9 Racing ahead

Chapter 9 Racing ahead Ever since cars were invented, drivers have enjoyed stepping on the accelerator. In 1898, a French Count set the first land speed record of 65 km (40 miles) per hour.

自从汽车发明以来，司机们就喜欢踩油门。 1898年，一位法国伯爵以每小时65公里（40英里）的速度创造了第一个陆地速度记录。

His record was soon broken by an electric car... ...and then, surprisingly enough, by a steam-powered one.

他的纪录很快就被一辆电动车打破了。 …然后，令人惊讶的是，一个蒸汽动力的。

While some drivers chased speed records, others were chasing the car in front. Racing became an exciting new sport and inventors worked hard to design the best racing car. Maybe a longer car will finish first... I was inspired by a chunk of cheese!

当一些司机追逐速度记录时，另一些司机追逐前面的汽车。 赛车成为一项激动人心的新运动，发明家们努力设计出最好的赛车。 也许一辆更长的车会先完成…… 我的灵感来自一块奶酪！

In 1911, Panhard Levassor built a car for the racing driver, René de Knyff. They made a boat shape from plane materials and added wire-spoked wheels. The result was a stylish, lightweight sports car. Does it float? We'll soon find out, sir.

1911年，Panhard Levassor为赛车手ren<s:1> de Knyff制造了一辆汽车。 他们用飞机材料做了一个船的形状，并加上了钢丝辐条的轮子。 结果是一辆时尚、轻便的跑车。 它能浮起来吗？我们很快就会知道的，先生。

After World War 1, a plane engineer named Walter Bentley decided to switch to racing cars- with huge success. At the 24-hour race held in Le Mans every year, his cars won five times. In the 1927 race, a Bentley car was damaged in a big crash, but still crossed the finish line first.

第一次世界大战后，一位名叫沃尔特·本特利的飞机工程师决定转向赛车，并取得了巨大的成功。 每年在勒芒举行的24小时耐力赛上，他的赛车五次夺冠。 在1927年的比赛中，一辆宾利汽车在一次大碰撞中受损，但仍然率先冲过了终点线。

Over the decades, racing cars became lower, sleeker and much faster. By the 1960s, they needed an extra frame at the back to stop them from taking off.

几十年来，赛车变得更低、更时尚、更快。 到了20世纪60年代，他们需要在后面增加一个框架来阻止他们起飞。