English Should Compete at Marion
Hurrah for the International World Championship Grand Prix Road Classic —the coming event, the biggest yet, scheduled, at Marion, Ind.
Here”s hoping every American make of machine will participate. Old Indian, Harley-Davidson, Thor, Excelsior, Reading-Standard, Henderson, get ready to meet your British cousins from across the sea with their “Matchless Jap” tuned up to do 90 per and better, the “Rudge,” “Norton,” “Zenith Jap,” “Douglas,” “Singer,” “Martin Jap,” “Triumph,” etc.
We Americans must come out and fight now. The sign of some factories: “We Won”t Build Any Racing Machines,” and “Our Factory Does Not Believe in Racing,” surely will be discarded now. Are we yellow? The world loves a fighter, and a hero!
Great Britain knows, listen: “We hear on very good authority that the proposal to hold a T. T. race in America this summer is to be proceeded with. This race will be one of an International character, and although our home manufacturers have decided that they cannot support such an event in England this year, we feel that they would do well to consider very seriously the possibility of sending competitors—even if it is only a few—to America to take part in this event.”
“We have had American riders in our own Tourist Trophy Races, the advertising value of which to the makers of the competing machines must have been considerable.
“It is only right that the British Trade should return the compliment, and if they do this, considerable benefit should result. There are many reasons why British riders should compete. Perhaps the principal one is that this is a splendid opportunity for introducing British machines to the American public, where they are comparatively little known at present.
“It must be remembered that the race is to be an International event, and for this reason also it will be a thousand pities if this country is not represented. In the possible event of a British rider winning the trophy, the advertising value to both the machine and to the British Trade would be invaluable.
“Even if only a few of our riders compete on British machines, their performances against the American competitors would bring them prominently under the notice of Colonial buyers, at present so obsessed with the superiority of American products, and few will disagree that a practical demonstration of this nature is essential to prove that English machines are at least the equal of the best the States can manufacture. This will
also be a golden opportunity for our manufacturers and riders who visit the States to study the conditions over there.”
So it is with England! In the meantime every American manufacturer should be getting ready. Not one, nor two, nor three—but all!
The big newspapers should be supplied with plate matter of every factory racing team for this International event, similar to the automobile racing folks, a week or so before the meet is run. Outside the trade journals, the newspapers are the proper mediums. No wonder auto races draw such tremendous throngs and are so popular!
Looks like this event should attract some of the old-fashioned speed kings like “Silvers” Boyd, Don Johns, Al. Ward. Otto Walker, “Shorty” Mathews, Ted Carroll, “Cannonball” Baker, Ray Weishaar, “Red” Parkhurst, “Shrimp” Burns, Ralph Hepburn, Wells Bennett, Roy Artley, Jack Greene, E.ugene Walker, Ray Creviston, Ed Berreth, Dave Kinney, Floyd Clymer, “Krazy Hoss” Verrill, Irvin L. Janke, Carl Goudy, Fred Nixon, Lee S. Taylor, “Speck” Warner, “Daredevil” Derkum, Johnnie Constant, Maldwyn Jones, William Korn, Bill Church, Percy Coleman, Bob Newman, and the like of similar standing.
All aboard for Marion, Indiana! If England comes 3,000 miles we shall go 700 or 800 miles, surely 1 Would be a nice trip for the “Reading Flying Squadron!” Speed! Speed! Speed!! A little jazz mixed with the speed! Sixty-five, seventy, seventy-five, eighty, eighty-five, ninety, ninety-five, one hundred, one hundred and three miles per hour if possible. Oh, Mr. Jack Booth, come overt Three cheers for the M. & A. T. A.! Three cheers for the American manufacturers! Three cheers for the American speed kings! Last, but not least, three cheers for Motorcycling & Bicycling!— E. O. “Powerplus” Coleman, Reading, Pa.
