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Goldie Gardner

Major A.T.Goldie Gardner took up world speed record attempts, after seeing Malcolm Campbell break the land speed record at Daytona in 1935. Between 1936 and 1950 he set over 100 world, international and local speed records throughout England, Europe and the USA.  He specialised in International Classes E,F,G,H,I  which covered engine sizes of 351-500cc, 501-750cc, 751-1100cc, 1101-1500cc, 1501-2000cc, and set records over distances from 1km to 200km.  He established a Class G (751-1100cc) outer circuit lap record of 124.4 mph at Brooklands in August 1936. Driving a M.G.Magnette in October 1937 on the new Frankfurt autobahn, he set Class G world record speeds over 1km & 1mile, 5kms & 5miles.  During 1937, at Monthlery outside Paris, a number of International Class G records were set for distances upto 50 miles.  He was the first man to break 150 mph in a 'baby' car.  In November 1938, again outside Frankfurt, driving the streamlined M.G.Magnette EX135, he set a Class G world record of 187.6 mph over 1km. On 31 May 1939, at Dessau in Germany, the EX135 became the first 1100cc car to break 200 mph.   751-1,100cc class records were set over 1km, 1 mile, and 5km distances, at average speeds of 203.5mph, 203.3mph and 197.5mph respectively.  After an engine rebore, on 2 June 1939, 1,101- 1,500cc Class F records were set over the same distances at average speeds of 204.3mph, 203.9mph and 200.6mph. The 501-750cc Class H record was next to be attempted, and on 30th October 1946, outside Ostend in Belgium, the 150mph mark was broken at a speed of 159.15mph over 1km. The following year was the turn of the 351-500cc Class I record, and 118.04mph for 1km was reached on 24th July 1947. 1948 saw an attempt at the Class E 1501-2000cc record, using a prototype 2-litre Jaguar XK engine.  On 14th September 1948, records were set over 1km, 1mile & 5kms, including 176.76mph for 1km.  The 351-500cc record was regained in 1949, at a speed of 154.8mph over 1km.  On 20th August 1951 at Bonneville Salt Flats, driving the MG EX-135 car he set 6 international and 10 American records in the 1,101-1,500cc class.  International Records were set for 50kms, 50miles, 100kms, 100miles, 200kms, 1 hour. Returning to Bonneville in 1952, with the MG EX-135 car, he set 5 International & 16 American speed records in Classes E & F. 1.   "Speed", Will's, 1939 2.  "Kings of Speed", Churchman, 1939       Web Links http://www.mgcars.org.uk/mgcc/sf/981004.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.T._Goldie_Gardner http://www.landspeedracingmg.com/Media/Record.pdf http://www.brooklandsarchives.com/           Look in Gallery G1, hg45 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VxXaCJU_2A&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26Fe4xCnAIg