Merz' Comeback

This article first appeared in the April 24, 1910 Indianapolis Star. Be warned the attachment is poor quality and there are sections that are difficult to impossible to read. Get your magnifying glass.
 
I still think it is significant in that it provides insights to one of the top race drivers of the day, Charlie Merz. As you may know the son of an Indianapolis police officer was the amazing talent that was a part of the National Motor Vehicle Company's 24 hour record run in 1905 and later, at the first and tragic auto race meet of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in August 1909 narrowly escaped death in an accident that took the lives of his riding mechanic, Claude Kellum and two spectators, James West and Homer Joliff. The massively tragic accident occurred only two days after Wiliam Bourque and his riding mechanic Harry Holcomb lost their lives on the first day of same race meet.
 
Understandably these "Vivid glimpses of the Land of Eternal Shadow" (to quote the article) shook Merz to the core. For a time he swore off race driving and apparently moved to the West Coast. Interestingly, his wrecked machine was repaired and campaigned again - within two weeks. Despite hesitations National had forged ahead in racing with star drivers Johnny Aitken and Tom Kincaid.
 
The article also notes that millionaire amateur driver Art Greiner had acquired a National racer. His plan was to win a race set aside for amateurs at the upcoming auto races at the Brickyard.