1930-07-19 — Page 14

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, MOTORING SUPPLEMENT.

IS IT

WORTH

WHILE?

A Review of Past Speed Trials at Daytona.

even

SATURDAY, JULY 19, 1930.

CROCKS.

driving . M. White's ill-fated Personally, I find it hard to As for the public, they see a ELIMINATING Triplex and attempting to better imagine it possible on Daytons sport in which there is no chance Segrave's record, was killed Beach,

under

One man goes the most of Iouling." instantly when the car swerved favourable circumstances. When alone against the common enemies into a sand dune. A news Kaye Don was quietly exertising of speed-friction, inertia, wind- the machine camera man was struck by the the Silver Bullet at something pressure-and skidding 'car and also killed. under 190 miles per hour, a small decides whether he wins or loses. uneven patch, a mere ripple on the sand, caused his giant

Useless Velocities,

Suspense.

The element of suspense which a distance of about eight feet. is present in any other sport-is But to return to early experi-also here, though in a different ments. Just as the century was form from that furnished by any

That fiend Speed has a tremen-machine to leave the ground for I returned a few weeks ago from as 2,000 miles, many of them have dous urge, and there is no doubt With many that in the past racing has meant Daytona Beach, whose wave-swept been there before.

4 morbid sands are universally, acclaimed there seems to be

a deal in the development of the as the world's fastest and most interest. They have seen the automobile, but now that speeds perfect land speed course. Imost appalling accidents, for the watched Kaye Don in his efforts beach has taken its toll of life have been attained which are quite impracticable for ordinary past years. Of the four to break the world's record of 231 in

roads, the man in the street or miles an hour. He had bad luck drivers who have attained a speed the ordinary motor owner is be from the very outset, chielly owing of more than 200 miles an hour, ginning to ask the question: Is it to the fact that the winds were Major Campbell is the only one really worth while? in the wrong direction; thus live.

RUDD

| RIFLE SIGHT'S

In the early days of racing, and It was twenty-seven years ago that this speed course first attract- ed the attention of the motor world, a few pioneers raced their; primitive vehicles at the dangerous speed of 69 miles an hour over the beach. To-day, 4 British champion, whose ultra-modern

has super-car

been designed entirely for the purpose of travel- ling faster than man ever has done on the smooth firm sands, plans to dash past thousands of spectators at the tremendous speed of 250 miles an hour,

This famous beach has wit- nessed every stage in the develov-

ment of the automobile from its early days." Designs changed year after year with the change of fashions, but changed with a purpose-speed..

Living in Daytona' to-day is one of America's pioneer automobile

Pirate, driven by 11. T. Thomas, figured in the 1903 meet, as did the Winton "Bullett" with Barney Oldfield at the wheel in 1904, Arthur C. Macdonald was the first British driver to enter the races

ד.

Wholesale Scrapping.

U.S. MAKERS' SCHEMES.

A scheme for scrapping old and unsafe cars has been adopted in America, and some manufacturers are buying old crocks for wholesale junking."

To the Ford plant at River Rouge dealers are invited to bring in "jun- kors," for which they are paid : a fair price. All the inflammable material is torn of the wrecks, and they are then broken up, to make material for the steel furnaces

General Motors have a plan of Awards of dealers for scrapping cars! that constitute a danger on the road, and the Dodge Brothers' Corporation has a standing offer to all its dealers, by which will as sist them in the purchase and de striction of unsafe vehicles

Acording to traffic authorities, there are many old derelicts which are dangerous on American roads. If they are licensed drivers, the owners are allowed to use them, and their complete breakdown · in only a matter of time.

