FATAL CAPSIZE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22950, 31 January 1938, Page 11

FATAL CAPSIZE

RACING DRIVER KILLED DEATH OF BERND ROSEMEYER ATTEMPTING NEW RECORD (Received January 30, 5.5 p.m.) BERLIN. Jan. 29 The famous German racing driver, Bernd Rosemeyer, was killed when, in attempting to create a record on the new road between Frankfort and | Darmstadt, his car skidded and turned a somersault.

Rosemeyer was married to the airwoman, Elli Beinhorn, in 1936. Rosemeyer started his career at the age of 16 when he possessed driving licences for motor-cycles,- ' motor-cars , > and motor lorries. These, however yrere withdrawn.by the police, who disapproved of his escapades. Eventually, his licences were restored and in 1931 he became a motor-cycle racer, gaining ten dirt track prizes in that year. After winning a more important' contest in 1932 he was chosen to drive for the N.S.U., for which in two years»he

secured many successes.. Early in 1934 he went over to the D.K.W. On its motor-cycles he won the Eilenried contest and distinguished himself in reliability trials, winter tests', the Harz circuit and the six-day race. * * His first victory in motor-car races was in the Masaryk competition in September, 1935, when he defeated the famous drivers Nuvolari and Chiron. It was his success in the Nurburgring in June, 1936, that made his name. Driving in rain and fog, he averaged 117 kilometres an hour and reached the winning post 2 minutes 14 seconds before Nuvolari. In July, 1936, hte won a new triumph in carrying off the German Grand Prix with an average speed of 131.6 kilometres per hour. Competing in the United States last year, he drove the racing" car Silver Flash at 159.3 miles an hour, the highest speed ever recorded on an American track, and a few days later he followed up this triumph by winning iph© famous Vanderbilt Cup race in record time. ■<