“WIZARD” SMITH

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXI, Issue 305, 9 December 1931, Page 8

“WIZARD” SMITH

ARRIVAL AT AUCKLAND ATTEMPT ON LAND SPEED RECORD IN JANUARY. CONFIDENT OF SUCCESS. Auckland, Dec. 8. “The chances of my breaking the land speed record with the Fred H. Stewart Enterprise at Ninety Mile Beach are about a million to one on, as I consider the car is the best designed and built machine that has ever attempted to break the record,” said Norman “Wizard” Smith, the noted Australian racing motorist, on his arrival from Sydney by the Ulimaroa. “I am absolutely confident I will succeed and I am basing my opinion on the tremendous horse power developed by tho 12 cylinder Napier racing aero engine and the fact that my car has 34 per «ent. less head resistance than the Blue Bird 11, with which Sir Malcolm Campbell gained the present record, and the geueral efficiency of the datign of tho car.” Smith added that the racing car, designed and built by Don J. Harkness, of Sydney, was so streamlined that the terrific wind caused by its movement along the beach would tend to keep it firmly on the track. Smith said that in the event of an accident the car was swung so low that it would actually run on its wheels upside down. Smith had not seen Daytona, where the late Sir Henry Segrave and Sir Malcolm Campbell had nade their successful runs, but authorities who had seen both Daytona and the Ninety Mile Beach considered the Dominion track to be better. Moreover, although the engine of his car was of the same type as that in the Blue Bird and the Broad Arrow motor developed by Napier and Sons, Limited, of England, for the Schneider Trophy race in 1929, the plant in the Stewart Enterprise embodied several fresh modifications making for greater efficiency. The attempt on the record, which will take place during January when the tide and weather conditions permit, would be the first all British attack on the record for many years. In preliminary bench tests carried out before the car left Sydney it behaved perfectly. Smith said the machine, vaguely reminiscent of the late Sir Henry Segrave’s Golden Arrow, was stowed on the fore deck of tho Ulimaroa. Smith is accompanied by Mrs Smith, Mr C. L. Westcott, representing Lord Wakefield, Mr N. Nelson Alcock, one of the chemists on the staff of C. 0. Wakefield and Coy. Ltd., and others. It is announced that the Marine Department has decided that no motor cars will be allowed on Ninety Mile Beach during the attempt except those driven by officials. Smith stated that he would probably attack the ten miles and ten kilometres records first, then five miles and five kilometres, and finally one mile, the coveted land speed record. OTHERS PREPARING TO FOLLOW. London, Dec. 7. In view of the expectation that “Wizard” Smith will beat the record, Sir Malcolm Campbell’s Bluebird is being prepared for a fresh attempt at Daytona or New Zealand. Kaye Don's Silver Bullet is likely to be equipped with new engines capable of a max’ mum speed of 300 miles hourly. It is reported that an America 1 experimenting with a car fitted i.. Liberty aero engines.