Imperial Valley press., 1923-04-28
Buick Stock Car
i'm Fast Mile

\ mile in 1926 seconds, an aver
age of 108.24 miles per hour, in a
Buick car that was practically stock
from stem to stern was the new rec
ord esta blished by Joe Nikrent over
straightaway course in the Mo
iave desert last Tuesday. a spit
ting southeast wind which swept
over Rogers Dry Lake, the scene Of
the trial and nearly turned Mix
rents car turtle prevented him
from attempting more than three
trials. Once the gale blew the
Buick pilot off the course, sent him
careening wildly and finally Starter
Fred Wagner stopped the festivities
for the day.
Sanctioned by the A. 4. \. and
held under the auspices Of its off
cials the test was official in every
respect and the record will go down
in the books as new non-stock
mark. Save for change in pistons
and n lighter flywheel the Buick
was stock in practically every re-
spect. \ racing body had been put
on the chassis, but the heavy frame
had not been cut down, it being the
same as that in the ordinary touring
car. The wheelbase was ll8 inches.
Val Haresnape, the new A. a. A.
representative in the Los Angeles
district, had charge of the trials,
and Fred Wagner, the noted start
er, assisted in the performance.
They laid out the course and set up
the electrical timing device, the
same one that is used in timing the
motor races ON the Beverly fills
tureen.
Nikrent took three whirls down
the laidout course, making 33.49 see
onds the first time, 1926 seconds
the second time and 1891 seconds
the third trial. Observing the dan
ger encountered by Nikrent because
of the bowling gale, Wagner refused
to permit the Buick pilot to take
further chances. Having done 40
miles per hour and better in prac-
tice, Nikrent wanted to proceed, but
Wagner was insistent.
Some difficulty was had in get.
ting the electrical timer to work,
and the experts were unable to dis.
cover the short circuit in the iron
wire. Finally they were forced to
stretch insulated wire over the mile
course, neatly decorated with red
flags the whole length, and this
worked like charm.
The delay, however. brought on
the wind, and the observers said
but for the change in the elements
Nigrent undoubtedly would have
hung up record that would have
been remarkable for a car so nearly
stock as the one lie drove.
Rogers Dry Lake is about 20
miles east of Rosamond, close to a
little way station known az Muroc
in the Mojave Desert. 1t was form
erly the bed Of a body of water
about seven miles wide b. nine
miles long. 1t is the greatest natur-
al race course in the world and it
is predicted that it will be the test
course for some of the fastest speed
trials ever held.
Wagner, who has witnessed the
rapid dashes on the famous Or
mond and Daytona Beach courses,
says he believes Rogers Lake is the
fastest stamping ground for racing
cars that ever existed. The Wlake'
is composed of a clay adobe and
is as smooth as glass. Peculiar
mirages exist there. Two or three
miles away an automobile speeding
along appears TO be plowing through
water and string of box ears trav-
cling the railroad tracks that biscct
the lake appear at one minute to be
string of beads, at the next de-
generating into smoke stacks.
A girl arrested in Los Angeles
was not movie star.