New Britain herald., 1928-02-23
FRANK LOCKHART
 NEARLY KILLED
PlunSs Into Surf t Rate Of
 2S5 Miles Per Hour

Daytona Beach. Fla, Feb. cs UP Because he let his standards of sportsmanship outweight his better judgment. Frank Lockhart. youthful racing driver. must temporarily dis miss his dream of driving power- full automobile at a greater speed than has ever yet been attained.
 Smashes Car
 His tiny Stutz Blackhawk was smashed beyond hope of immediate repair when it catapulted from the beach into the ocean here yesterday afternoon at the rate of 225 miles per hour. and Lockhart is recovering from severe shock and minor in- juries at hospital
 It was the roar of the crowd for action that gave fortune chance 10 frown and smile in turn on the young Indianapolis pilot. Despite a wet beach and poor visibility brought on by low hanging clouds. he responded to the loud urging of the throng and went to threaten the
 
 Captain Malcolm Campbell of Lon don.. had established Sunday.
 Lockhart's chances for new mark went glimmering when his car swerved beyond control and turned a complete somersault to right itself in the sea.
 Chisels and blow torches were necessary to extricate Lockhart from the pilots seat where he had been pinned in the crumpled machine. Breakers swept over his head while he was in this defenseless position. semi-conscious. adding drowning to his other dangers until the S7o,ooO speed creation could be lowed from the water onto the dry sands above.
 Last Day
 With today the last day of an of licial attempt to beat the record against time it semed that Captain CampheIls record would stand un- less he himself should raise it with his Napier Bluebird Special. The huge 36 cylinder machine owned by ]. NJ. White of Philadelphia was definitely barred from official com petition yesterday because it did not meet mechanical requirements of the American Automobile associa- ton.
 Lockhart had yesterday decided conditions were too unfavorable for an attempt against the Campbell record and was about to withdraw from the beach when he reversed his decision in consideration for the thousands who had gathered to watch his effort.
 For several hours after the acci- dent, Lockhart was unable to give an account of what happened to his machine. but William F. Sturm, Lockhart's representative. after talk iug to the pilot last night, said he believed the disastrous behavior of the car was caused by too sudden application of the brakes.
 Tells story
 Sturm quoted Lockhart as say ing:
 T was travelling down the beach at high rate when I glanced at my tachometer to see how many revo- lutions the motor was making. If was doing 6,500 (between 2:0 and ose miles per hour) just before the accident happened. drove through a bright place where the sun was shining-then ran into rain and could not see--and the next thing l know I was in the ocean.
 Sturm advanced the theory that when Lockhart entered the area sof poor visibility he jainmed on the brakes too quickly. causing the rear of the machine to swing around.
 Lockharts chief injuries were cuts on his left wrist and a bad cut on the chin.
 The Stutz which Lockhart drove was built under his own supervision on his pet theory that 2 scientifical- ly built automobile designed to eliminate resistance. could attain greater speed with small motor than larger cars with. large power plants. His car had 16 cylinder motor. developing 400 horsepower. and Lockhart was the only pilot who had ever driven it.