ANOTHER CLUB MEETING AT DONINGTON

ANOTHER CLUB MEETING AT DONINGTON

C. W. P. HAMPTON IN THE LIMELIGHT AT BUGATTI AND VINTAGE CLUBS’ JOINT MEETING

CLUll gatherings at Donington, with races contested over the inanufacturer’s circuit with its two tricky corners and series of curves, are very instructive, and excellent training for sterner stuff, and have our full approval. On July 10th the Bugatti O.C. and Vintage S.C.C. ran a joint meeting. Much of the success of the meeting was due to the hard work put in by Cecil Clutton as official starter and helper in general. He operated the starting Union J aek from the running board of his new Bentley coupe, a 3-litre model capable of 90

m.p.h. and 15 i de a letter since received from him.

Harry Bowler was Clerk of the Course and Anthony Heal was broadblaater. The first three-lap scratch race for sports cars up to 11-litres resulted in a win for C. L. Clark’s G.P. Bugatti, Hampton’s 1922 Targa Mercedes-Benz -was second and NV. I. Miller, just home from Egypt, third in H. J. D. Burn’s Bugatti. Denyer’s Lea-Francis had bad rear-axle pother.. In the three-lap 11-8-litre sports car scratch race Col. G. M. Giles was a disappointed non-starter, his Type 57 Bugatti having broken a chassis ballrace on the run up. Hampton won very easily in his fully equipped 2,3-litre Type 55 Bugatti from Crozier’s Type 43 2.3 ” Bugatti and Potter’s S.S590, the last-named seeming to approach and partially round Starkey’s in neutral. Clark Kennedy drove carefully in his 1914 3-litre S.A.V.A., newly acquired from the Phenix Green Garage. The three-lap scratch race for sports cars

• boasting of more than 31-literage was a 4k-litre Bentley gathering, :NI rs. Fee Carson on Marcus Chambers’s ” Double Twelve ” car winning from Swainson and Day. Event 4, three-lap scratch race for racing ears up to 1 ‘-litres. was a victory for D. W. Jackson’s white single-seater Riley 9, followed by Clark’s Bugatti and Hampton’s Mercedes. The next three-lap scratch races were run jointly. Hampton won the first class with his sports Type 55 Bugatti at the fastest Speed of the day, against Mrs. Darbishire’s

O.P. Bugatti, G. K. Burness’s smart 1922 4-cyl. G.P. Sunbeam, K. W. Bear’s special 3-litre Bugatti, that had valvegear trouble, and a blown “2.8 ” G.P. Bugatti. The next class went to Manna Chambers’s Bentley, as Tim Carson’s 4.3-litre Carson-Special was slow and Sunmer’s big Del age regrettably a nonstarter.

Followed a four-lap Bugatti Club handicap race, Hampton now failing to start, allowing W. I. Miller, the limitman, an easy win on Burn’s G.P. Bugatti. A rather dull relay-race followed, Carson’s team winning. Then heat one of a four-lap open handicap race with a strong field. Swain drove a special 11-litre Alvis reminiscent of a 16-valve Aston’ Martin, Kennedy grappled with the rear-braked S.A .V.A. and J. L. Crisp stopped before Starkey’s to repair his remarkable Lea-Francis Special, an exceedingly low hung motor with seats actually lower than its massive rear axle, discs on three out of four of its wheels, and an engine displaying much exposed shafting, and a small sloping ” Leaf ” radiator. In action, it snaked rather horribly. In the second heat M. Rook’s interesting 1913 8-valve Bugatti was a non-starter owing to gear-selector trouble. Toinkinson ran a stripped chassis Austin 7 with central bucket-seat and L.M.B. front axle, cornering with remarkable steadiness to win :comfortably. T. B. Mills’s Mills-Special appeared to be a special M.G. Magnette. The final resulted in a will for Clark’s fleet Bugatti with Jackson’s Riley second and Swain’s Alvis third. Mi ist of these ears came out again

