The Speed Record

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 534, 11 December 1928, Page 9

The Speed Record

Sc grave will Make New Attempt in February One of the most difficult problems in connection with the attempt by Major H. O. D. Segrave in February to regain for Britain the world’s fastest land speed record on the sands at Day tona, Florida, is stated to have been satisfactorily solved. The 1,000 h.p. car is designed to travel at a speed oi at least 240 miles an hour, with a

possible maximum of 260. But steering at that speed is another matter. It has been the car with sights just like a rifle and to steer It miicli as a bullet is directed to its target. The car itself is shaped like a projectile. To time this particular record (the stop-watch is far too inaccurate at such speeds), the driver is required to drive his car over electrical timing strips. These are laid out on the sand at the beginning and end of the measured mile course. They are about 26ft. in length and are indicated by two posts like goalposts. It is estimated that Major Segrave will require a run of four and d-half miles to reach his maximum speed, and he will make his start at this distance from the electrical timing wire. Two immense targets are to be erected at Daytona on scaffolding above the timing wires both at the start and finish of the measured mile. Each at its centre will have a big bull’s-eye. The sights on the car and the bull’seye will, be magnified by means of a telescope fixed to the car. The driver, looking through the telescope, will get the car’s sight in line with the centre of the bottom of the bull’s-eye (6 o’clock of the bull), and drive straight at it. As he hurtles under the first target suspended over the start of the timed disance he will pick up the target at the end of the timed distance, steering in the same manner as before. FOUR MILES A MINUTE By this means he hopes to keep a dead-straight course. How necessary this is is clear when the speed of the car is considered. At 240 miles an hour the car travels four miles a minute, or one mile in 15 seconds, or, to reduce it further, a quarter of a. mile in under four seconds. The slightest wandering off the straight line might easily carry him into the sea and mean disaster. ‘Tt is quite impossible to steer-accur-ately by ordinary objects,” Major Segrave says. “The flags marking the course are merely one blurred line. The timing posts are too far away to be visible at the start, and when you get near to them they simply jump at you. This new method of steering should be of enormous assistance to me in my attempt.” The cost of Major Segrave’s car is being borne by two wealthy London business men, and runs into many thousands of pounds. They are both anxious to see the record regained for Britain, but one of their stipulations was that the designer should guarantee that the risk run by Major Segrave should be reduced to the lowest possible limit. This latest development is one of the safety features.