Kenelm Lee Guinness

Kenelm Lee Guinness

Racer from Ireland
Date of Birth: 14.08.1887
Country: Ireland

Content:
  1. Kenelm Guinness
  2. The Bald Faced Stag and Sunbeam Motorsports
  3. KLG Spark Plugs
  4. Land Speed Record
  5. Legacy and Retirement
  6. Final Years and Death

Kenelm Guinness

Early Life and Racing Career

Kenelm Edward Lee Guinness was born on August 14, 1887, in Dublin, Ireland. His fascination with motorsports began at Cambridge University, where he served as a "minder" mechanic for his older brother, Algernon Guinness. In 1907, he competed in his first major race, the Isle of Man TT, but was forced to withdraw due to an axle failure. That same year, he participated in the Belgian Grand Prix.

The Bald Faced Stag and Sunbeam Motorsports

Guinness established a workshop in a vacant pub in Putney, London, where he indulged in his automotive passions and pursued his engineering talents. In 1913, he became an official Sunbeam driver alongside Henry Segrave. Sunbeam's engine designer, Louis Coatalen, became a close friend and mentor to Guinness.

KLG Spark Plugs

Combining his engineering knowledge with racing experience, Guinness developed KLG spark plugs. The innovation lay in the use of mica insulators, which were superior to the porcelain and ceramic insulators commonly used at the time. Guinness sold the rights to KLG spark plugs to Smiths in 1919 and the manufacturing rights in 1927. However, he remained involved as a company consultant.

Land Speed Record

Brooklands Success

In 1922, at the Brooklands race track, Guinness broke the land speed record, driving a 350-horsepower Sunbeam with a V12 Manitou engine. He averaged 121.54 mph on a lap and set a half-mile record of 136.05 mph. This was the last land speed record set on a racing track rather than on a beach or salt flat.

Legacy and Retirement

Guinness retired from racing in 1926 and passed on his Sunbeam land speed car to Malcolm Campbell, who nicknamed it "Blue Bird." Together, Guinness and Campbell pursued sailing adventures on the Cocos Islands. However, a severe head injury sustained during a race in 1924 may have contributed to his decision to step away from competitive driving.

Final Years and Death

Guinness's later years were marked by physical and mental health challenges, including head trauma and diabetes. He was admitted to a nursing home due to his declining health. On April 10, 1937, he was found dead in his bedroom, presumed to have committed suicide by gas poisoning. A coroner's inquest ruled his death a "suicide whilst temporarily insane."

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