THE MANNIN RACES.

THE MANNIN RACES.

TAKEN as a whole, the Mannin Races organised by the Royal Automobile Club can be regarded as a successful initiation of what we hope will be a regular fixture on the motor-racing calendar. Of course a good many people found plenty to grumble about, but in the main their criticisms were confined to the failures of cars to complete the course.

In the Mannin Beg race, especially, this failure was so pronounced as to jeopardise seriously the interest of the race as a spectacle. Regrettable as this was, a little thought will serve to clear the organisers from any blame in this connection. Their job was merely to provide a circuit of sufficient severity to test the cars and drivers to the full, and if the machines were incapable of withstanding the stresses thus imposed, it was no concern of the Royal Automobile Club. Motor-racing has two primary purposes. On the one hand it provides entertainment and sport for spectators and drivers. On the other hand it develops and perfects the ” breed ” by finding out the weak spots in current The Mannin current Beg race admittedly fulfilled the latter purpose at the expense of the former, instead of combining the two. The lesson of the race seems to be that the improvements in the power units of modern small racing machines have outgrown similar developments in the transmission to the driving wheels of the power

thus developed. In this there is no need for alarm. Modifications will take place and this part of light cars’ anatomy will be strengthened to bring it on a par with the immense engine power now available. Thus far has the Mannin Beg borne good results.

Of the Mannin Moar there is little to be said save of admiration of the driving of the first, second and third finishers. On a circuit which demanded a great deal of stamina, combined with concentration and skill, the Hon. Brian Lewis, T. E. Rose-Richards and G. E. T. Eyston gave a demonstration of first-class driving. The larger cars used in this race, developed by years of racing under all sorts of conditions, were able to finish the race without trouble. This is in itself a proof of what the light cars of the Mannin Beg race will be developed into, in the light of experience gained by the Douglas event. From the spectators point of view, the races drew attention to the great drawback of round-the-town contests, i.e., the restricted movement of the crowd. Once a position had been taken up, it was well-nigh impossible for a spectator to change his standpoint. Footbridges and subways would alleviate this difficulty, but are expensive to construct. It seems that spectators of these races must content themselves with a single

The race was notable for a lack of entries from manufacturers. We can only suppose this to be caused from an understandable reluctance to submit cars to such a gruelling test. Failure in events as important as the Mannin races is blazoned abroad for all to see, and it requires considerable courage and faith in his products for a manufacturer to enter cars for such a race. All the more honour, therefore, is due to those who did, and we are confident that the public realize this fact.

The R.A.C. is to be congratulated on running Britain’s first post-war road race for C.P. type cars.