Saloon car races

Saloon car races appeal to spectators as providing an exciting spectacle, and, although, depending on the race rules adopted, engines may be subject to considerable modification, less can be done to improve road-holding, so that a comparison is possible in this respect between competing cars.

We suggested after the Daily Express saloon car race won by Hawthorn (Jaguar) that future races of this sort should be of a standard one-hour duration and that the Le Mans start might well be abandoned. At a recent Snetterton Meeting a 100-mile Saloon Car Race was held the Eastern Counties 100. It was won by Tommy Sopwith’s 3.4 Jaguar, at 78.24 m.p.h. from two other 3.4 Jaguars. The class winners were Sprinzel’s Austin A35, Leston’s Riley 1.5, and Wadsworth’s Healey. Jack Sears (Austin A105) and Shepherd (Austin A35) lost wheels, Brierley (Sunbeam Rapier) retired with a cracked wheel centre and McKechnie (Austin A35) also shed a wheel-can these parts be strengthened on production cars, please? Two other A35s retired, respectively with big-end and coil failure.

In a 10-lap Saloon Car Race at the Crystal Palace last month during a B.R.S.C.C. Meeting the-winner was again the irrepressible Sopwith, whose Jaguar averaged 66.88 m.p.h. Class winners were Shepherds’ Austin A35, Foster’s M.G. Magnette and Uren’s Ford Zephyr.