LIGHT BLUES WIN AGAIN

LIGHT BLUES WIN AGAIN

P. F. JUCKER (CAMBRIDCE) BREAKS THE COURSE RECORD AT SYSTON PARK WITH HIS ALTA

Once again Cambridge proved invincible in the Inter-Varsity Speed Trials, held on March 20th, at picturesque Syston Park, near Grantham, Beautiful sunny weather and some exciting racing attracted quite a large crowd. Oxford have for the last two years won the reliability trial, but when it comes to speed, the Light Blues always seem to manage to pull it off. The margin on this occasion was eight events to two, in favour of Cambridge, the same score, incidentally, as that recorded in 1936.

It is indeed remarkable to compare the list of well known drivers produced in recent years by Cambridge with those from the other place in the Midlands.” Raymond Mays, Dick Seaman, Pat Fairfield, Earl Howe, the Hon. Brian Lewis, George I..;yston, Oliver Bertram, to mention but a few, all hail from Cambridge, while, speaking without the book, one can only set Humphrey Cook and Kenneth Evans for the Oxonians against this array of talent.

None of the drivers previously mentioned were taking part in the recent event, though Kenneth Evans had entered and was expected to challenge Strongly for 0.N.-fOrd. He had to withdraw before he had had a single run With his fast M.G., owing to trouble with the rear Axle housing. The car has a O-type engine in a lightened .Montlhery chassis. Cambridge found a worthy champion in P. F. J ticker, however, who was in great form with his supercharged 2-litre Alta. J ticker was after the course record, and steadily improved on each of his three runs. Filially, though the course was considerably more bumpy and seemed

narrower than last year, he set up 27.54 secs., which is the fastest time recorded over the full half-mile distance. Last year, it may be mentioned, R. E. Tongue, Of Oxford, accomplished 27.2 secs., with his R-type M.G., but ,a shorter

course was used on that occasion. The best time over the full course was previously 28.86 secs. by Oliver Bertram with the big Delage in 1935. The l01-litre Delage, which has been one of the fastest Cambridge cars in the

last two years, had Changed hands for the 1937 event. G. B. C. Sumner now appeared with it fcir Oxford, and made second fastest time with 29.34 secs. He handled the great machine with remark

able skill. With its twin rear wheels it seemed almost as wide as the Track in places, biting into the loose surface on both sides of the road ! The Syston course, in length just half a mile, rises fairly sharply at the start, and then flattens out, rounds several fast curves, and rises again to the finish. Heavy rains had made the grass verges sodden, but no drivers availed themselves of the grass—the Bolster brothers, incidentally, were not competing, more’s the

pity—until K. Buckley, of Cambridge, lost control of his Riley just before the, finish. He skidded from side to side, but broke the finish tape successfully with a fine time of 31.63 secs. This won for him the 1,100 c.c. racing class, and then the car mounted a bank and struck the stone parapet of a fountain. Fortunately the car did not overturn, but it suffered a, badly bent axle. Buckley was not hurt.

Time was when the Inter-Varsity Speed Trials always used to start anything up to an hour late—in fact competitors used to reckon on this, gauging their Arrival accordingly. The recent event certainly started about ten minutes late, but thereafter ran with great despatch. In spite of a short delay caused by Buckley’s accident, and another pause while a defect in the automatic timing switch at the finish was remedied, close upon 200 rims were timed during the course of the day. Much Of the credit for the smooth organisation gOes to E. G. Brettell, this year’s Cambridge secretary.

Fastest amongst the sports-cars was Neil atsons 2.300 .c.c. Alfa-Romeo (Cambridge), but R. D. Poore, the Cambridge treasurer, ran him close with his. blown J4 M.G. Poore had only acquired the car on the previous day, and his. driving, and more especially his gearchanging, was most creditable. Poore is still in residence at the University, and won two of the principal Cups. Another Cambridge man who did well was J. G. Fry with his short-chassis. 44-litre Bentley. On the previous evening, just outside Grantham, the gearbox had given trouble. Fry telephoned to London, and in a few hours a relief

car with a squad of mechanics was on the spot. So well did they work that the Bentley won its class next day.

P. P. J ticker’s fine runs with the Alta dominated the racing-cars, and another to win his class in this category was P. R. Monkhouse, driving E. G. Brettell’s Austin, which weighs only 61 cwt., and was described in the last issue of MoToR SPORT. Monkhouse, too, had had a last minute journey, having set out to Cambridge from Grantham at six o’clock on the morning of the event to fetch the Austin.

