SPRINT RESULTS OF 1937

SPRINT RESULTS OF 1937

Sprint meetings did not have quite such a successful season this year as the pointers of 1936 suggested, chiefly because the lack of suitable venues still

THE SPORTS-CAR ” HOUR” The R.A.C. has now issued their report on the observed One-hour run made at Brooklands by Alan Hess with a 4f. litre T.T. Lagonda. The average was 104,44 m.p.h. and the fastest lap at 105.52 m.p.h The car was apparently slightly heavier than the standard ” Rapide ” four-seater Of the same period, but it pulled appreciably higher gear-ratios, namely, 3.0, 8.9, 5.0 and 7.8 to 1, against the standard ratios of 3.31, 4.30, 5.56 and 8.66 to 1 of the 1936 ” Rapide ” Model, and 3.6, 4.7, 7.3 and 11.4 to 1 of earlier 41-litre open models. We would suggest that for future attempts on the sports-car ” hour” cars be submitted with standard gear-ratios, not because higher ratios improve the maximum speed possibilities, indeed, under -unfavourable conditions the opposite is likely to rule, but because higher ratios can very materially ease matters in the engine department when very high speeds are maintained for prolonged persists and there was less prize-money available this year. But sprint motoring still flourishes exceedingly and is a very advanced branch of the Sport. Here spells. The T.T. Lagonda engine ran

at 3,350 r.p.m. at 104 m.p.h. in top gear. THE GERMAN RECORD WEEK Last month we referred to the first Part of the German record-week at the rrankforl: Aulabahn. Apart from the records then mentioned Stuck’s AutoUnion set the Class B :standing kilometre record to 117.14 m.p.h.-which like his 133.67 m.p.h. standing mile, ranks also as a world’s record. The Class B flying 5 kilo. record was broken at 251.4 in.p,h. Major Gardners M.G, took the Class H flying 5 kilos. record at 143.59 m.p.h., and the flying 5 miles at 144.57 m.p.h. Thereafter piston trouble intervened, but a one-way run was clocked at 151.86 m.p.h. over a kilometre. Rosemeyer took eight Class C records, five Class B records and two world’s records, his standing mile (138 m.p.h.) and flying kilometre (252 m.p.h.) figures actually being established with the Class B AutoUnion of 5-6 litres, and his flying ten

after are compressed details of the principal 1937 meetings, with particulars of those making fastest time, and indications.

of course records. miles (211 m.p.h.) figure with the ClaSs. C Auto-Union of under 5 litres. Major Gardner broke four Class H records. The big Auto-Union had bodywork as used for racing at Avus, the wheelfairings being removed for standing start records. Closed cockpits were used for the flying records. The 12cylinder Mercedes-Benz lifted its front end from the road at around 245 m.p.h., so that Roseineyer congratulated Caracciola for driving on two wheels. Windpressure crushed the nose and undershield. The car was returned to Stuttgart on a lorry and reappeared on the Wednesday with a curved down nose

and flat undershield Caraceiola then recorded 2481 m.p.h. but the lifting tendency returned and the record attempts: were abandoned. The plan had been to use a separate four-speed chassis for the standing start records, retaining the same 12-cylinder -engine. Bobby Kohlrausch’s M.G. did not take anyrecords during the week.