Near Death Experience

This is a Motor Age article covers a February 1905 race meet in New Orleans. Heavy rain produced a muddy track and a driver Oldfield was supposed to run with in an exhibition refused to run in the mud. Oldfield, ever concerned about playing to the crowd - and never wanting to give them a reason to demand their money back - asked one of his mechanics to run. The mechanic, Albert Bechold, lost control and somersaulted the car. Fortunately, he was thrown clear into the soft mud and not injured.