Smith’s Attempt on the Worlds’ Speed Record

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17451, 27 December 1930, Page 9

Smith’s Attempt on the Worlds ’ Speed Record

MKYKR lias, a man 'faced a• big task with more confidence than . Norman Smith, who next March intends making an attempt on the Ninety ■Mile‘beach,.North Auckland, to better the late Sir Henry Segraveks record of StU.Mfi m.p.lt. Not only is he-coil* iident of bettering the existing figures, but of adding at least 40 miles per hour to the world Vfastcst land speed.

The raisons for Norman Smith's confidence is that he will have one of the finest and most efficient engines that Great. Britain,has produced —giving off' over one horse-power to every pound weight of metal. Although tho “ Hush Hush ’ ’ Napier engine, of which no details .are permitted by tho British Government, develops twice the - power of the engine in friegrave's “Golden Arrow," it bulks considerably smaller, enabling a lower set machine to be constructed. It will be the most efficient engine ever fitted in a chassis and its tremendous -power is made possible by perfect balancing, high revolutions, arid supercharging. Smith Confident.

Another important fact that makes Smith so eonliflcnt is the wonderful beach at Kaitaia, upon which he will make his attempt. At the Daytona Beach (U.vS.A.) upon which Segravc, Campbell andJvecch all established records; of over 200 m.p.h., there is only a nine-miles stretch of suitable hard sand available; the timed course 'being the central mile. Experts claim that its maximum speed carrying capacity has nearly 'been reached. On the Ninety Mile Beach there is a .10 mites stretch of perfect sand, so hard after the tide ’ has receded that a heavy pneumatic tyred vehicle leaves no indentation—only a slight feathering of the top grains, of the hard sand,.showing where the suction of the tyres has turned oyer’the -top'.film of sand. Smooth ns sglass, there is practically no vibration or dithering of wheels. A Good Surface.

Whon gcgrave recorded his last, groat drive at. Daytona, the “Golden 'Arrow,” 'through striking a small rut. on the beach, leap t; ( 47ft. lie lore touching the sand . again. .After Norman Smith's- run at 100 .ni.p.h. for ono mile amV-148 m.pvh.for .10 miles on’tho Ninety 3\tfle beach in January, 1030, ho examined the track of his car on the sand and in no instance was there evidence of the wheels ever having lost contact with the hard sand; furthermore, his car, even at 100-ni.p.h., called for no special effort in steering, in fact:, the machine almost steered.itself. i i i wiwii Summed '..up,'the reasons for Nor,man Smith’s • great confidence is that he litis-.-the finest engine ever used by any contender for the world’s speoijl Blue Riband, whilst he is satisfied tliat the Kaitaia beach is many miles faster and considerably safer than the .Daytona bench, upon which so many classic world ’s records'have* been established. . . .. The NfiT'ior -power unit arrived in Svdiiov ii-eceiTitly. and every '-effort as being madej at.-the': engineering works of Darkness turd Hilliev to have the car finished in ample time 'if or the great event, in March next.