A company, known as the Detroit Auto Salvage Corporation, was En- anced by Detroit motor interests to buy up old and dangerous cars. The company has a plant which can wreck 3000 cars per day, but

Viewed from the rear, Kaye Don's. "Silver Bullet" shows- tts rudders for keeping it in a straight line and ita stabilizer, for holding it down against the upward force of the wind. getting under way, cara began to game in which an event takes appear on Daytona Beach, and at place at a stated hour or a stated other points in the State, as men day. These speed trials may take of wealth came south to enjoy place at any daylight hour of any the winter climate. S. T. Davies, day during a period of two weeks. of the Automobile Club of This year the time was extended.

winter resident from West ditions, and the public is warned enough cars turned in to permit Somerville, are the earliest record by a siren two hours before each its making a profit. ed motorists on the beach, both of trial is to be made. Once the whom appeared in 1900 and met siren has blown, the whole city with rather unfriendly reception. is tense with suspense..

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RAIL MONOPOLY.

(Continued from Page E.)

builders, Ransom E. Olds; his America, and J. F. Hathaway, a The racers must await ideal con- till recently there have not beenwayowned lines want it goes with-

1903, under

lessons that the whole world can

cheating,"

out saying. Apparently the general public is not adequately organised to make any impressive protest against it.

However, on the second day of

Organised racing had its begin- This year there have been long unlikely that one of the greatest and set a new record in 1905 with ning on the beach in February,days of waiting when nothing learn is that here is a sporting debate in the House a number of

the direction of particular happened, and after a attempt in which there can be no Senator W. J. Morgan, of Newark spell of waiting it becomes

chicanery. no fe had participated in the bicycle irksome, especially to the news fudging, and which epitomises the against it. One representative no representatives, argued hotly paper men who have travelled supreme quality of manhood, in indicated that under existing con- long distances to send the best re- which one's life and one's efforts ditions the public is protected by ports. Is it a wonder, then, that are cast in one throw of the dice competition from poor service and The first tournament, 26th-28th stories sometimes get through for success or failure. Men must extortionate charges. February, saw. Winton with one discussing the pros and cons of alwave have stars to which their

Primitive Racers,

his Napier. From those days the evolution of the car moved rapid- Hy, and finally came the era of

to-day, with great monster races of the year before. machines few men can drive, built by millionaires and sportsmen for|

end-world supremacy in speed.

The Moderns.

one

moment,

The bill,

Makera Will Suffer.

of his earliest cars, the Red Bullet, whether the racer will make the wagon may be hitched. As long he added, creates a monopoly and make a speed of 68.96 miles an attempt, which are liable to miss youth holds the spirit of adven-subjects the public to a system

The lead the public, and sometimes the The late Sir Henry Segrave hour over the mile course.

to dare every achievement of man, led the new parade in 1927, Bullet and Pirate of 1903 locked star turn of the meeting, and the to some young man will be born of regulation for protection, Kaye Don finget), British racer, and the "Silver Bullet."

no matter what sanctions may be startled when he

like freaks when compared to the possible hero of one the world

trim, scientifically designed suffers in consequence of mass withdrawn. or regulations in Manufacturers of 'buses and by z dash of 200 miles an

The disappointment, when of to-day.

suspense opposition be adopted. power-plants Frank Lockhart was killed in hour.

It has equipment will suffer severely af causing the sand to be uneven.}

To-day, 250 is the goal. Winton car, forerunner of to-day's and expectation have been run: been thus since the beginning of the bill becomes a law. Earlier Thousands of farmers made a 1928, when his car blew a tyre on To-morrow it will be 300. What pilgrimage from the middle-West, the beach and went out of control will be the speed in 1940?

time, and it will always be thus.[prospects for the development of eight-cylinder cars, had its motorning. very high? Five

The Human Element,

The lure of speed is eternal. To increased 'bus transportation. and day after day, took up posi-while travelling in the neighbour-hundred miles an hour probably strung under the high chassis

the eye-witness these speed throughout the country this sum. tions of vantage along the beach hood of 200 miles an hour.is not beyond the realm of possi- with its big wooden wheels. The

Individual enterprise must lead tests must bring car was cooled, by a radiator to watch the intrepid driver per Keech, who broke Segraves record bility.

disappoint-mer will be obliterated, and a form a miracle, or die in the of 20 miles an hour with one of lightning flash of straight-away which stuck out in front like a a life which, after all, must be ment, one finsh, or rather a blur steady diminishing of demand, attempt.

