Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-31
HAWKER DEFEATED
AS ENGINE FAILS.
Betty Carstairs Is Third to
Two Miss Americas
in First Heat.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
IN ETROIT, August 30.-The
ill-luck that has logged
- every attempt made dur
ing the last 10 years to
beat Gar Wood in a Harmsworth
speedboat race followed the Brit
ish challenge sponsored by Miss
Marion Bargara CarStairS into the
first heat of the world hydroplane
classic today and Wood won the
heat throttled down.
Just as Bert Hawker, driving Estelle
v, the second of the two British chal-
lengers, seemed about to overtake Wood
in his Miss America TX, at the start
of the third of the six five-mile laps,
broken feed line forced him off the
course. Hawker had been the last Of
the five competing craft TO get started
and by terrific burst Of speed had
drawn to within a boats length of
Wood starting the third lap. He was
clicked at 78.547 statute miles an hour
when the breakdown occurred.
Wood covered the 30-nautical-n1ile
course at an average speed of 75.177
statute miles an hour in winning to-
days heat. The Miss America Win,
with. George Wood at the wheel, fin-
1otASA oCSOAiu 1idl1 a DCnlnQ
Miss America TX, and Estelle ",
driven by Miss Carstairs, was third,
with an average speed of 70.117 statute
miles an hour. Miss America v, the
third of the American defending team,
went around the course at an average
speed OF 66.806 miles an hour
Power in Reserve.
Gar Woods fastest lap today was
q N x&f Al
hour. This was on his third time
around the course. The Miss America
TX undoubtedly had more speed in
her huge Packard Marine motors, but
1t seemed almost certain Hawker who
had just begun to open UP the two
Napier Lyon motors Of the Esteile v,
would pass him as they crossed the line
starting the third lap
They were going down the river with
Estelle V slowly closing the slight gap
of open water between her and Miss
America TX, when flames began shoot
ing from the British boats exhaust
tubes. Hawker Immediately swung out
of the course and the challenge was
left to Miss CarstairS alone in Estelle
Nv. Miss Carstairs by this time, how
ever, was half a mile behind the two
Miss Americas and with both Of the
latter running smoothly was clearly
beaten. She kept gamely at it, how
ever, and finished the heat about three
miles behind the winner
The attractive black-haired English
girl won cheer from the several hun
dred thousand spectators who lined the
Belle Isle and mainland banks Of the
Detroit River, when she beat the vet
eran Gar Wood to the gun at the start
Coming down to the starting line al
close to 20 miles an hour, she had timed
her start so perfectly that the nose OF
Estelle w was sctly on the line as
the gun sounded Miss America TX
was about so yards behind while Miss
America VIII followed closely In her
wake.
Passed On First Turn.
Going at terrific speed both the
Miss Americas passed the Estelle w on
the first turn about q mile from the
start. Finishing the first lap the two
American defenders crossed close to-
gether with the two British boats about
200 yards In the rear.
1t was on the second time around
that Hawkef opened up, passed Miss
CarStairs and took after the two Amer
lean boats. He was giving Gar Wood
the race of the veterans career, only
to be forced out by the broken feed
line. After this mishap the two Miss
Americas were throttled down because
INAtoo SdtSbdtlo llhu QEOpp6Q Icat1y fldu
a lap behind. The English girl, how
ever, gradually increased her speed
after Hawker's mishap, and finished
the sixth and final lap at her best
speed of the day, 72.513 miles an hours.
Hawker's speed at the time of the
breakdown was less than q mile Ar
hour slower than Gar Woods Harms
worth record of 79.467 miles an hour
made last year.
Col. Charles A. Lindbergh, with Mrs
Lindbergh and his mother, Swas arrlone
the spectators, being guests OF vii.
liam B. Mayo, chief engineer. Of til,
Ford Motor Co., on the latter's yacht,
The second heat of the Harrnsworth
race will be held late Monday Afternoon
Another international event will be ruE
tomorrow in the ~ Liter hydroplans
race. The challenger is the Britisl
speedboat Miss Britain 1, designed ana
driven by H. Scott-Paine The defend.
ers are the Baby Minchas of Bay CITY
Mich. and the Phantom Of Hous.
ton, Tex.