PARRY THOMAS RECORDS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 57, 4 September 1926, Page 18

PARRY THOMAS RECORDS

WORLD'S GREATEST LAND SPEED,

When J. G. Parry Thomas, the great British motorist, in his 450 h.p. Liberty Thomas engined car, "Babs," broke the world's record for one mile on the Pendine sands in Wales, at the end of May, he attained the greatest speed ever attained on land, covering a mile on sodden sand at tho amazing average of 172.331 miles an hour. The beach was so soft that large rectr.ngular board platforms were constructed for the car to stand on while station-a-y, and six attempts were made. The best times made were at a speed of 169.238 miles an hour for a kilometre (1094 yards), and 168.074 miles an hour for the mile, these being the mean of two runs in opposite directions in each case. His very highest speed in one direction was at the rate of 172.331 miles an hour for a mile. Next day these records were improved on, although the terrific speed of the mile in one direc-' tion was not equalled. For the mean of two runs over a kilometre, Thomas's j average was 171.09 miles an hour, and for a mile 170.624 miles an hour, beating Malcolm Campbell's previous record by no less than 18 miles an hour. Even these speeds are not believed to be the greatest possible with the car, which misfired a great deal, and it is thought possible that Thomas can attain a speed of 200 miles an hour with it. The car was specially built for the late Counti Louis Zborowski originally, but Thomas has considerably improved the engine, ..which he really redosigncl. It is equipped with battery ignition and four, carburettors. Prior to going to Wales, Thomas also secured a number of world's and international records with the Leyland Thomas car, with which his name has most regularly been associated. By decision of the International As-, sociation 'of Recognised Automobile Clubs, which controls the sport of-mot--' oring in Europe, there are now two sets -of records. World's records are the fastest times, or greatest distances, done over certain fixed distances or periods of times, and unless a circular course is used it is provided that for distances up to and including one mile the time recognised must be the mean of tworuns in opposite directions with and against the wind. For the sake of simplicity, only a certain number of records will be recognised as world's, and they may be established by any description of car. International records are divided into classes according to the cubic capacity o* . tho engine, ■ and class B, in which Parry Thomas established records with his Leyland Thomas, is for cars of 5001 to 8000 c.c. The records he established, together with the recognised times at the beginning of the summer in England, were:—