MOTOR RECORD

Hokitika Guardian, 14 March 1929, Page 5

MOTOR RECORD

(United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

LONDON, March 13

How Major Segraves’ £20,000 Golden Arrow car came to be bin It is itself a romance. The man financially responsible is Air Olliver Piper, the wealthy Managing-Director of a cement combine, a friend of Sograve’s who had never seen a motor race. One day lie - heard Segravc saying what a pity it was that Britain iiad lost the record, adding that he could regain it if he had a free hand to design a car. Mr Piper said: “1 have the completest confidence m you, Major. Why don’t you get on with it?”

Air Piper states: “? had the money, and ho had the brains. He got on with it. There it is. It is worth it, because all Britain thinks that we have given the Americans .something to heat now.”

THE AAIERICAN DELAYED

NEAY YORK, March 13

High winds at Dayton Beach prevented White’s triplex car from showing to advantage against Segrave’s record. The former record car, driven by a local pilot, made two runs in the wind to-day, averaging 180 miles per hour, after which it was decided the visibility was too poor to continue. Late to-day the conditions began to improve rapidly, so a furtner trial should be made quickly. Thousands of people are waiting to see the run.

ATTEMPT ENDS IN DISASTER

LEE 818 EE KILLED

(Received this dav at 9.25. a.m.) NEW YORK, March 13. Lee Bible crashed into sand dunes and was killed at Dayton Beach to-day while travelling at two hundred and two miles an hour, attempting a world’s record in J. Al. AVhit.es Triplex racer. STORY OF CRASH. NEW YORK, March 13. The Daytona Beach crash occurred when Bible, inexperienced in speeding on this stretch, sent the car too near the surf. He attempted to swerve hack, but turned the wheel too sharply and the Triplex overturned like a toy, the motor crashing against a sand dune. This occurred two miles north of the grandstand on the northbound run. The car caught fire as it overturned. Bible, who qualified this morning to drive, was caught crushed under the wreckage. The swerving car struck a Pathe News cameraman standing on the sand dune, and cut him in two. The Triplex was moving at approximately 200 miles an hour when wrecked. Just previously in one northward run, Bible registered 183.12 miles an hour. NEAV YORK, Alarch 13. The sand dune was occupied by two cameramen, one off whom leapt to safety. The other was killed, and has been identified as R. AI. Trove. Bible was caught in a three-ton mass of twisted steel, but the' crumpled body was pulled clear before the car caught fire. Turning the machine to begin the second run, Bible remarked: ‘‘lt looks like a good day for a record.” He waved his hand and was off. Speeding by the judge’s stand for the second run, Bible was clocked at 202./0 miles an hour. He then crashed in a great cloud of dry sand. Major Segrave, who witnessed the accident, remarked; “He is through with racing in his car ifor a year,” and then when he realised the full extent of the accident, said: “ It is a \ei.\ tcgrettable affair.” A thousand people lined the trackwatching, but a mere handful stood near the point where the wreck occuired. One of them was the Triplex’s owner, who was close to his friend Bilile. He rushed to the scene to remove the body from the wreck. Yal Ha reshape (Secretary of the Automobile Contest Board) announced the trials are over for the year, alter this regrettable accident.