Improving the Breed

Sir,

I expect most readers will agree with your March Editorial which calls for a return of major races for sporting cars which have some resemblance to those the public can buy. Its referring to possible arguments which may be used against holding such races, you say “the danger aspect of allowing almost standard cars to race may be raised—wheels flying off Minis, brake fade on XK120s, etc. remembered from years ago”. Your subsequent refutation of this argument fails to point out that this is a major justification for such races. Identification and elimination of dangerous weaknesses in design of ordinary road cars, through racing experience, must be responsible for saving many more injuries (or worse) on the road than ever were suffered in competition. The XK’s severe fade problem is a good case in point, for it contributed, not a little, to the developmentof the disc brake.

M. J. SHACKLETON BAILEY Andover