▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁Great ▁De pression , ▁orders ▁for ▁aircraft ▁had ▁stopped ▁and ▁the ▁Gran ville ▁Brothers ▁A ircraft ▁Company ▁saw ▁the ▁air ▁racing ▁circuit ▁as ▁a ▁way ▁to ▁stay ▁in ▁business . ▁To ▁raise ▁seed ▁money ▁for ▁the ▁air ▁racing ▁operation , ▁the ▁" Spring field ▁Air ▁Racing ▁Association " ▁( S AR A ) ▁was ▁formed . ▁ ▁A ▁group ▁of ▁local ▁Spring field ▁mer ch ants ▁and ▁business men ▁who ▁sought ▁to ▁promote ▁Spring field ▁bought ▁shares ▁to ▁fund ▁creation ▁of ▁the ▁racing ▁plan es . ▁ ▁Bay les ▁added ▁$ 5 0 0 ▁of ▁his ▁own ▁money ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁pilot ▁in ▁the ▁vent ure . ▁ ▁Bay les ▁fle w ▁the ▁Ge e ▁Be e ▁Model ▁X ▁in ▁the ▁Cir rus ▁Derby ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 0 , ▁coming ▁in ▁second ▁and ▁sharing ▁the ▁$ 7 0 0 0 ▁pur se ▁with ▁the ▁Gran v illes . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁Bay les ▁pil oted ▁a ▁Ge e ▁Be e ▁Model ▁E ▁Sport ster ▁in ▁the ▁Ford ▁National ▁R eli ability ▁Air ▁Tour , ▁coming ▁in ▁fourth ▁in ▁the ▁point ▁standing ▁and ▁winning ▁the ▁Great ▁L akes ▁Tro phy ▁for ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁$ 2 0 0 0 ▁in ▁prize ▁money . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁National ▁Air ▁R aces , ▁Bay les ▁and ▁the ▁Ge e ▁Be e ▁Model ▁Z , ▁christ ened ▁the ▁" City ▁of ▁Spring field ," ▁clean ed ▁up , ▁first ▁winning ▁the