Racing the Twentieth Century Limited [1925]

Three Speed Boats to Race Crack Train
Gar Wood Will Try to Beat Teaser’s Record Latter Made New York-Albany Run in 2 Hours 40 Minutes

Teaser Beats Train Three Speed Boats to Race Crack Train Wood Out For Two Records Broken Spring Disables Baby Gar V, Leading Challenge To Hoyt By Wood Thousands Along River Eagerly Watched Race Gar Wood Beats Time Of 20th Century Train Power Boats Beat Time of the Twentieth Century

New York, May 20 [1925] (A.P.)—Gar R. Wood, speed boat pilot, arrived here today to prepare for his race from Albany to New York against the 20^th Century Limited on Monday, only to find that R. F. Hoyt’s speed boat Teaser had made the run today in 20 minutes less than the train's time.

The race of the Teaser was against time from New York to Albany, whereas Mr Wood will race the train itself down the Hudson, keeping within sight of it for most of the 139 miles. However, the time set by Teaser will provide Mr Wood with another goal in this race, he said.

"It looks like they stole a march on me," Wood said when he learned the Teaser made the run to 2 hours and 40 minutes. "I'm not making any predictions but we'll be out to beat that time as well as the train."

Three of Mr Wood's famous speed boats—The Baby Gar IV, the Baby Gar V and the Cigarette Jr—have arrived here. Saturday he will run them up to Albany, and spend Sunday tuning them up for the race. He and his brother George Wood will drive the Baby Gar IV and the Baby Gar V. L. Gordon Hamersley will pilot the Cigarette, Jr.

(Reprinted from the New York Times, May 20, 1925)

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