SPEED TRIALS

Evening Star, Issue 21655, 26 February 1934, Page 1

SPEED TRIALS

MOTOR CYCLES AND LIGHT GARS INTERFERING WIND AT WAIKOUAITI Tii© motor cycle and light car sections of the Otago Motor Club conducted speed trials over a half-mile course on the Waikouaiti Beach on Saturday afternoon. A fair numer of entries were received, but the success of the meeting was marred to a certain extent by the particularly unfavourable conditions. From a flying start the competitors had to make two runs over a measured half-mile —one with and one against the wind—the runs being electrically timed, and the mean of the two times being taken. On the’ upward run, with a strong wind behind them, the riders registered fairly good performances, but on the return they were forced to ride into tlie wind, with the result that their speed was reduced considerably. The tide, moreover, did not recede to anywhere near the normal low-water mark, and the surface of the beach was, in consequence, slow and holding. In the cycle section the best rides of the day were made by J. R, Swan and P. H. N. Lyders, both of whom used the ■ same Harley-Davidsan machine. With the wind. Swan covered the distance in 18 2-ssqc, and made the return journey in 20 3-ssec, his mean time being 'l9 3-6 sec, which gave an approximate speed of 91.8 miles per hour. Lyders was a fifth .of a second faster on the outward run, but coming hack he could not better 20 3-ssec, so that the mean of his two times was 19 2-ssec, Lyders’s speed in the first run was 98.70 miles per hour and Swan’s 97.71 mile& per hour. A H. Clarke, driving a stripped and specially-tnned Austin Seven, took the honours in the light car class, his outward and return times being 31sec and 40sec respectively, and his mean time 351 sec, which gave him an average speed of 51 miles an hour. Johnson, whose mean time was 41 3-ssec, and Halfrow (43|fsrc). did remarkably well in view of the fact that their cars, both

of which had coupe bodies, were handicapped severely when running against the wind. The following are the results, the mean time being shown in paren* theses:— MOTOR CYCLES. Up to 351 c.c. R. A. Lorraine (A.J.S.), 24 3-ssee and 28sec (26 3-ssec) ...• X The only competitor. Over 350 and under 501 c.c. . P. H. Lvders (Harley), 18 l-sseo and 20 3-ssec (19 2-ssec) .„. ... 1 J. R. Swan (Harlev), 18 2-ssec and 20 3-ssec (19 3-ssec) ... ... 2 J. Haves (Cotton), 21 and 25 2-ssec | (23"1-ssec) ... ... 3 Also competed: H. R. Rendall (A.J.S.), 23 2-ssec. MOTOR CARS. Up to 750 c.c. A. H. Clarke (Austin), "31s.ec and 40sec (35isec) ..; ... 1 L. Johnson (Austin), 32 2-5 and 50 4-5 (41 3-5) ... ' 2 L. A. Halcrow (Austin), 33 1-5 and 53 4-5 (43j) 3 The only competitors. Over 1,201 c.c. i J. Hayes (Chrysler), 27 3-ssec and i Slsec (29 2-ssec) ... ... I IT. J. Turner (Wolseley Hornet), 29 3-ssec and 33 2-ssec (31|sec) 2 The only competitors.