AUTOS: Clean Sweep for Chrysler

Chrysler's fin-tailed line of autos last week took top honors in all four price classes of the 1957 Mobilgas Economy Run, making the company^ first in the competition's history to sweep the field.

At the end of the four-day, 1,568-mile course from Los Angeles to Sun Valley the trophy-for the best gas mileage among 23 competing cars went to Chrysler's Imperial Crown, which averaged 64.5153 ton-miles per gallon, computed by multiplying the car's weight by mileage, dividing by gas consumed. Driver of the winning car:

Mel Alsbury Jr., 27, of Hollywood, who piloted a Chrysler Imperial Southampton to victory last year.

Alsbury was followed by his brother George, 20, who drove a Chrysler Saratoga to second place in the fun and first place in the upper medium-price class, with an average of 56.7267 t.m.p.g. Third place in the sweepstakes went to a De Soto Firedome, which finished second in the upper-medium class at 56.4464 t.m.p.g. A Dodge Coronet 500 took first place in the low.medium-price class with 55.8920 t.m.p.g., and a Plymouth Belvedere won first place in the low-price field with 52.6211 t.m.p.g. But in straight mileage, regardless of weight, a Ford Fairlane showed the best performance: 22.2534 miles per gallon.

This is the first year that women have entered the run under new rules providing that a woman may compete if a second identical car is piloted by a man. Restaurant Owner Mruy Davis of Los Angeles drove a Plymc;:th Belvedere to victory in her class, and tv;c other women placed second and third in their classes. The rest were automatically ruled out of the results because their male partners did better. Among the women drivers: Mrs. Mildred Alsbury, mother of the Alsbury brothers, who piloted an Imperial to official second place in the sweepstakes, was knocked out of the race by her champion son, Mel. But the women drivers came so near to matching the men's average (20.23 miles per gallon v. the men's 20.64) that they confidently promised rougher competition for the men next year. Said Mrs. Alsbury: "I hope this helps to prove that women are just as good drivers as men."

Other results:

Low-Price Class. Ford Fairlane 500 "6," 22.2534 m.p.g., 52.5181 t.m.p.g.; Chevrolet Bel Air "8," 21.2636 m.p.g., 49-4378 t.m.p.g.; Chevrolet Bel Air "6," 21.4948 m.p.g., 49.0080 t.m.p.g.; Rambler Rebel "8," 21.6214 m.p.g., 47.8914 t.m.p.g.; Ford Fairlane 500 "8," 19.1567 m-p-g-, 45-4013 t.m.p.g.

Low Medium-Price Class. Oldsmobile 88 Holiday, 19.5149 m.p.g., 52.7877 t.m.p.g.; Pontiac Chieftain, 20.4221 m.p.g., 50.2384 t.m.p.g.; Studebaker President' 19.9453 m.p.g., 44.8769 t.m.p.g.

Upper Medium-Price Class. Oldsmobile 98 Holiday, 19.2164 m.p.g., 53.5177 t.m.p.g.

High-Price Class. Buick Roadmaster, 18.6287 m.p.g., 52.3466 t.m.p.g.