ON GETTING INTO THE GAME

ON GETTING INTO THE GAME

Sir,

Your correspondent ” Spectator ” and perhaps others may be interested to know that some enthusiasts here have formed a body, called ” Capa ” after the initials of its founders, to organise ” something after the grass-track style for cars.” Two short path circuits with somewhat ” trials ” surfaces have been used, but a mile circuit on grass is now nearly

ready. It has a 400 yards straight ending in a reproduction of ” Starkey’s ” and “Red Gate” and includes up and downhill sections with a variety of bends and corners. It is in fact a miniature road circuit.

The cars must conform to a formula limiting their overall size. Their petrol tanks may not hold more than a gallon, which should reduce the extent of a fire, enforces pit stops in any but short races and excludes all ordinary road cars. The latter means that you can blow your Capa-car up and still get to work on Monday and has a number of other incidental advantages as well.

Most of the Capa-cars are Austin Seven chassis with centralised controls and a single central bucket seat. They cost from to g0 and take a few week-ends to make out of an ordinary “chummy.” There is one shortened Singer Niue and some ” specials ” are on the way. To make this sport as good as possible a system of handicapping like that of golf is used ; a plus 10 car giving 2 secs. per lap to a plus 8 for instance. The handicapper is allowed to time people surreptitiously ‘during races I•

Capa was only founded this spring but though all the cars have had to be converted and much work done on the circuits a number of races has already been held. They have been enormous fun and seem to embody all the sport of racing without its grimmer aspects. Rival racing stables are forming, each with its cars painted in its own colours, its own ideas in design, tuning, pit organisation and so on.

Perhaps we shall be accused of playing at racing, but did not your original contributor call it ” The Game ” ? I am, Yours etc.,

R.C.

Somerset.