IN A SPEED CAR

Hokitika Guardian, 27 October 1932, Page 8

IN A SPEED CAR

. .pisS,ENGERW''#XPERIENCES. AT 115 MILES AN HOUR. “Hospital”....This/ . word impressed itseif most, viyidly on my. mind, as 1 clung precariously; tp, tup, mechanic's seat of ong-. of the yvorld'si.fastest, yaor i'ng Pars driven. 'by one ;pf the., fastest drivers during a record-brea king la p of the Tourist Trophy, course at Bel fast,., writes *a. - correspondent of the Rost,”. London. jt; is. not, altogether to bo wondered at for the wprd was written in large letters on a itotice board which,; flanked by rows and row's of spectators, rushed towards us af nearly 115 miles an hour. In ope case .a, , Cfir ..passe i clean under another while the second was-.fn tne air. It was a sort of life* and-death leap-frog. , ..

The .record lap was done by IJ-ord Howe, with myself in the mechanic s seat, the time being 10 minutes ,15 .second- for 13 2-5 .miles cn average of ..miles an hour. The car was Lord, Howe’s racing Alfa Rompo, stripped and specially turned to last' ounce by the Italian manufacturers. . Y

•j: “J( persuaded : liord Howe, tp take, rue wjth him on llis final practice, lap, and after pJljr of goggles, 1 into the narrow, seat. Lord Howe :frpm ’ jjfiVry..CornerJ ~she first sharp turn .of the course, on iW'bafi was -to prove the fastest lap ->f the ,day. The back of the seat, she t mo forward like/ a hydraulic ram. The needle of the engine revolutiaus counter swung over, the, dial to -50(i(J st minute, and f,hen' : began one of the most thrilling ten.minutes I havexperienced. Only .about a dozen times before, during war-time, aerial battles have I known speh exhilaration. Although the course includes many longj straight stretches, was tne terrific pace. tl|at , twice we took , the pavement in, order to cut, the coruo- s tol the lutmost Ain»it..„,Rrpm, start -to finish ( { was being pressed to one or' .'he .ofher side, of the seat -with the tires screaming and the car slithering round,: seemingly pm. the ppiut, of. plun-ing to destruction, but always responding to t -the : .resolute touch of bor| Kpwe..,. j , V 1- found that ..I,,obtained; the biggest -.thrijl - when corners ,were kemg approached;, at speed, j-This- is...where .road racing is so much; more -exciting than track;-racing. • To rush straight' for a blpclcydf buildiligs, :with-.specta-tors at .tbd i: windows r.nd more ohiste.--irigjon the footpath,' and to delay the/(instant of braking until ,it seems ,;impossible L that thd r ear yill stop in time,. produces great emotional tension.