MOTOR RACING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21148, 4 October 1930, Page 8

MOTOR RACING.

ADVANTAGES OF NINETY-MILE BEACH. FAMOUS MOTORISTS EXPECTED. (Special to Daily Times.) \ WELLINGTON, October 3. , Zealand is likely to be tile scene before long of attempts on the world’s motor speed record. Norman Smith has already taken definite' steps. The advantages possessed by the Ninety-mile Beach, north of Auckland, were given publicity in England by Mr H. J. Butcher, a member of the(executive of the Auckland Automobile Association, who returned to New Zealand by the Rangitata. to-day, and from his account of the methods he used in exploiting the beach as the best stretch for racing purposes in the world it may be legitimately supposed that one of the leading racing motorists. will' turn his attention to New Zealand as a held on which the existing speed record may be broken. Kaye Don, when he failed at Daytona to break Captain Segrave’s record,’put most of the blame on the beach, ‘ A good surface of sufficient length, measured in, a perfectly straight line, is of sufficient rarity to be one of the wonders of the world. In Auckland, those, interested in motor racing have - plenty of, ground for, believing that the Ninety-mile Beach is the finest available course in the world. It was on this stretch last year that Norman (Wizard) Smith, an Australian motorist, broke unofficially the world’s 10-mile record.' “We realised that we had a good beach, ” said Mr Butcher, “and we made up our minds accordingly to put it before interested people in -England. When Malcolm Campbell went to South Africa about, 18 months ago he would never have attempted a record there if he had known.of the Ninety-mile Beach in New Zealand. When I reached England 1 went straight to the Royal- Automobile Club, with whom the Auckland Automobile Association is affiliated. No one could have been received better or had more done for them. They helped me in every way to put the Ninety-mile Beach Before the leading drivers of England, including Malcolm Campbell, Kayo Don, and Captain Birkin.” Mr Butcher had prepared fairly completely for his campaign. Ho had with 1 him a film of the beach, as well as many maps and photos. About 160 racing drivers, including every driver of note, were present at a special dinner presided over by Lord Howe, himself a race driver, and the- film, .maps, and pictures were shown. “Befor> that evening was over,” said Mr Butcher, “ I convinced every one of them that the Ninety Mile Beach was the only one of its kind and the best in the world.” Campbell, .Don, and Birkin all wished to attempt the record when the advantages. of the beach were explained to them, but such attempts cost a good deal. South Africa,” said Mr Butcher, “the attempt cost £22,000, exclrding £IOOO spent by the South- African Government in levelling the track." Kaye Don still had the car which he took to Daytona, but there was no doubt that the machine, had not been 1 capable of breaking the record. It would have to be altered before another attempt on the record was made, but if someone would put up the money Don was willing to come out to New Zealand, interested in New Zealand had tried to get the Government to provide a sum for the purpose of an attempt on the speed record, but the Government had declined assistance. Mr Butcher hoped for somb scheme by which a sum of money could be raised. A friend had remarked to him that if a world speed record were established in New Zealand it would be wn advertisement worth £IOO,OOO to the Dominion. Sir Thomas Wilford was keenly interested in the plan. Another purpose of his visit to England had been to arrange for the .manufacture and purchase of an electric timing for Auckland, said Mr Butcher. The ordinary contact type was not suitable for a wide beach. Metallic strips could not safely be used. The latest type was on a beam principle, which worked satisfactorily from one side of a 300-foot track to the other. An apparatus of this kind, costing £4OO, bad been manufactured by an English firm, and was to bo taken over to Paris for test purposes at the middle of the present month. When “Wizard" Smith returned to New Zealand in January the apparatus would be available.