Speed Record

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 468, 25 September 1928, Page 6

Speed Record

Major Segrave Plans Big Attempt Next Year With hopes of attaining 260 m.p.h. on land, and 100 m.p.h. on the water. Major H. O. D. Segrave will attempt to break the existing world’s record for boat and car early next year at Daytona Beach, TJ.S.A. A model of the car has been tested in wind tunnels at the National Physical Laboratory, England, with the result that a minimum speed of four miles a minute is expected to be reached, and possibly 260 miles an hour. The car is shaped like an immense cigar or shell, and by this scientific streamlining a great amount of horsepower is saved. It is equipped with a 450 h.p. 12cylinder engine, developing 1,000 h.p. similar to the engine used by FlightLieutenant Webster, the winner of the Schneider Cup. Tyres will be supplied by the Dunlop Company, which will be capable of withstanding a speed of 260 m.p.h. Big Hydroplane The motor-boat is a single step hydroplane, 30ft long and 7ft wide, with a Schneider-cup engine and two propellers to prevent the twisting sideways, which is possible with one. Major Segrave admits the dangers are that the boat will somersiault backwards or dive straight down when it reaches 90 m.p.h. and states that 100 miles on water is twice as difficult as 240 on land. Recently, Gar Wood, America, travelled at an estimated speed of 105 miles an hour in a motor-boat. Although these attempts will constitute a great gamble with his life, Major Segrave—who was the first man to achieve a speed of 200 miles an hour on land—is generally acknowledged to be one of the finest —if not the finest — driver the world has produced. No man has had greater or more successful experience of racing, and none is better qualified to attempt these records. He aims not only at beating the world speed record of 207.55 miles an hour, but taking the figure much higher than has ever been reached on land before.