White Triplex

It was powered by three 27-litre Liberty aero engines, for a total of 36 cylinders, 81 litres of displacement and a claimed 1500 bhp.

Initial trial runs were hazardous, with Keech being injured by burns during both: first from a burst radiator hose, then by exhaust flames from the front engine.

White then hired their team mechanic Lee Bible, a garage owner with no experience driving at these speeds.

At the end of this second pass, the Triplex ran off the track and into the sand dunes, causing it to roll over and finally come to a stop 200 ft (60 m) further on.

There is controversy about both of those deaths, as it is also unclear whether the photographer was in an area expected to be safe, or if he approached the running line too closely in order to get more dramatic footage.

Showing the three engines
Triplex in 1928, driven by Ray Keech
The Triplex Special in 1929, driven by Lee Bible