for the heats of the ten-lap Handicap. Morris-Goodall’s sports 1i-litre AstonMartin won from Jackson’s very consistent Riley, with the gallant old G.P. Sunbeam third. The meeting was voted a great success, in spite of a dull, cold day. The driving was of a notably high order, the representative of MoTOR SPORT, who stood exposed at Starkey’s to wave flags, finding that there was just nothing to do-when people did get mixed up they did so all in a bunch ! Another amateur DOnington Meeting is due from the United Hospitals and U.L.M.C. in September. The winners, place men and average speeds of the present meeting are as follows :Sports Car Races (three laps each, no handicaps). Up to 1,500 e.e. : 1, t’. L. Clark (1,490 e.e. Bugatti), 60.8 m.p.h. ; 2, C. W. 1′. Hampton (1,496 c.c. Mercedes-Benz 5); 3, W. I Miller (1,11)0 ex. Bugatti). 1,500 c.c. to 3,500 c.c. : 1, C. W. P. Hampton (2.270 c.c. Bugatti 8), 62.5 m.p.h.; 2, 0. M. ‘Crozier (2,261 c.c. Bugatti S.) ; 3, W. C. Potter (2,664 c.c. 8890). Over 3,500 c.c. : 1. Marcus Clumbers (4,478 c.c. Bentley), 62 m.p.h. ; 2, J. B. 8wainson (4,463 c.c. Bentley) ; 3, .1. if. Day (4,487 e.e. Bentley). Racing Cars (three laps, scratch) up to 1,500 c.c. • 1, D. W. ,Iaekson-(1.087 e.e. Riley), 65 ; C. L. Clark (1.490 e.e. C. W. P. Hampton (1. 190 c.(•. M..rcedes-11,i,nz S.). 1,500 c.c. to 3,500 c.c. : 1, C. W. P. Tlanipton (2.27o c.c, Iniili S.). 66.I mph. ; 2. K. W. Bear (2.900 _knot ; (I. K. Burness (1,991 c.c. 8unhcam). Over 3,500 c.c. : Marcus Chambers (4,478 c.c. Bentley). 04.8 ia.ph.; only two starters. Bugatti 0.0. Four-lap Handicap • 1, NV. Miller (1,406 c.e Um:A M), handicap 2.111. I3s.. at 60.3 • , 2, C. 1,. llark (1,496 ex. IlIngat11). 41S.: 3, K. W. Rear (2,990 c.c. Bugatti), Os. Vintage Sports C.C. Relay Rase : WinnersTim Carson (Carson Special), .1. W. Swainson (4,4S7 e.e, Bentley) and C. Windsor-Riehards (4,487 c.c. Bentley). Four-Lap Handicap for sports and racing-ears: 1, C. L. Clark (1,496 c.c. Bugatti), handicap im. Ss., at 61.7 m.p.h.: 2, I). NV. Jackson (1,087 c.c. Riley), 1rn. 5s. ; 3, G. Swain (1,408 c.c. Alvis). 3113.5.s. Ten-lap Handicap (unlimited) M. H. ‘Morris(100(1:111 (1,194 ca. Aston Martin), handicap 5m, 12s., at 60,8 nLp.h. hy 60 yards; 2, 11. W. Jaekson I.1;87 c.c. hilcy), 2nr. 30s.; 3, 0. K. 13urness mom c.c. Stini.eand, mi. 12s.

THE B.R.D.C. 300 MILE RACE

As we feared, the classic 500-mile outer-circuit race is no more. This year the B.R.D.C. ” 500″ will be run over 500 kilometres, or 112 complete laps, 69 laps fewer than previously. Moreover, only the scratch cars will cover this distance, as the handicapping is now based on a system of credit laps, whereby the smallest cars, for instance, are only required to do 96 laps. There is no reason why this should make the race any more difficult to follow than formerly, and it will allow of a massed start. We still .cannot see how lopping down the distance is going to attract more entries, for the race will still be a moneyabsorbing undertaking, hard on cars, and calling for very high lap speeds. But we sincerely hope that all the outercircuit cars-Napier-Railton, Barnato Hassan, Pacey-Hassan-Special, Miller, Bentleyj ackson, Duesenberg, Bowler-Hof man, M.G. Magic Magnette., and so on-will turn out, accompanied by many road-racing jobs. Here we humbly suggest that time latter will nearly always benefit by the removal of front brakes, a comfortable cockpit,

additional fairing and an unrestricted flow of cooling air to radiator and sump.

The first prize is the Wakefield Trophy and 050, second prize 000, third prize giO, fourth 03, and there are many others. The race starts at 2.30 pm. and will be stopped at 5.45 p.m. Single fee entries close on August 18th at 06 per car and the race takes place at Brooklands on September 18th. Churns, gravity or pressure-feed may Be used for replenishment of cars. The decline in entries in past ” 300″ races has been due to the shortage Of true outer-circuit cars and the consequent risk of retirement from expensive troubles on the part of competing cars not entirely suited to the conditions. Speed is a greater killer than distance in motor ‘racing and the substitution of kilometres for miles must surely put up the speed at which the race will be run-indeed, the handicappers appear to agree, for the required averages are greater for every class, compared with last year’s, with one exception, and in general by as much as 3-6 m.p.h. If a 750 c.c. supercharged car laps at just below 115 m.p.h., which is a probability, everything over 1,100 c.c. blown or 11-litres unblown will have to lap at over 121 m.p.h. All the same we hope the B.R.D.C. will receive a really good entry and fine weather, for we still enjoy a classic outer circuit contest. The handicapping is as follows (last year’s average speeds in brackets) : (1117,1.1000).0.0. UneuPereharged, 108.71 m.p.h.. 96 lops

(1(117.1,500). c.c. Uns., 113.32 m.p.h., IOU laps (113.19). 750 0.0. Supercharged, 114.49 m.p.h., 101 laps 1,100 0.0. S., 115.55 m.p.h., 102 laps (133.10). 1,500 c.c. S., 2,000 o.c. S. and Uns.’ 2,500 0.0. S. ‘

and Uns., 121.18 m.p.h. 107 laps (115.82, 117.19, 115.82, 117.10 and 117.19 respectively). 3.500 c.c. Uns., 122,37 m.p.h., 108 laps (117.19). 3,500 c.c. S. and 5,000 c.c. Uns., 123.43 m.p.h.,

109 laps (121.47 and 118.58). 5,000 c.c. S. and 8,000 c.c. Uns., 121.66 m.p.h.,

110 laps (124.51 and 121.47).

8.000 c.c. S., 125.77 m.p.h., 111 laps (124.51). Over 8,000 c.c. S. and Uns., 126.89 m.p.h., 112 laps (124.51).

Full details are available from the B.R.D.C., 2, Queen’s Gate Terrace, London, S.NV.7.