Reports of Recent Events, February 1950

Held on December 18th, the results were not to hand in time for the last issue:—

 

Best Performance of the Day.—D. D. Render (Allard), 50.1 marks lost.

First-Class Awards.—A. W. Richards (Austin), 64.8 marks lost; C. J. Abbott (Austin), 69.9 marks lost.

Highest Placed Saloon Car.—Mrs. J. W. Evans (Austin), 95.9 marks lost.

 

This trial was run on December 18th, over a 30-mile route in Derbyshire, starting at the Monsal Head Hotel and finishing at the George Hotel, Taddington. Approximately 30 entries with a class for standard cars. Set tyre pressures of 8 lb. for under 1,500-c.c., and 12 lb. for over 1,500-c.c. were enforced. It was followed in the evening by a Christmas Dinner and Film show given by Mr. Habershon on motor sport of 1949.

Results:

 

First.—E. Wadsworth (Ford), 100 marks retained.

Second.—Mrs. Wilde (Ford), 92 marks retained.

Third.—K. Bancroft (Bancroft), 90 marks retained.

Fourth.—A. Aldred (Ford), 85 marks retained.

Standard Car Class.—D. S. Rayner (Ford).

Team Award.—E. Wadsworth. C. Corbishley and A. M. Beardshaw.

 

This speed hill-climb, well organised by the Natal M.C. and C.C. at Durban on December 16th last, attracted 11,000 spectators and the only injury was to a boy spectator who fell out of a tree-which suggests that onlookers in Africa have their difficulties too. The South African Radio Relay League helped with “signal stations.” Fastest car time, 68.9 sec., was made by Hutton’s 1932 model-B Ford Special, which was one-fifth sec. faster than Basil Beall’s E.R.A. The motor-cycles were even faster, Duxbury’s Norton clocking 66.0 sec.—both new records. Several 500-c.c. cars competed, including Beall’s “Half-Pint,” with B.S.A. Gold Star engine, Fregona’s beautifully-made Triumph Midget and Harrington-Johnson’s hastily-completed “Fidgit” with dirt-track J.A.P. engine. Fregona broke the class record three times, although his engine misfired. A Peugeot suffered an odd trouble, a broken exhaust manifold causing the gas to impinge on the fuel pump, which caused vapour-locks. The event was well-reported by the Natal Mercury and Tribune. It seems that the R.A.C.’s intention to issue licences from Cape Town is causing disquiet, as robbing local clubs, whose sole revenue was gained from the issue of such licences and racing numbers—sounds familiar, somehow! The event was handicapped, these handicap times appearing before each competitor’s time in the following results:—

 

1st: O. Fregona (498-c.c. Triumph Midget), 11.5 sec., 1 min. 16.3 sec.

2nd: W. L. C. Miller (1,250-c.c. M.G.), 5.7 sec.

3rd: G. Benderson (1,100-c.c. F.I.A.T.), 4.7 sec., 1 min. 10.1 sec.

4th: R. Henderson (747-c.c. Austin Special), 13 sec., 1 min. 19.3 sec.

 

P. C. Harrinton-Johnson (498-c.c. Fidgit), 11.5 sec., 1 min. 18.2 sec.; A. R. Hutton (3.3-litre Ford Four Special). 2 sec., 1 min. 8.9 sec.; R. Oxenham (1,172-c.c. Ox-Ford), 9.sec., 1 min. 16.3 sec.; M. Miller (3.6-litre Ford Special), 1.4 sec., 1 min. 10.4 sec.; B. W. Beal (1½-litre s/c E.R.A.), scratch, 1 min. 9.1 sec.; C. H. Dove (747-c.c. Austin), 13 sec., 1 min. 23.4 sec.; K. M. Taws (926-c.c. Halford), 12.3 sec., 1 min. 23.4 sec.; W. Walters (1,250-c.c. M.G.), 6.8 sec., 1 min. 81.2 sec.; Miss I. Henderson (747-c.c. Austin Special), 13.5 sec., 1 min. 25.4 sec.; L. H. Kirk (747.-c.c. Austin), 13 sec. 1 min. 25.2 sec.; H. R. Felgate (1,250-c.c. M.G.), 6.8 sec., 1 min. 20 sec.; B. W. Beall (496-c.c. “Half-Pint”), 11.5 sec., 1 min. 25.4 sec.; D. Jenkyn (1,750-c.c. Peugeot), 6.8. sec., 1 min. 21.1 sec.; L. E. Geary (1,250-c.c. M.G.), 6.8 sec., 1 min. 22.3 sec.; C. A. Clark (1,600-c.c. Semi-Chev), 7 sec., 1 min. 25.4 sec.; D. Phipps (1,700-c.c.. Vauxhall Special), 6.8 sec., 1 min. 26.5 sec.; W. F. Perry (4.3-litre Hudz), 2.5 sec., 1 min. 23 sec.

 

By his victory at Buenos Aires on December 10th last, Alberto Ascari is confirmed the Italian champion driver of 1949.

 

Warmest congratulations to Peter Whitehead on winning the B.R.D.C. Gold Star for last season’s racing. His tenth place in the Ferrari at Buenos Aires gained him the final placing a few marks ahead of Bob Gerard.

 

This event, run over 450 miles of terrible dirt-roads north a Stockholm, is really more of a race than a rally. Eighty competitors turned out for the last one, the cars ranging from Dyna-Panhard to Mercury, and British cars being seen in the form of two Morris, an Austin A40, and an H.R.G. The winner was R. Andersson (Ford V8), who lost only five marks. Class winners were: rear-engined Renault, F.I.A.T. “1,100,” Volvo PV444 and Volkswagen.