An interesting Union-Special was entered by L. C. Snowden, part of the union being a Ford V8 engine, mounted in a light chassis. Snowden’s car, which has no relation to the Union-Special raced by R. G. J. Nash, went up in clouds of steam during the lunch interval, but ran well later.

Sumner’s Delage after two fast runs developed a crack in the cylinder block -surely only the second occasion that this car’s engine has ever given any trouble during its varied career-and the All Corners’ Racing Class, at the end of the day, won by Jucker, developed into a survival of the fittest.

RESULTS

“The Motor” Trophy (only those classes count In which both Universities are represented). Cambridge 8 events. Oxford 2 events.

E.R.A. Challenge Cup (fastest oar) : P. F. Jucker (1,991 c.c. Alta, S.).

Jackson Cup (Cambridge, fastest 1,500 c.c. sports) : R. D. Poore (847 c.c. M.G., S.).

Reilly Cup (fastest Cambridge resident) : R. D. Poore (847 c.c. M.(4., S.).

Sports Cars (Unsupereharged)

850 co. :1., It. M. L. Lemon (0) (746 c.c. M.G.), 49.32s.; 2, C. C. 1). Miller (C) (747 c.c. M.G.), 51s.

1,100 0.0. : 1, P. M. Rambaut (0) (1,087 c.c. M.G.), 41.84s.; 2, E. W. H. Dobson (C) (995 c.c. Fiat) 41.97s.

1,500 c.o. :1, P. R. Monkhouse (C) (1,270 c.c. M.G.) 35.99s.; 2, R. C. K. Money (C) (1,496 c.c. FrazerNash) 36.978.; 3, G. R. K. Richards (C) (1,496 c.c. Frazer-Nash) 37.15s.

2,000 C.O. :1, M. W. 13. M ty (0) (1,991 c.c. Alvis) 37.96 c.c. ; 2, A. C. Fairtlough (0) (1,091 c.c. A.C.) 39.555.

3,000 c,c. : 1, C. It. Watson (0) (2,969 c.c. Talbot) 36.86s.

Unlimited : 1. .T. 0. Fry (C) (4,400 c.c. 13entley)

:35.28s. ; C. F. Dictrieligen (0) (4,500 e.e. Lag.onda) 36.29s. ; 3, N. M. Clark (0) (3,622 c.c. Ford) 39.6s.

Sports Cars (Supercharged)

1,000 c.c. : R. 1). Poore (Cl (847 c.c. M.G.).

Unlimited : 1, N. 0. Watson (C) (2,300 c.c. Alfa Romeo) 32.78s, ; 2. D. Scott-Moncreiff (0) (7,020 c.c. Mercedes) and It. E. A. Mason (C) (1,496 c.c. Squire) 35.22s. ; i((1).

All Comers : 1, N. G. Watson (C) (2.300 c.c. AlfaRomeo. S.) 32.55s. ; 2, R. 1). Poore (C) (847 c.c. M.(4., 8.) 23.13s.: 3, T. S. Fothringham (0) (2,300 c.c. Alfa-Romeo. S.) 34.2s.

Racing Cars

850 c.c. : 1. P. B,. Monkhouse (C) (747 c.c. A ustin,S.) 31.21g.

1,100 C.c. : 1, K. Buckley (C) (L,084 c.c. Riley) 31.03s.; 2, P. M. .R.ambaut (C) (995 c.c. Fiat, S.) 34.465. 1 50) c.c. : 1, ” Babe ” Gladstone (C) (1,496 e.e. Red Biddy Sp,aial) 33.02g. ; 2, R. 1′. K. MotwY

(C) (1,496 c.c. Frawr-Nash) 33.53s.; 3, P. R. Monkhouse (0) (1,270 c.c. M.G.) 34.28.

2,000 (Le. : , P. F. .Tucker (C) (1,991 c.c. Alta, S.) 28.618. ; 2, M. W. B. May (C) (1,991 e.e. Alvis) 35.18.

3,000 e.e. : 1, N. G. Watson (0) (2,300 e.e. AlfaRomeo, S.) 32.28.g. : 2, K. Firth (0) (2,300 c.c. AlfaBorneo, 8.) 33.93g.

Unlimited : 1, 0. 13. C. Sumner (0) (10,1328 c.c. Delage) 32.22s.: 2, L. C. Snowden (C) (3,622 c.c. Union Special) 38,8s.

All Comers :1, 1′. F. Sucker (C) (1,991 c.c. Alta, S.) 2. G. B. C. Sumner (10,688 c.c. Delage) 29.34s, ; 3, D. Scott-Moncreiff (7,020 c.c. Mercedes,S.) 32.3g.

*Fastest time of the day.

0-Oxford.

C-Cambridge.