MONTHLY BULLETIN OF The British Motor=Cycle Racing Club
MONTHLY BULLETIN OF Vie 33tttigb ftiotor=OprIc %Wine Club Headquarters: BROOKLANDS MOTOR COURSE, WEYBR1DGE. President : COLONEL F. LINDSAY LLOYD, C.M.G., C.B.E. (Affiliated to the A isto-Cyds U nio n.) Vice-President : PROFESSOR A. M. LOW, D.Sc., A.C.G.I. Hon. Secretary: A. GEO. REYNOLDS. 95, Fillebrook Road, Leytonstone, E.1 Under this heading will be reported from month to month the doings and features of the World’s Premier Racing Club.
THE Race for Sidecars at the Fourth Members’ Meeting, which took place on Saturday, June 26th, ended in great disappointment. The actual finishers in the three races, out of a total of 46 starters, only numbered six.
Particularly disappointing were the performances in Class 0, stoppages due to tyre troubles, silencers built too frail, and fixings totally unsuitable were the contributing causes. Especially with the Silencers, a lesson should be learnt.
Considerable sympathy and concern is due to all who compete at Brooklands with Motor Cycles, in regard to the stringent regulations go N erning exhaust silencers. In addition to the anxiety caused in conforming with the demands, silencers are an endless expense, and occupy much of the time which should be spent on the engine and other appurtenances.
If Motor Cycles are to continue their career at the Brooklands Course, these difficulties will remain, and it is up to those who compete, to once and for all settle on a substantially constructed article, fixed properly and securely. It can be done, and the few who have succeeded, have practically no troubles.
The Four 200 Miles Races for Solo machines takes place on Saturday, July 24th, and with the experience gained during the Sidecar Races, a good show is assured. The Prizes, totalling £300, will again be presented to the Club by the Proprietors of The News of the World.
Much concern was felt with the regulations in governing the operations at the Replenishment pits for these races. It has always been an unsatisfactory method allowing the competitors’ pit attendants to remain on the track, congesting the space in front of the pits, whilst the races were in progress, and the rule was made to prevent this.
During the course of distance races, new records are generally made, beating the previous bests. The International Rule prohibits outside assistance in Record attempts or performances, and unless a machine is unassisted, except by its driver and own motive Power, the claim cannot be allowed.
At private attempts on Records, this difficulty does not arise, as the machine, after a temporary stop, is pushed back owing to a free track and assisted off up to the point where it originally stopped.
In a race with riders passing and pulling up at the pits, the danger of going back is a serious one, and also the possible exhaustion of the rider has to be considered.
To overcome some of these difficulties, for such races, an additional regulation has now been drawn up. Official Starters will be appointed, whose duty will be to assist the driver in supporting his machine whilst carrying out adjustments or replenishments, and to push off in restarting, using such care as is necessary should the rider have designs on record honours.
Following the 200 Miles Races for Solo machines, the next important meeting will be the ” Hutchinson Hundred,” a ioo Miles Handicap race for all solo classes, for the £200 Challenge Cup (presented by Messrs, Hutchinson Tyres, Ltd.) The present holder is Mr. F. A. Longman, who won the race last year at a speed of 89 m.p.h.
In addition to the valuable Challenge Trophy, Messrs. Hutchinson Tyres also present Cash Prizes to the value of (5o for this race.
The team prize offered to any affiliated A.C.U. Club in the Senior Tourist Trophy race held in the Isle of Man, was won by the B.M.C.R.C. The riders nominated were Messrs. Graham Walker, F. A. Longman and L. P. Driscoll. The occasion will be commemorated by a souvenir to be presented to each rider at the Annual Dinner to be held at the close of the season.
A course has yet to be chosen for the 50 Miles SemiRoad Race at Brooklands. This course has to be selected carefully and to consist of sev eral turns suitable for all classes of machines. A Sub-Committee has been appointed to make up a course and any member with a good idea is asked to unfold his plan. The start and finish to he at the fork.