ruler.

   For the two big racing events of the afternoon elaborate programmes have 

been prepared and both cards will draw heavily.  Thousands of people have

planned to make their way to the big rectangular course on the Base Line 

and Section Line roads, where the speediest of machines will annihilate 

space at breathless clips. There will be long and short distance races and

every driver is going in not only with the intention of winning at all 

hazards, but of smashing a record or two....








Page 4

PROMOTER'S AD, JUNE 12TH, 1909

(HEADER): TODAY--GREAT AUTO RACES

OVER THE FASTEST RACE COURSE IN THE WORLD

100 MILE RACE -- 50 MILE RACES

RACES START AT NOON

	Automobiles--Go by the way of Burnside St. Bridge to 12th. St and East

Burnside, turn north to Davis, out Davis to Sandy Road, out Sandy Road 

until you come to a large banner across Road giving directions to Auto 

Field.  You can arrive and depart from Auto Field at any time.

	By Cars--From East Morrison and Water Streets every 15 minutes after

10:30 AM., by Estacada route.

FROM THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, JUNE 13, 1909

(note: SOME COPY ON FRONT PAGE DISTORTED AND MISSING)

(HEADLINE) FAST TIME MADE IN ROAD RACES
(SUB) ...25,000 PEOPLE SEE AUTOS SPEED.
(2D SUB: BERT DINGLEY WINS FIRST IN LONG AUTO RACE)
(3D SUB: H.M.COVEY ALSO VICTOR

(copy from inside pages):

...Prior to staging the main even of the afternoon the motorcycle event was

presented.  If the number of entries in this contest is any criterion, 

motorcycling is a great deal more popular in Portland than had been 

imagined, for 30 of these speeders lined up at the starter's wire to 

compete for the trophies offered by the Portland Automobile Club.  J.J.
Pittinger, on a Merkle motorcycle, captured the race in (copy blurred) 
good time over the course of 14.6 miles, especially when the machines 
were given a standing start.  F. Tainer, on a Rod S. machine, took second
place in 20.55, while third place was captured by Vern Markell, on an
Indian machine in 24:15.
	Immediately after the motorcycle race, the Wemme Cup event
for the distance of 102.2 miles was called and 14 of the 18 cars
entered lined up for the start.  Fred A. Bennett's Stoddard-Dayton
was scratched and as it 

Page 5

had drawn third place, the White Steamer, driven by Seyfred, was
moved up from No. 18 to No. 3 among the starters.  The Auburn car,
No. 1 in the race, got away with a good start, but met with
misfortune after making one lap.
	Another car of this make was practically demolished by a
collision with Wallace's Pope-Hartford before it had completed one
lap.  The Auburn car was driven by W. Cohen but he escaped the wreck
without a scratch, and his helper, H. Smith, was equally as
fortunate.  Wallace's car was uninjured as far as running ability was
concerned, for it had completed six laps when flagged by the
starters, the three first places having been established.

	PETERSON FAR IN REAR
	"Lucky" Jack Peterson, whose Locomobile, driven by himself,
was touted strongly as a formidable contender in the race, was a
disappointment.  The car did not at any time show speed enough to
warrant it being given a chance with the ones driven by Dingley,
Gill, Christopherson, Hamlin, Meclim and Arnold.  Peterson's car
seemed to make good time on the Base Line Road, for it flashed by the
stands at a fast clip, but lost ground after passing. Russelville
until the hill at the Twelve Mile House turn was reached.  Peterson
was game, however, and kept the car in the race.
	The winning car made the best time for the first lap and
manged to keep up a good average.  Dingley piloted the race about the
course with all the assurance of a winner and whenever he passed the
stands he waved his hand cheerfully, indicating that he was always
confident of victory. Still, the result was by no means certain when
Christopherson brought his Stoddard-Dayton past the stand on his
sixth lap ahead of Dingley's time by 10 seconds and made it necessary
for the Chalmers-Detroit driver to make 

Page 6

better than a mile a minute on his last lap.  That he succeeded in
doing this was all that won him the race for Dingley brought his car
home winner by 12 seconds, covering the lap in the remarkable time of
14 minutes and 15 seconds, which beat any other mark made on the
track.  Christopherson is credited with having made the last lap in
14 minutes and 40 seconds.  This time is disputed by him.  He
declared his car made as good, if not better time than on the
previous lap and has entered a protest with the judges.
	Probably the most exciting scene was the race down the course
in the fifth lap between the Stoddard-Dayton and the Franklin car,
driven by Meclem.  The cars came along neck and neck and one passed
the other several hundred yards farther on.  It was impossible to
distinguish which was ahead because of the cloud of dust raised.
	The Studebaker cars entered in yesterday's races failed to
make as good a showing as the year before, when they won both places.
Yesterday the Studebaker entry in the long race behaved very badly on
several occasions, which showed that something was wrong with the
running gear.  Otherwise it might have been a factor again.
	The fact that most of the starters in the big race were able
to negotiate the majority of the laps served to keep the crowd
interested at all times, for there were very few moments when a car
was not either in sight or about the round the Twelve Mile House
corner and plunge into the stretch.  Another thing siding in making
the races popular was the large number of entries and the scratched
cars were very few in all the races.
	Gill's Buick and Seifert's Stoddard-Dayton were the only
withdrawals in the big race, and in the lesser events equally few
machines failed to start.  John Yeon acted as starter and his work
was high-class in every respect.  Each machine was sent away without
delay and none were set back because of 

page 7

becoming over-anxious at the tape.  The timers, John C. Ainsworth,
Dr. A.E.  Mackay, W.J. Van Schuyver and George W. Kleiser, performed
this trying task in the most capable manner.  At times it appeared
quite difficult to catch the time when several cars came into the
stretch at once, but the timers rallied to the occasion and caught
each car.  Charley Cook acted as announcer and deserves special
mention for his efforts at that strenuous task throughout the
afternoon.
     NO INJURIES IN MEET
	Like the events of the year before, when road racing for
automobiles was inaugurated here, yesterday's card was free from
accidents wherein anyone was injured.  While one car was wrecked ,
the occupants fortunately escaped unhurt.  The only injury recorded
is said to have been sustained by Howard M. Covey, who drove his
Cadillac without gloves and attained such great speed that his
efforts to hold the wheel caused the blood to spurt from one of his
hands.  Covey tried the 10 mile event, but after one lap he was
forced to retire.
	M.W. Church, Pacific Coast representative of the
manufacturers of the Stoddard-Dayton car last night issued a
challenge to the Harry L. Keats Auto Company for a special race
between the winning Chalmers-Detroit car and the Stoddard-Dayton car
which was disabled before the big race yesterday and was to have been
driven by the car factory's driver, Seifert.  It is proposed that the
agents of the two machines post a wager of from (blurred copy) to
$5,000 and the entire amount to be given to the Portland Rose
Festival Association by the winner of the special race.