TIMING OF RECORDS

Shannon News, 30 November 1928, Page 4

TIMING OF RECORDS

Timing racing cars at modern speeds is great problem, and sonic ingenious electrical apparatus has been designed for the purpose, the cost of which frequently runs into very large sums of money. It is comparatively easy for a clever mechanic to devise a system whereby a stopwatch can be started and stopped by electricity, but i/. the majority of cases this lays it 1 self open to the objection that the watch is placed in a strong magnetic field, which will almost certainly affect its accuracy, and when cars, are covering their courses at more than 100 or even 200 miles an hour, a small variation of time may make a considerable difference in average speed. The. latest idea spoken of is one in France,* in which it is proposed to utilise a beam, of light to record the start and , conclusion of a record attempt.. A highpowered headlight is placed on one, side ot the road, and its beam directed on a film running at a known speed and driven electrically on the other side. The racing car in passing will cross the beam of light, and this interruption will be shown, it is claimed, to very fine measurements of time on the film.