MOTOR RACING IN U.S.A

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 930, 25 March 1930, Page 6

MOTOR RACING IN U.S.A

“CUTTING OUT THE FRILLS”; NEW RULES FOR INDIANAPOLIS Motor racing in America is destined during the coming year to experience a revival of its oldtime verve and colour. Of late it has suffered from overspecialisation, and with this thought in mind those who direct its destinies are going to try to bring back the time when two-man cars comparable to the passenger cars in daily use were providing the popular interest in the motor races. Specifications for tlie 500-mile Indianapolis classic, or the American Grand Prix, as it is now named, next May, call for the abandonment of the cars specially built for the race track and the entry in their place of cars that are adapted from regular production chassis, or represent the embodiment of new engineering principles which would benefit the passenger automobile in regular use. Contrasted with the trend toward smaller piston displacement is the allowance of a maximum engine size of 366 cubic inches. For the last 15 years, displacement of racing engines has diminished until it was fixed at 911- cubic inches. Power plants of this size made their first appearance at Indianapolis in 1926, and have held sway since that time. ROOM FOR MECHANIC Of popular interest is the item in the specifications which concerns the i type of body that will make its bowl on the famous brick oval on May 30.1 It is required that the cars must have | bodies with two seats to permit a mechanic to ride with the driver. This I was the custom in the early days of, racing in the United States, and j never was abandoned abroad. There is a definite consideration of !

safety behind this new specification, in that there have been accidents which, it is believed, were traceable to fatigue or lapse of some sort on the part of the driver, which might have been prevented if he had had a companion. Wheelbase is not restricted beyond the stipulation that the car must be so constructed that it can be handled with ease and safety. Weight is limited to a minimum of 7Mb. for each cubic inch of piston displacement. There is a minimum irrespective of displacement that is fixed at 1,7501 b., 1 the car being weighed without fuel, oil or water. Tread measurement must be within 54 to 60 inches. The supercharger, conceded to be the greatest single item of expense in connection with the car, will disappear as a racing automobile’s accessory. The new specifications prohibit supercharging. Carburetion is limited to two of these units with the stipulation, however, that a duplex I carburettor, even though it has but a j single float chamber, will be regarded I as two carburettors. TWO BRAKING SYSTEMS The Indianapolis specifications for 193-0 also call for two independent braking systems. The primary system will be required to give maximum efficiency on all four wheels. There will be a standard braking test devised by the Indianapolis race committee which cars will be made to pass. A declutching device must be included in the transmission system, and there must be a reverse speed. The new requirements are designed particularly to eliminate the type of race car that costs from £2,000 to £3,000, is built only for racing purposes and is expensive to maintain. The purpose back, of the movement, it is said by the engineers and race experts who formulated the Indianapolis specifications, is to place in the races cars so equipped that their performance %ay be directly related to the ordinary passenger automobile.