Attempt On Car Speed Record

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31989, 16 May 1969, Page 13

Attempt On Car Speed Record

An attempt to break the New Zealand car land-speed record of 173.8 miles an hour is to be made in Canterbury within the next few weeks. The attempt will be made by the Matamata racing driver, D. McDonald, who will drive the special 3-litre Ferrari previously owned by P. Hoare. The car is at present being prepared for the attempt in a Christchurch garage. By

the time the car is ready, the preparations will have taken nearly a month.

The car speed record—officially known as the national flying-start kilometre sprint record—is held by M. F. Stanton. In November, 1958, Stanton averaged 173.8 m.p.h. through the kilometre in the Gypsy aero-engined “cropduster” special built by himself and his brother, C. Stanton.

This record is officially in the class for cars between 5000 e.c. and 8000 c.c., there has been no record set for cars of over 8000 c.c.

As well as attempting the outright car record, McDonald will try to break the present record for cars with engines between 2000 c.c. and 3000 c.c. This record was set at 157.40 m.p.h. in 1959, by F. Shuter, driving an BCLT Maserati. The Ferrari which McDonald will drive was originally a single-seater 1959 Vl2 Dino, owned and raced by Hoare, who won the New Zealand single-seater championship with it during the 1961-62 season.

With the aid of plans supplied by Ferrari, Hoare later converted the car to a road-

going two-seat “grand tourer." It is now owned by L. Fow, of Hamilton. Permission has been obtained for two cars to make record-attempt runs, and. the record may yet be contested by another car as well as the Ferrari. The attempt is being organised by the Motor Racing Club, which also organises the Lady Wigram Trophy Race. The runs—there must be consecutive runs in opposite directions within one hourwill be timed by certified watches tripped by a photoelectric cell.