Willie K's Narrow Escape

Published in the September 9, 1906 edition of the Indianapolis Star the attached article reports on the early practice for the 1906 American Elimination Trial for the Vanderbilt Cup Race of the same year. The focus is the appearance of William K. Vanderbilt Jr. in his Mercedes racer. The actions of the Cup donor always received a lot of scrutiny weather the topic was his personal life, his yachts or his passion for horses. In this instance Vanderbilt, a comptent race driver who had built a reasonalbe resume of accomplishments, made an amateur mistake by stopping at a rough portion of the course obscured by fog. Pope Toledo driver Herb Lytle narrowly averted a collision and was reportedly irate - and expressing himself as such - until he could see who was the ofject of his frustration. Humble apologies followed. It's a fun read.