Meanwhile, Louis Coatalen and Sunbeam were hard at work developing their new car. Powered by two 22.5-litre Matabele aero-engines, and featuring full-width wheel-enclosing bodywork for the first time, this new car weighed over 3 tons and needed a longer beach to attack the record than any that were available in Europe. Named the '1000 hp Sunbeam' (though its actual power was slightly less), the team set sail for America to make the attempt at Daytona Beach. The target was a fantastic 200 mph, and 30,000 spectators lined up along the sand dunes to watch Major Henry Segrave make his attempt in March 1927. After two hair-raising runs, Segrave's record average was 203.792 mph over the mile - a remarkable increase of 28 mph over the old record!

Campbell was determined to get his record back, and rebuilt Bluebird around a new 875 bhp 24-litre Napier Lion aero-engine. When he arrived at Daytona in February 1928, he was in contention for the record with two American challengers - Frank Lockhart in the small and beautiful Stutz Black Hawk, and Ray Keech in the monstrous Triplex Special. Campbell promptly set to it and, despite poor conditions, fighting swerves and skids along the way, he pushed the record up to 206.956 mph.

Now the Americans had their turn, with cars of remarkably differing designs. Indianapolis 500 winner Frank Lockhart had created a small, sleek machine powered by a supercharged 16 cylinder engine of only 3 litres. J.M. White put no less than three 27-litre Liberty aero-engines in his Triplex, based on a truck chassis, and the car featured no gearbox or clutch. Lockhart went first, but went out of control and careered into the sea, but was not badly hurt and planned another attempt from his hospital bed. Triplex driver Ray Keech fared little better, also hospitalised after he was scalded by a burst water hose.

Two months later, Keech and Lockhart were back. Keech was finally successful with his 81-litre car, returning the Land Speed Record to the United States after 22 years by recording 207.552 mph. Three days later, Lockhart went out and achieved 203 mph on the outward run, but on his return a rear tyre burst at about 220mph and Lockhart was flung to his unfortunate death.

Segrave's new car, the Irving-Napier Golden Arrow, is considered by many to be the most beautiful LSR machine. Designed by J.S. Irving, powered by a 925 bhp Napier engine as used in one of the Schneider Trophy-winning Supermarine seaplanes, Segrave's attempt at Daytona in March 1929 was a masterly demonstration. After only one two-way practice run at 180 mph, Segrave again smashed the record by a large margin, this time watched by around 100,000 spectators, and Segrave was subsequently knighted for his achievement of 231.446mph. Golden Arrow was only driven about 20 miles in its short career. The next day, intrepid driver Lee Bible and a cameraman were both killed when the Triplex Special finally came to grief during its comeback attempt.

Golden Arrow's record stood for two years: Campbell suffered an expensive fiasco in South Africa in 1929, and Sunbeam's new car Silver Bullet flopped at Daytona in 1930. Still undeterred, Campbell employed engineer Reid Railton to build a new Bluebird, using a new Napier Lion engine developing 1450 bhp. With little fuss, Campbell achieved 246.09mph with this car at Daytona in 1931 and was also knighted by the King upon his return. Campbell improved his speed to 253.97mph the following year. Replacing the Napier unit with a 2300bhp Rolls Royce V12 supercharged engine, he achieved 272.46mph in 1933.

Sir Malcolm Campbell's goal was now 300mph, and there were no challengers likely to beat him to it. Bluebird was redesigned by Reid Railton with improved streamlining and Campbell made his attempt in January 1935. Frustrated by a soft and bumpy course, and plagued by wheelspin, he could only improve the record by 4mph to 276.816mph. It was obvious to Campbell that Daytona Beach was no longer a suitable venue for Land Speed Record attempts.

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