125 M.P.H. TRIAL

Evening Star, Issue 20998, 12 January 1932, Page 6

125 M.P.H. TRIAL

"ENTERPRISE "ON THE REACH SMITH MAY ATTEMPT RECORD TO-DAY [Per United Press Association.] NINETY MILE BEACH, Jan. 11. “ 1 like the car very much indeed. I did 125 miles an hour on a stiff throttle,” said “Wizard” Smith at the conclusion of the first trial run of the Enterprise this afternoon. The beach was bad yesterday, and the party was considering closing down till January 22, but there was a big improvement to-day, and Smith decided to test the car. About 5 o’clock the car was towed out of the garage on to the course. After a false start tho Enterprise got going properly, and raced down the beach with the exhaust roaring, but well throttled down. As he was running on road tyres he only made a run of about four and a-half miles, and the car was then towed back to tho garage. “Wizard” Smith later stated that he reached 125 miles an hour, and said lie was very satisfied with the performance of the car, which was wonderfully cool after the spin. Mr J. H. Mostyn, Smith’s manager, was also pleased. “The ten and fivemile records are in our pockets,” ho said, “and we ought to have no difficulty with the flying mile.” He predicted that Smith would attain 245 miles an hour in the five-mile dash, and 285 miles an hour in tho mile. It was stated earlier that Mr Butcher and the timing officials were going back to Auckland to-morrow unless the conditions improved, but Smith now states that he will make the attempt tomorrow if the beach and wind are right. He will try for the ten-mile at least. The telegraph office at the beach is remaining open till Wednesday.

RADIO OFFICE, {Per Umitbd Press Association.] WELLINGTON, January 11. The Telegraph Department notifies that the radio telegraph office recently opened at Ninety Mile Beach, in connection with the proposed motor speed trial, will be closed from Wednesday evening till January 22.

TO-MORROW MORNING SMITH WILL ESSAY 10-MILE RECORD BEACH SMOOTH AND FIRM [Per United Press Association.] NINETY MILE BEACH, January 12. “ Wizard ” Smith will attempt to break the ten-mile record at low tide (about 7 a.m.) to-morrow. There was a wonderful improvement in the beach yesterday, and it is better to-day. By to-morrow it should be very smooth, and everything should favour Smith breaking the record held by Marchant with a speed of 137.21 miles an hour. Mr Butcher and the timing officials decided to stay on until Wednesday at least. At 5 o’clock yesterday, the Enterprise was warmed up in the garage, and then towed to the beach. Smith took the car some distance up the course. At first it would not start, but after being towed a short way it burst into life. She was throttled well down, as she was running on road tyres only, but it was announced after the run that Smith reached 125 miles an hour in a four and a-half mile dash. AH connected with the project are more than pleased with the car’s performance. The driver was very enthusiastic, “ I like the feel of the car very much,” he said. “I got 125 miles out of her on only a stiff throttle.” Mr Mostyn (Smith’s manager) was also pleased, predicting that Smith will attain 245 miles an hour on a livemile dash, and he would raise the flying mile record by at least forty miles an hour. The London ‘ Daily Mall ’ tried to talk over radio telephone to Smith last night, but, owing to static interference, the talk was postponed till Wednesday.