The High Speed Trial

The High Speed Trial

THE J.C.C.’s DAY AT BROOKLANDS

IN theory the J.C.C. high-speed trial is a reliability affair. In actual practice it is a perfectly good opportunity for a glorious blind. It is about the nearest thing to a road race that the ordinary sports car owner ever gets a chance of entering, awl it seetns a pity that more events on similar lines, and run quite openly as races, are not a more common feature of Brooklands programmes.

A minimum speed is set for each class for the attainment of gold medal standard, and this is high enough to ensure that competitors shall not hang about. The course, starting in the finishing straight opposite the pits, goes down to the fork, round the Byfleet banking in a clockwise direction, and on reaching the end (or in this case the beginning) of the home banking, turns down through the gate off the track, along the road to the hairpin and then follows the exit roads to the members hill over the bridge. At this point a 15 m.p.h. control is instituted with a “no passing” rule, and the cars drop down the test hill and join the finishing straight once more. Once on the straight a couple of bends marked by tubs and flags add to the interest of the course.

The cars were started in three classes with the 1500 c.c. sent off together first to give them a chance for a good scrap before the smaller fry join in. The 1100 c.c. and 750 c.c. followed separately.

The start was quite in the tradition of the J.C.C. “200 “s of a few years ago, and at the fall of the flag everyone shot off with a roar, as if the event was a one-lap sprint.

The first away was G. K. Marriott on a “blown “. Frazer-Nash, whose acceleration was terrific. As the cars appeared on the Byileet banking he was streaking ahead, with H. J. Aldington (Frazer-Nash) and Oetzmann and Chetwynd (Lea-Francis) in hot pursuit.

Marriott’s terrific spurt was not permanent however, and he dropped back to a more sober pace, while Aidington took the lead and proceeded to increase it steadily until he had lapped the majority of his rivals. His cornering was distinctly snappy, and he was obviously enjoying himself immensely.

The pace being set by the more enthusiastic competitors was bound to cause trouble sooner or later, and Curtis’ Wolseley Hornet had to stop with a slipping clutch, while R. Froy (M.G. Midget) and G. Taylor’s very nice-looking Alta, both retired with broken petrol pipes. .

The hairpin soon began to get very badly cut up, as is usual in this event, and the result was fairly hectic in the case of those who tried to take it as a racing corner, and the hedge came very near to being spoilt on several occasions. Marriott was among the most violent, and Miss Worsley all but overdid things on one occasion.

The Austin Sevens had a great time among themselves and were pleasingly lurid at times on the bend after the tunnel. An entertaining incident occurred when Hunter’s Riley Nine, on descending the test hill, suddenly made a very expensive noise inside and shot sundry portions of metal along the track almost at our feet. Greatly to our

surprise he continued fiat out, although missing on one cylinder, and proceeded to complete the course without any great loss of speed, though the driver, apparently ignorant of his real trouble, admitted to a certain loss of horses on parts of the course. In. view of the fact that one con-rod had decided to take a rest and had endeavoured to escape via the sump, this is hardly surprising. However, the resulting orifice was above the oil level, and the motor duly functioned afterwards for the benefit of the scrutineers.

Frazer-Nashes had a very successful day, while D. C. Evans (Alfa-Romeo) and A. D. Chetwynd (Lea-Francis) were good. In the 1100 c.c. class, with the exception of Appleton’s. Riley, the ” golds ” all went to Salmson drivers.

The 750 c.c. class was all Austin except Mrs. Chetwynd, who drove an M.G. and duly collected a ” gold ” in company with six Austins.

This concluded the morning’s performance and, following lunch, various other events were held. At 2.30 p.m., according to the schedules, some to-and-fro races were due to be held, but

the chief sight available for the 45 minutes following was a toand-fro event for the officials, tarrying bunting, arranging flags, etc. When this was more or less completed it was tactfully, but very sensibly, observed by the genial Prof. Low that the barrier shortly after the finishing line had better be removed or the competing cars would undoubtedly save someone the trouble. Further delay, and Donald Monro’s M.G. Six caught fire on the starting line, causing much shouting for Pyrenes, which, however, were not forthcoming till the fire had been extinguished. The event was run in a series of heats, and provided a win for the Frazer-Nash driven by Aiding

ton, with Penn-Hughes second, their acceleration giving them a big advantage over the others. Austin Sevens were also good, as they were able to turn more easily in the small ” garage” space provided at the ends of the run.

The next event was an acceleration and stop and restart race, in which drivers had to accelerate, stop between marked lines, get out and retrieve a flag from a bucket, and continue over the finish. Aldington scored his third successive “

1st” in spite of having to restart his engine after getting back into his car. Paul’s old ‘Windsor was very good, and was extremely well handled in all its events. Then we had a tv o-lap relay race,

also in heats, in which a plug had to be extracted and handed to the other car of the team. Marriott (FrazerNash-with-blower) appeared in sight so far ahead that he was able to over-shoot and get back to his correct position and still give Chaplin’s Austin a clear lead, which he held. Evans and Bachelier had a great scrap on blown. Bugattis. The event finally went to Evans and Miss Bowman, on an M.G. Midget.

