The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-02-06
BREAKS SECRAVE'S
RECORD THURSDAY
ON WET SPEEDWAY
British Racer Says Official At
tempt at Daytona Beach
Full of Thrills
May TRY KIL0METER RUN
Photographers Sighting Ma
chine Mile Away Unable
to Focus Cameras
MAY TRY KIL0METER RUN

Daytona Beach, Fla. Feb. 6.-FH
Captain Malcolm Campbell, who
Thursday established a new worlds
automobile speed record of 245. rs
miles an hour, announced Friday he
would make no further trials in his
Bluebird racing a before returning
to England.
He may leave for home ON time
next week.
Campbell said Thursday night he
was not satisfied with his newly es-
tablished record and intimated he
might try to raise the mark above
245 miles ar hour before returning
to England. Friday, however, he said
he had abandoned such plans.
He still plans to drive his midget
four-cylinder racing car, possibly
Friday or Saturday, with hopes Of
setting a new speed record for auto
mobiles with piston displacement of
less than IS cubic inches.
He made two trials In the tiny ma
chine Friday but fell six miles short
Of the present record OF 81 miles per
hour.
Whether Campbell will take the
small a out On the beach Friday
depends upon conditions of the course
at low tide which occurs at 4:3O D. m.
Despite warnings that conditions
were not the best for super speed.
Campbell drove his huge Bluebird II
over the beach sands here Thursday
tc an astounding new worlds record
Of 245.7 1888 miles per hour.
From this dizzying height Of speed,
the dauntless 46-year-old English
man Friday surveyed his achievement
and wanted to better It.
II the weather and beach condi-
tons permit he said he was ready to
60 out and try to lower his own mark
before he returns to England. His
plans for Friday were indefinite but
If he felt good and the other factors
were favorable he said he might try
for a five kilometer record.
Is Fastest Land Traveller
Campbell is the only man living
who has attained a speed on land of
more than 200 miles per hour. The
rest, Ray Keech, Sir H. O. D. Segrave,
Lee Bible, and Frank Lockhart, have
met death behind the wheel, Segrave
while trying for a water speed mark
in England.
It was Segrave's record Of 231 miles
per hour that Campbell wrested
Thursday; Segrave had claimed it
from Keech. Bible and Lockhart
died on Daytona sands while Keech
lost his life racing at Altoona.
Campbell, the fatalist, shrugs his
when danger is mention
ed. His runs Thursday gave him q
great thrill, he said. The best SEN
sation came when he shifted from
into high gear and the car
fairly took wings.
THAT feeling was wonderful" he
"A most wonderful sensation!
AS the a carried me away with 1t
in that tremendous burst of speed.
words cannot describe that
sensation"
On the first run Campbell flashed !
through the measured mile at a
speed of 246.575 miles per hour. He
returned and was clicked at 244.8 97 |
miles per hour. Two runs are neces-
sary for an official record, the mark
being the average Of the two speeds.
Wet Sand Is Worry
Despite soft places in the sand left
oy receding tide, the car held the
course like a bullet. Campbell said
/ big thrill came OH the south run
when the q took a bad swing as he
;werved to miss a soft spot. He
couldn't afford to take his foot off
he accelerator because he would
ose speed so he held it down and
he machine Strengthened out neatly.
So great was the speed of the ma
'hine that photographers sighting it
mile away, barely had time to take
ocus and snap their films before it
dashed by.
Campbell dared another hazard in
rider to be certain he would make his
uns within the required time. At all
ther speed attemntS. the tires s,,h.