THE PERFECT HOLIDAY AT BROOKLANDS

THE PERFECT HOLIDAY AT BROOKLANDS WOODING’S NEW TALBOT WINS LOCKE KING TROPHY RACE AT NEARLY 116 M.P.H. DELAHAYE SUPREME IN ROAD CAR RACE

GLORIOUS sunshine gave a real holiday air to Brooklands on Whit-Monday, when a big attendance was present to watch a long programme. The Paddock was an even more devastating parade of male and female fashions than ever, while Mrs. Jill Thomas contributed by driving in summery attire. The races were very closely contested. In the first 5 lap Campbell circuit handicap Robin Hanson, the favourite, came up well to win at just over 70 m.p.h. with Mrs. Hall-Smith’s red E.R.A., though Thomas on the sports B.M.W. stayed persistently up until passed on lap 4 by Wilson’s smart 1,100 c.c. E.R.A.,

which was second. Billy Cotton’s scratch E.R.A. got third place in the run in, after he had caught Abecassis (Alta) who had 3 secs. start, on lap 2. Rolt’s 2-litre Aston-Martin, Maclure’s blown Riley, the Alta and Creed’s supercharged, sports Lagonda Rapier could not last the distance, and G. M. Watson rolled his 1.8-litre Riley right over at the Fork turn on the last lap, luckily sustaining only a cut hand. In the next race, of the same specie, motorcyclist Mortimer won after a steady drive with his unblown six-cylinder M.G., at nearly 64 m.p.h., catching Stocks’s similar M.G. and Tuson’s limit Fiat quite easily. Winterbottom (Alta) cast anxious backward glances at Baron’s ” 2.3 ” Bugatti and Parnell’s B.H.W., who was having a duel between themselves Parnell having the advantage, though Baron cut off later for the Railway Straight

corner. Baron eventually finished second, and Beadle drove his 2-litre Alta nicely into third place. The next race saw Kenneth Evans, calm as ever, gain a well deserved victory with his 3-litre Alfa-Romeo, by a mere i of a second from ” Hambone ” Hamp shire’s little Maserati. The crowd on the Hill certainly showed appreciation of a truly exciting finish. Hugh Hunter drove very fast into third place with his B.M.W. Aitken’s E.R.A. and Gerard’s

Riley retired. Michael May’s Alvis shimmied at the front end, and Nichols (M.G.) was troubled by a locking rear brake. Evans averaged 71.84 m.p.h. Then followed a-most interesting contest to ascertain which really is the most potent road-equipped car—obviously not, as the race card had it, the fastest car of ” 4.9 ” Bugatti or Torin’s Maserati running, and. we thought Pane had agreed to drive a 328 B.M.W. The actual field was :—Arthur Dobson (3i-litre Delahaye), Aitken (3-litre Delage), Dorndof (2-litre Peugeot), Hunter (3-litre s /c AlfaRomeo), Cowell (2-litre s /c Alta), Connell (4-litre Darracq) and Templer (2f litre s /c Alfa-Romeo)—-all road equipped. In

this type, or a timed half-mile would have sufficed. Actually, entrants drove a race over 31 Campbell circuit laps, then a race over 5 Mountain circuit laps, and the best time gained the day—and title. We would like to have seen two outercircuit laps thrown in, and in any case the race lacked a comprehensive field, as Forrest-Lycett preferred to leave his 8-litre Bentley in the car park, and no Type 57SC Bugatti ran, nor Nv,•re Craig’s the first scrap Dobson just beat Connell and Templer away, but Aitken led round the banking. After a -lap Hunter’s Alfa led from the Delahaye by a length or so, the Darracq third. Dobson passed Hunter on lap 2 immediately before the Hill corner, but ere they emerged from behind the Hill the Alfa again was in the lead—truly a real race. At the finish there was nothing in it, Huffier just winning, Continued on page 185