207, was killed in 1929. Only action is, like the seed itself, bale of hay, and the working parts given sooner or later by each of on the beach, one loud, cylinder until it becomes virtually negli

covered by box-like us. For a moment the efforts of report like the firing of a gun, and gible, appears simost inevitable. Some of them have come as far last year Lee, Bible, who was entirely problematical.

enclosure The only stream that individual become the dreams if is all over, and at what tremen- The public, too, will suffer in that lining was produced by the way and efforts of the nation-the eyes dous cost to the machine, those it will lose a cheaper transporta the driver Arched his back in the of all the world become focussed life "all out" is but a brief apan tion service than the railroads can bucket seat, perched high on the fon the attempt. And it is not of six minutes!

afford.

The scene of such a

DEPENDABLE Yes

for it has inbuilt ruggedness to pledge its long life.

Pontiac owners speak in glowing terms of the never-failing service their cars give, year after your. When they are touring on distant trails far from help when then they need extra power for tough hills, sticky mud or sandy stretches when they need fishing acceleration to take advan- tage of openings in traffic, or a quick, smooth stop-Pontiac is faithful to their demands.

And one of the reasons for Pontiac's remarkable rise in popularity is because it gives this performance day after day. When less, sturdily' built cars are beginning to get tired of working-Pontiac is alert and active-in its prime-ready to give a type of performance. never bo- lieved possible at the price!

For the fundamental reason - look at Pontiac's design and construction. It's a big-car! But at lower cost to buy and maintain.

Buch positive statements are worth investigating aren't they? Then why not let us show you the new Poatiao Big Siz to-day.

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were

rear of the contraption.

The Olds car was more of a skeleton structure, with a light frame on four buggy wheels. Two small rocket-like B tanks eupplied the four-cylinder motor, and the driver sat in the seat at the tail, his feet resting in stir rups hung from the rear axle.

On the first day of January, 1904, the first car that looked like a racer appeared on the bench, the Packard "Grey Wolf," of Charles Schmidt, a Paris-born German,; who had been a partner of the French driver Fournier, and who had won the Paris-Berlin and Faris-Bordeaux. races of the year!

before.

Schmidt lowered the time of Winton for several distances but failed to make any world's records. It was William K. Vanderbilt, Junr., who sent the name of Daytona round the world when he established the speed course's firat record for the mile, 30) seconds or 92.307 miles an hour, which was two-fifths of a second faster than Henry Ford had driven his "999" on the ice at New Baltimore, Michigan, fifteen days earlier.

Vanderbilt,

Vanderbilt set up seven world's records in the meet and won five of the six big races in his Mercedes, which he had raced in Europe the year before. His only defeat was at the hands of Barney Oldfield, driving Winton's Bulleti in the mile race. From then on developments were rapid.

Arthur. C. Macdonald. who I understand is now fighting the; ravages of tuberculosis In the Swiss Alps, was, the first British driver ever to cross the Atlantic) to bring his car to Daytona Beach; and the first Engllahman to break the world's speed record for the mile. His record had scarcely been entered on the books, how- ever, before it was bettered by Bowden in his. Mercedes of the year before, Bowden and Mac- donald- each set new recorda during that meet, as did Edward R. Thomas, who later built the Thomas Flyer, and H W Fletcher, driving De Dietrich in the first races of his life. Ford is said to have been living tha tent on the beach during the trials and was unable to enter his car, because of a broken crankshaft.

Speed fiends.ade in Daytona: Beach their chance in the world to win glory and fame. The trials as organised by ValHarcanape offer them organisation, publicity, and, with the help of the Ameri

Association, can Automobile- official sanction and timing.

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