SPEED THRILL

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 611, 13 March 1929, Page 9

SPEED THRILL

Segrave Shot Car at Targets, Sighting as with a Rifle CROWD LIKE BLACK WALL (United I*.A. —By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian and X.Z. Press Association > LONDON, TuesdayMAJOIi 11. O. 1). Segrave used his ear like a rifle when he easily broke the world's speed record at Daytona Beach. Florida. He used ordinary rifle sights fixed to the bonnet of the ear, and, aiming for a large are-light placed at each end of the measured mile, hurled the Golden Arrow forward at prodigious speed.

Major Segrave, in a trans-Atlantic | telephone message from Daytona, told the story of his achievement to the “Daily Mail.” Me said: “The conditions were bad. Wind ruffled the sands, and floating wisps of mist reduced the visibility. I should not have started, but I had waited for a fortnight, and my American competitor could not make the attempt until I completed mine. “I managed to keep a straight course on to the timing slips. My impressions were brief but exhilarating. The arc lights showed up like a blurred glow from the mist. “I saw in front of me one of the lights rushing up to meet me. There was an immense black wall on my flank. This was a solid mass of 100,000 people, among whom individuals were indistinguishable, watching the Golden Arrow. “Flagposts were rushing by on my other flank. They resembled a straight line across a piece of typewritten paper. “My worst experience was during the second run. A mile has also to be covered in the opposite direction, and the speed of both runs is averaged to establish the record. • The offside radiator of my car burst and shot up a great cloud of steam and water. Fortunately it was near the end of the run, and I only had to hang on for a fraction of a second.’* • Sir Charles Wakefield, who is an ardent supporter of Major Segrave, is delighted at the latter’s success. He said: “Segrave’s is the world’s greatest achievement. He is perhaps the most courageous Englishman of his decade. I believe he will win the blue riband of motor-boat racing with my boat, Miss England. Then Britain will hold all three records which count, for she is already supreme in the air. This is the proudest day of my life. I have worked for it for years.” AMERICAN CHALLENGER It is reported this evening at Daytona Beach that Major Segrave says he will attempt to attain a speed of 240 miles an hour if a minute inspection of the Golden Arrow shows that the attempt is feasible. Captain Irving, who designed the car, says he believes it could reach a speed of 300 miles an hour.

Mr. J. M. White, owner of the car which established the former record, will attempt to have Major Segrave's new record beaten to-morrow in his car, Triplex. He says there is more speed in it than anyone will ever be able to get out of it. The result of the attempt will depend entirely upon the law of gravity. A British Official Wire Tess message says Major Segrave, in his first run over the course, covered the mile in 15.55 seconds, at a speed of over 2311 miles an hour. His run back took 15.57 seconds, the speed being 231 1-5 miles an hour. The average of these two constitutes the record. Segrave. after his successful run. paid a warm tribute to Captain Irving, designer of the Golden Arrow, and also to the sportsmanship of his American rivals and the spectators.