Things being now well behind time, events were dealt with two at a time. C. Anthony on a very old Senechal won the driving skill contest by a handsome margin, while Bachelier’s Bugatti won the test hill event in the remarkable time of 9 3/5 secs., which is under 2 secs. outside the test hill record, and Mrs. Wisdom was a very close second in 9 4/5 secs.

The ten lap race provided a good race, being won by Baker’s Minerva from Evans’ Bugatti, which was lapping at 90 m.p.h. from scratch, but could not catch up his 6 mins. 3 secs. handicap on the limit man. C. G. H. Dunham, on one of the new 12-60 Alvis, was third, after going very well. (Resn14 on page 495.)

NEXT MONDAY AT BROOKLANDS

THE Brooklands programme for August Bank Holiday includes nine events for modern racing cars, and, in addition, a race in which every competitor’s car must be at least twenty-five years old.

Popularly known as “Old Crocks,” some of these early machines can still give a remarkably good account of themselves. Parked away in odd corners, they had been left to the mercies of rust and dust. Then the proprietors of the Daily Sketch organised an Anniversary Emancipation Run a few years ago. About thirty old cars turned out under their own power, and ran from London to Brighton, and this has now become an annual event.

Brooklands is the only place where the public can see these old cars racing together, and for two years the authorities have staged the contest as part of the August Bank Holiday programme.

Last year’s winner was built in 1899, and for fourteen years had been parked in a field. When it came to moving the car for the Old Crocks’ Run, it was found that a tree had grown right through the body, and the trunk had to be sawn off in order to extricate the car. Then it went to Brooklands and covered a lap of the Mountain course at an average of nearly 30 m.p.h.

The full programme for Bank Holiday Monday includes two Short and two Long Handicaps, three races over the popular ” Mountain ” circuit, two One Lap Sprint Races, and the Veterans’ Race. THE HIGH SPEED TRIAL–continued from page 485 The results of the various events are as follows : Acceleration, Stopping and Restarting Test. CLASS 1 (up to 750 c.c.) : 1, A. C. Pairtlough (Austin), 33.4s.; 2, G. G. C. Knight (Austin), 36s. CLASS 2 (between 750 and 1,100 c.c.) : 1, G. P. H. Noble (Salmson), 34.4s.; 2, C. Anthony (Sen.echa.1) and C. L. Guiver (Salmson), tied, 35.0s. CLASS 3 (between 1,100 and 1,500 c.c.) ; 1, H. J. Aldin.gton. (Frazer Nash), 32.2s.; 2, C. Paul

ind,sor), 32.6s. CLASS 4 (between 1,500 and 2,000 c.c.) : 1, G. K. Marriott (Frazer Nash), 32.4s.; 2, D. M. Reid (Lagonda), 35.0s. CLASS 6 (between 3,000 and 5,000 c.c.) : I, 14. G. Bachelier (Bugatti), 33.4s.; 2, E. B. Lon.gbottom (Vauxhall), 358. CLASS 7 (over 5,000 c.c.) : 1, C. G. Fitt (Sunbeam), 33.4s.; 2, D. Monro (M.G.), 38.6s.

One-Lap Handicap (about 21 miles).—FIRs’r RACE. : 1. E. N. Oetzmann (Lea-Francis) (12s.) • 2, G. L. Baker (Minerva) (7s.) ; 3, D. Monro (M.G.) (12s.) ; Won by 300 yards. Speed 70.4 m.p.h.

SECOND RACE : 1, W. T. Liddell (Frazer Nash) (24s.) ; 2, H. W. Stonard (Riley) (21s.) ; 3, H. J. Aldington (Frazer Nash) (as.). Won by 250 yards. Speed 67.3 m.p.h.

THIRD RACE: 1, C. E. Wood (M.G.) (37s.) •’ 2, J. F. de Lattre (Austin) (37s.) ; 3, G. H. Goodson (Austin) (30s.). Won by 35 yards. Speed 58.45 m.p.h.

Ten Laps Handicap.-1, G. L. Baker (Minerva) (2m. 44s.) ; 2, G. D. Evans (Bugatti) (scratch) ; 3, C. G. H. Dunham (Alvis) (4m. Is.). Won. by 16 3/5s. Speed 78.43 m.p.h.

Driving Skill.—C. Anthony (Sen,echal), 27 4/5s. ; N. Bracey (Austin), 33s.; C. Penn-Hughes (Frazer Nash), 33s.; C. Paul (Windsor), 36s.

Hill Test.—TounING CLASS: A. B. Curtis (Wolseley Hornet), 14 1/5s. SPORTS CLASS: B. Longbottom (Vauxhall), 11 4/55. SUPER-SPORTS CLASS: L. G.. Bachelier (Bugatti), 9 3/5s.