Dick smith record broken 4/11/2015

[cudino]

Originally Posted by mikeinatlanta

Weighing this against an undocumented claim by a very accomplished and respected person who is no longer with us serves no positive purpose. The good new is that we now have a documented top speed with actual measurements, photos, known conditions, and car configuration. It's time we move out of speculation and recognize a provable accomplishment for what it is. Thank you Virgil. Can't wait to see the first one hit 200.

I consider it a shame that some feel praising Virgil’s tremendous accomplishment must be burdened by also having to put someone else down, in this case an attempt to discredit Dick Smith’s 198.045mph speed record. Photos of Dick’s car at Daytona are readily available, and eyewitness accounts from the race corroborate the Certificate that Dick received as documented proof of this feat.

FYI Dick’s car ran a small windscreen at Daytona. Anecdotally, Dick Smith’s crew chief Dick Young has firsthand knowledge that the full windshield on Dick’s car will come out at speeds above 165mph, as these guys painfully found out at Portland in 1986.

From what I know about Dick Smith I agree with several of the other folks who posted on this thread, Dick would surely be amongst the first to congratulate you Virgil. Excellent job!

- Wade