 

The Kimber Trophy Trial of the M.G. Car Club (S.W. Centre) was held on Boxing Day. Twenty-one starters, standard and trials cars, met at the Parade Road House, Red Hill, south of Bristol, for a six-hill, three-test course in the North Mendips.

 

Dr. J. T. Spare (1,172-c.c. Whiteford), of the Taunton Club, in only his second trial, defeated all comers, including such regulars as L. Parker (3,000-c.c. Parker Special. S.), who was best in the opposite class, Clayton, C. C. Evans, Best and others. Parker takes the Spencer Cup. Mrs. Mayne (1,250-c.c. “TC” M.G.), of Plymouth, defeated standard M.G. driving members by a determined effort, and receives the Welch Trophy.

 

Two new hills proved their value: Goblin Coombe let through only five, the doctor and L. J. Tolman (1,172-c.c. Betsy) being outstanding; and Downside Farm only eight, where C. C. Evans (1,991-c.c. Dacy) toured up to give a false impression of simplicity. Other hills were Oatlands, Brockley Rocks (in plenty!), where G. W. Best found his drag-link in two bits, welded it at a nearby garage and completed the course. Elwell and Long Barrow. C. Nickoll (3,622-c.c. Ford) and G. W. Best (“PB” M.G. Special, blown) were fastest in two timed tests: forward-stop-reverse-stop on flat at right-angle corner, and dead engine roll to stop line-reverse up under power, respectively.

First-Class Awards.—L. J. Tolman (1,172-c.c. Betsy), no marks lost; M. E. Roberts (993-c.c. Roberts Special), no marks lost; C. C. Evans (1,991-c.c. Dacy), 8 marks lost; G. W. Best (M.G. Special, S.), 8 marks lost; H. Clayton (1,172-c.c. Clayton), 12 marks lost.

Second-Class Awards.—F. P. Radford (1,048-c.c. Radford, S.), 8 marks lost; B. Fitzwater (1,087c.c. Riley), 12 marks lost; D. Bollom (1,172-c.c. Dellow, S.), 24 marks lost; D. J. Hase (990-c.c. Meakin Cross Special), 24 marks lost; W. C. Cuff (3,917-c.c. Cuff Special), 24 marks lost; J. Buncombe (1,496-c.c. H.R.G.), 28 marks lost.

 

The 25-lap race at Ratmalana on December 18th last was won by George Rowlands’ Shorrock-supercharged Hooper-Special (TC M.G.), the TC M.G.s of Rajaratnam and Harridge finishing second and third. Filby’s cooper J.A.P. “500” had repeated plug trouble, and retired with a broken primary chain. Canagaratnam’s M.G. had engine trouble, and Esprit’s Lincoln Zephyr had transmission trouble.

A 2½-litre Riley said to do a genuine 110 m.p.h. in normal touring trim did not materialise.

 

Of the motor-cycles, Pat Helsham’s Norton Manxman finished a lap ahead of de Zylwa’s Triumph Tiger in a 20-lap race.

 

Louis Rosier has been declared champion of France for 1949.

 

This 100-mile event had to be postponed a day because the Orange Borol football match clashed with the original fixture. It was finally run on a new course outside the town on January 3rd and it seems that racing cars joined the Sports cars. The winner had an Indianapolis Mercury engine in a Duesenberg, the “Silverstone” Healey, which finished second, was powered by a 5½-litre V8 Cadillac engine—Healey Hot-Rod!—and Briggs Cunningham’s sports 2-litre V12 Ferrari was third. Leslie Johnson’s XK 120 Super Sports Jaguar was fourth, and because he drove it on an American licence, Johnson cannot now compete in British national events this year—perhaps he doesn’t care, anyway! In the race his hydraulic brakes seem to have failed after 20 miles or so.

1st: G. Hinton (Mercury-Duesenberg).

2nd: B. Cunningham (Cadillac-Healey).

3rd: G. Rand (Ferrari).

 

The event, held on January 14th, was a combined one for cars and motor-cycles, each category covering the same course and in general competed on the same terms.

It was a stiff course of about 30 miles in an area south of Bath. Mount Pleasant, Clandown, Pendown and Chappell Lane all took heavy toll of both two and four-wheeled vehicles.

Chappell Cup.—C. C. Evans (1,991-c.c. “Dacy”), 75 marks.

First-Class Awards.—W. H. Waring (1,172-c.c. Dellow S.), 70 marks; G. D. Waldron (1,172-c.c. Dellow S.), 70 marks; G. W. Best (939-c.c. M.G. S.), 70 marks.

Second-Class Awards.—H. E. Roberts (933-c.c. Roberts Special), 70 marks; L. Onslow-Bartlett (1,172-c.c. Aus-Ford), 70 marks; W. A. Cleave (1,086-c.c. Morris), 65 Marks.

Team Award.—Waldron and Bartlett.

 

The results of this trial were as follows:

Winner of Chiltern Hills Trophy.—Alec G. Pine (Alpine).

First-Class Awards.—G. G. Smith (M.G./Ford), G. Pentony (Morris), A. C. B. Chapman (Lotus), N. Cocker (N.C.).

Second-Class Awards.—A. W. Richards (Austin), C. W. Yates (Austin), D. R. Wootton (Austin), A. E. A. Day (Mercury).