MOTOR SPEED KINGS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2111, 31 March 1914, Page 4

MOTOR SPEED KINGS

STARRING ENGAGEMENT FOR

AUSTRALIA

Mr. R. 'L. ("Snovty") Bnker had, ivhen the last mail left America, praclicallv completed airaiifiemonts for Bar. nev Oldheld and Lincoln Beache.v, tlio woiid-famcd American racing motorists, to visit Austi alia, and pivc exhibitions early fu 101 S. Tho redoubtable nuir will, it is said, be nrconipaniod by "Bill" Pickens, George ScUler, and Jack Kipper, also prominent figures in the motor* lucnif! world. -■' Barney Oldfidd is tho "star" of the toam, and one of tho woild's best half dozen competition motorists. Ho started His career awheel as a cyclist, passed on to tho motor-cycle, on which ho gained a <?rcat reputation, and. for tho "last five voaiß has been ripjit 'in the forefront of Amei ica's motor-drivers, And America is tho homo of motor-car rac-

ing. . Oldfield somo years ago had an Aus< traliiin trip in view, but sufficient inducement was not forthcoming on that occasion, and the great Yankee driver remained at homo Mr. Baker lias, evidently, now offered him substantial inducement to leave'his native land, and also tho other Americans who arc,, it is said, to accompaiu him. It vas only n fortnieht aim that tlio news was cabled out that Oldfidd was lion ten by a few yaids by 'Ralph do Palma in the Vandorbilt Cup Race, over 204 miles, on tho Santa MoiuVx ciicuit. in which both averapri 735 mile l ! an hour— preat fioinpc for 33 laps of in eight and a half-mile circuit. There aio no trae'ss in oxietonce in Australia at thn present time upon which flip Ami"icana could display the speed of their hi<ih horse-powered moiii? cp.is. - They will not be hero until 191->, however anil Oris miW it appear as Hioimh Mr. Biker intends to ariangn a, track for motor-car lacing, as was ruincutcl some time apo In a piactfce spin on tho Sanu Monica con""* nnor to tho vandpioilu dm nee. Oldfield nvpratted pi milei p< r V«i for one lap of eight milos and a half.