PROMISING TRACK

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 862, 4 January 1930, Page 1

PROMISING TRACK

90 MILE BEACH INSPECTED FOR SMITH’S CAR FROM HUKATERE TO TE ARAI H A careful and detailed inspection of the Ninety-mile Beach from Ahipara to Scott’s Point, to locate the best portion of the beach for Norman (“Wizard”) Smith to make an attempt to raise his one-mile record and then attack the world’s 10-miles record, was made recently by Colonel Allan Bell and Mr. L. Keene, of Te Paki. That portion of the beach lying between Ahipara and Hukatere was soon ruled out, owing to its very pronounced curve, and the fact that owing to the wet season there './ere numerous creeks emptying into the sand. The course selected, which is that portion lying between Hukatere and Mangonui Bluff, is ideal for the purpose of racing the speedy “Anzac." From Hukatere to Te Arai, a distance of 165 miles, it is almost dead straight, and from Te Arai to Mangonui Bluff, a distance of 1J miles, there is only a very slight curve to the westward, which at dead low water will not appreciably affect the course. On the whole length of this splendid stretch of sandy beach the track is as level as the proverbial billiard table, absolutely free from watercourses or depressions of any kind. There is all probability of it being the finest world’s motor speed track. Given suitable conditions, the “Wizard” should have little difficulty in adding to his rapidly lengthening list of laurels in the motoring world of Australia and New' Zealand.