The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-04-25
FRANK LOCKHART KILLED
In STUTZ RACER CRASH,
HITTING 200 Mile CLIP
Car SomersauItS Twice and
HurIs Driver From His
Seat to Track.
SPECTATORS IN PERIL
Wheels Suddenly SWerve
in Sand; Victim Dies on
Way to Hospital.

BU United Press
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla,
April 25.-Frank Lockhart, one
Of the premier racing drivers
of America, was killed here to-
day when his Stutz Black Hawk
racer turned turtle while he
was attempting to set a new
world S speed record.
Lockhart s racer somersault-
ed twice. He was thrown clear
the second time.
His limp form was picked up,
but the veteran American
driver succumbed before reach
ing a hospital. Physicians said
his skull was fractured and his
chest crushed.
The accident occurred in front of
the grandstand on the beach, when
the car travelling 200 miles an hour,
suddenly swerved.
Wife Sees Accident
The racers wife was said to have
witnessed the accident.
Scores of spectators who got up
early to see Lockhart try to sur
pass the record made by Ray Keech
last Sunday-20755 miles an hour
narrowly escaped death as the car
crashed.
One spectator said the Stutz Spe-
cial came laundering up the beach.
Suddenly sand sprayed out from its
lear wheels as it swerved, then it
completely turned turtle in the air.
Some said it rose as high as thirty
feet above the beach, then fell on it's
side.
Again it bounced from the sand,
this time throwing Lockhart clear
of the drivers seat to his death.
His Second Crash
1t was the second accident Lock-
hart had in attempting to set a
speed record.
A few weeks ago while Capt.
Malcolm Campbell was making the
runs which eventually ended in a
record, Lockhart's racer crashed. He
was jammed so forcibly against the
steering wheel that he had to be
pried loose with crowbars.
Lockhart returned to Indianapolis
to recover and came here last week,
still wearing bandages, to try again.
DR.. Bohannon, at the Daytona
Beach Hospital, said Lockhart prob
ably had been killed instantly.
The 25-year-old driver was on his
second attempt of the day after the
record when he was killed.
Fails Earlier in Day
Earlier in the day his Stutz Black
Hawk had failed to hit the coveted
200-mile- -an-hour mark on the
straightaway. He went down the
beach at lat miles average and back
at 1913 miles. There had been some
trouble with the carburetor, Lock-
hart explained at the conclusion Of
the two runs.
Then he started down the nine
mile stretch for another try.
His official time for the one-mile
stretch was 203.5 miles an hour. EO
needed a speed of approximately
213 miles an hour to give him an
average better than Keech made
Sunday.
At the height of the run he ape
peared moving we'll over 200 miles
Then the accident occurred.
Tire Blows Out
Examination of marks on the
beach showed the right rear tire
had blown out, sending
the car into the swerve.
For a distance of 1000 feet the
car slid sideways. Lockhart ape
then succeeded in straight
ening it out temporarily as the
track for the next 500 feet ran
straight.
Then came another swerve, end
ing when the car hurtled twenty
feet into the air, landing and re-
bounding again.
Mrs. Lockhart was among the first
to reach her husband.
Lockhart was killed only a short
distance from where his Stut7
Black Hawk was catapulted into the
ocean in February during the in
Cernational speed trials.