from the Chamber of Commence site -
"......
Nineteen annual tournaments of speed were held on the shores of Ormond and Daytona Beach from 1904 to 1935, advancing the world Land Speed Record 15 times. In 1904, industrialist W.K. Vanderbilt crushed Winton's record, zooming down Ormond's beach at an astounding 92.30 miles per hour in the "No.1", his specially built Mercedes. Vanderbilt's feat received worldwide media attention and the event became the catalytic spark for associating Ormond and Daytona Beach with automobiles and speed.
But it was throughout the late '20s and '30s that new significant historic milestones in speed were made and Daytona Beach became the proving ground for man and machine. Each attempt to break the record garnered worldwide attention, which lead to Daytona Beach being nicknamed the "World's Most Famous Beach." On March 29, 1927, Englishman Major Henry Segrave made automotive history by breaking the 200 mile per hour limit while racing down the sands of Daytona Beach in the Sunbeam "Mystery S," a car powered by twin Napier aero engines, which weighed over 6,000 pounds.
But right on Segrave's heels were other dashing dare devils of speed such as Philadelphian Ray Keech, and, another fellow Englishman, Sir Malcolm Campbell. Campbell was the most determined driver to set new speed records. Throughout his 25 year racing career, Campbell broke the world Land Speed Record nine times, five of which occurred in Daytona Beach between 1928 and 1935. Campbell was attracted to Daytona Beach because of its solid racing reputation, which had long since been established, and for its wide, flat beaches. Campbell's most famous run at Daytona Beach occurred in 1935. Like Segrave before him, Campbell was determined to set new speed precedents, and Campbell eyed the 300 mile per hour barrier. He nearly set it. Campbell's 29 foot long mechanical marvel, the "Bluebird V", weighed 12,000 pounds and was propelled bya monstrous 2,227 cubic inch supercharged V12 Rolls Royce engine. Despite its enormous size and weight, the "Bluebird V" was capable of reaching speeds up to 300 miles per hour. It was a futuristic looking car and its design has inspired and influenced modern automobile designs. On March 7, 1935, just four days shy of his 50th birthday, Campbell posted an unprecedented official speed of 276.82 miles per hour. It would be Campbell's last world land speed run on the sands of Daytona Beach. The following year he attained the 300 mile per hour mark at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. That year also marked the final year of the beach speed runs. This chapter of speed would close, but its remarkable history of setting new precedents is remembered and commemorated along Daytona Beach's Boardwalk amusement area. The Boardwalk's Salute to Speed exhibit features more than 30 granite plaques commemorating the area's rich motorsports history. Also located on the Boardwalk, the historic Sir Malcolm Campbell Clock tower stands as a tribute to his record setting achievements. Memorabilia from the early days of racing can also be found at the Halifax Historical Museum in Daytona Beach in its new exhibit, The Racing Zone.
www.daytonabeach.com......."
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