Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-17
MAI. SEGRAVE CLAIMS SPEED
TESTS AID CAR DEVELO PMENT
Golden Arrow Record of 231 Miles Cited
as Forerunner of Superautos on
Special Hig hways

regard to aerodynamics in racing auto
mobiles-improveme that will enable
a lighter-powered machine to equal. II
not surpass, the feat of the Golden Ar
row. The aerodynamic experts Of the
Nation are busily engaged in the ex
tensively equipped laboratories Of the
National Advisory Committee for Aero
nautics at Langley Field, Va, In max
ing history in the study OF this new
field of research developed by the enor-
nous strides of the air and motor travel
In the last decade.
There, under synthetic conditions
Stimulating the actual experiences men
will have later, they try out these SUPER
speed machines, they find out the &C
ton of air on materials and men in
velocities up to a thousand miles an
hour. AS the need arises they will test
greater .yelocities. but they figure the
questions answered by wind at a thou
sand miles an hour will be all that will
be necessary for a long time.
That the facilities for such travel will
come is unquestionable. At present
Daytona Beach is one of the few. II not
be attempted, hence the long and
costly trip of Maj Segrave from Eng
land to this country for his try-outs.
Give 50-Mile Start. =
But with the manufacture of motor
cars at the rate the factories are turn
ing them out now, there is little doubt
but that there will be built super roads,
roads of width and Smoothness that will
be capable of allowing a racing driver
a 50-mile starting distance, II necessary,
as against the miles, which was the
maximum which Maj, Segrave could
take at Daytona The other four of
the nine miles of beach stretch were
required for Maj. Segrave to stop his
machine.
States and the Federal Government
have been hard put to keep pace with
ordinary highways with quantity pro-
duction of motor cars, and there seems
still no let-up in the output of auto
mobiles: nay, an increase is noted all
aheng the line.
y77at there will be q general raising
end elimination Of speed limits with the
ADVERT of the super-highways is gen.
orally accepted. Motor experts regard
this as necessity Of the not far dis
tant future.
The time is not far distant when the
40 or so miles an hour, and in some
instances so or 70 miles an hour--in
the absence of the motor cycle police
or business bent are won't to travel over
the roads of today will be 100 or 150-
with as much safety as the motoring
public has come to be satisfied with.
Super Highways to Come.
In ten years-maybe five-Maj. Sc
grave believes. the beautifully and SCI
entifically streamlined machine, pre-
senting the least resistance possible to
the air, but designed to stay tight
enough to the road to permit of perfect
control, beautifully balanced, and-most
of all-capable of speeds far above 100
miles. an hour. will be travelling over
super-highwayS as smooth as glass.
taking their occupants in comfort and
safety-a safety that cannot be the air
planes for some time to come.
When the tire, or substitute therefor,
can be built to stand the beating inflict-
ed by such Speed-then will come the
real super-car, the super highway and
super-quick travel between two points.
So, Maj Segrave points out, 1t may
not be such a foolish thing after all for
him to squeeze himself into speed
iuggernaut absolutely of no value for
any immediate unitarian purpose, take
his life in his hands and roar down a
speedway at a rate never before at
tanned on the surface of the earth by
human.
Mai. Segrave believes he will be able
to hand to the motor world gifts from
his experience that will be of immedi-
ate benefit. and data which will form
the starting point for research which
will make it possible in a comparatively
short space of time for a man to make
hitherto tinheard-of speed in trips, long
or short.