AN IMPORTANT SPEED EVENT.

Southland Times, Issue 21073, 3 May 1930, Page 16

AN IMPORTANT SPEED EVENT.

the Indianapolis soo-mile race. The Indianapolis 500-mile race —one of the most important speed events of the world—will be decided in May on the Indianapolis Speedway, U.S.A, under new conditions. Since the inauguration of the race in 1911, the board of management, have endeavoured to make the race of definite value to motor engineering research in consistently diminishing the maximum cubic capacity allowed for engines of competing cars. It would seem that this restriction has played its part in helping to encourage engine eSiciency since it has prohibited the entry of ordinary stock models and has encouraged the use of specially built cars. So in future there will be no official examination in order to determine whether or not a car is standard. Instead, certain limitations with regard to accessories and racing will be imposed. Superchargers are prohibited on four-cycle engines, not more than two carburetters is permissible, while with poppet-valve engines there must not be more than two valves per cylinder. The weight regulations state that every car must weigh not less than 17501b5, that a two seater body must be fitted, and that the wheels must have a track of at least 54 inches.

Each competitor must put in a definite amount of practice on the track and must qualify for a place amongst the starting cars by covering ten laps of the course at not less than 84 m.p.h. The race should afford •an opportunity of judging the performance and staying power of stock model cars, which have been “tuned up” and modified for speed events.