THE KENT & SUSSEX L.C.C.

THE KENT & SUSSEX L.C.C.

A VISITOR

At Prescott we were pleased to meet again James Allison, home on a month’s leave from India, and very happy to be back. Allison did very well at Club speed events and trials last year with the ex-Marcus Chambers’ 4i-litre shortened Bentley. In India he runs a Red-Label 3-litre Bentley and says you go on climbing a Pass for a week on end, when even a Ford V8 only averages

around 24 m.p.h. His Bentley enjoys such a task, and does not attract special attention—perhaps in India they appreciate a real motor-car.

The “750” CLUB

We learn that the ” 750 Club ” will hold a closed Trial on June 25th in Kent. The entry fee will be 3/6 and entries close on June 17th. Full members driving Austin Seven cars and associate members on any make of car are eligible, and there will be a Committee Cup and three other prizes for Full Members and

a separate prize for associates. Marks will be awarded on the novel basis for performances on hills and in two special tests and the prizes given on plaeings. The chief marshal is G. C. Kipps and P. H. Hunter is Clerk of the Course. The Club has issued a monthly “750 Express” and its future fixtures include a social run and another treasure hunt. A badge is now available, priced at 5/-.

Details from ; P. H. Hunter, 39, Warlands Road, S.E.18. Another very entertaining speed trial meeting was held at Lewes May 13th, under ideal weather conditions, but with a stiff breeze blowing out to sea, making fast cars tricky to hold. Both Hutchison, on a run when Martin Soames rode as passenger in the V12 Allard, and Maclachlan with the wonderful little Austin, had snaky moments. Fastest run was by Norman Lewis, who got up the course in 18.47 secs. in Baron’s 2.3 Bugatti. Robins won the H.R.G. class, and Matthew’s M.G. Midget the small standard sports class. Goff’s PI3 M.G. scored in the larger sports class, and Smith’s B.M.W. in the 2-litre class. Wooding did a remarkably good run with a 44litre Lagonda in the big sports class, beating Hutch’s Allard. Bennett’s Alta scored another success for the Kingston marque in the small super sports class, and Lycett, with passenger, won the big class with his immortal 8-litre Bentley, in 20.67 secs’ Cunliffe

Lister took the Bentley Drivers’ Handicap.

Maclachlan’s famous Austin Seven won the racing class up to 1,100 c.c. with a very healthy run, Mortimer’s blown Alta netted the 11-litre racing class, and also the 2-litre class, and Baron’s 3.3 Bugatti took the big racing class in 18.49 secs. Miss Dobson (Frazer-Nash) won the handicap and Lewis did fastest time of anyone without smashing the course record. The Bolster. Special was not on form. There will be another of these excellent meetings on the 17th.

in 7 min 44,4 sees., at 05.94 m.p.h. The Darracq was third, followed by the Delage, Alta, Alfa and Peugeot in that order. Hunter, used the very rim of the banking, Dobson was shown the controls on the line by Walker, and the bookies thought Connell would do it. After a parade of ambulances, the cars lined up for the next round. Just before the start, the spectators on the rails noticed flames coming from the Delahaye, Dobson quite oblivious until officials shouted to him to leap out, while Aitken and Dorndof drove out of danger. The flames were severe but quickly extinguished—grand demonstration of the need to carry a fire-extinguisher on your car. Full marks to Dobson for instantly climbing in again and starting in the race. After a lap he led from Connell and Cowell. Poor Hunter coasted to a standstill in the finishing straight with a broken gearbox. Apart from an initial lead snatched by the Darracq the Delahaye led throughout. Connell was second, and the Delage third. Dobson averaged 71.15 m.p.h. and the Delahaye won the combined contest. This was a most popular contest, and proof of the superior performance of the Delahaye marque, the salessuccess of which should benefit it in consequence. It had soundly beaten three blown sports-cars and a Darracq half a litre larger—but wasn’t it once a racing

car ? Of the othe, s, Templer’s Alfa was fourt n and managed to repass the Alta and the pretty Peugeot was far slower.

A 5 lap Mountain race followed, won very splendidly from scratch by Rolt and his Zoller E.R.A. He averaged 77.35 m.p.h. and excitedly opened the bonnet afterwards to display the engine, shaking Dixon, who tuned it, warmly by the hand.

Tony Hurst’s M.G. Magnette, limit car, was second, and the B.H.W. thundered into third place. Maclure had a bare 4 secs. start from Rolt and although he had got away with smoking tyres he could not make it. Before the start he methodically checked all gauge readings, while Mortimer changed into the traditional tennis-shoes to drive his beautiful

” 2.8 ” Bugatti. The new Alfa-Aitken, shades of the Birnotore did not appear. In the next Mountain handicap the ” fastest road-equipped car,” Count Heyden’s 31-litre Delahaye, still roadequipped, and driven by Walker, won nicely at 681 m.p.h., as virtual limit car. He was chased home by Aitken’s E.R.A., with Wilson’s smaller E.R.A. third. Wilkinson, on the ex-Fernihough Riley, had a huge duel with Bartlett’s 3-litre Alfa-Romeo, which beat him on initial acceleration, but on lap 2 he overdid again we heard expressions of enthusiasm for the ” outer.” This race drew fifteen entries. For laps Baker’s 51-litre Graham-Paige, with four Solex carburetters and longer exhaust branches from cylinders 2 and 5 than from its other six “pots,” led. Then Stunner’s R. R. Jackson-tuned M.G. built up a nice lead from Courtney’s Amilear Six and the Graham. After 5 laps of the 7 Wooding’s new 3-litre single seater

things at the Banking turn, spinning round, so that Bartlett had to shoot up

the banking to miss him. Symonds (M.G.) toured and Cotton (E.R.A.) tried hard in vain. Monkhouse’s M.G. strewed vital bits about the concrete after some twenty-five yards. The final Mountain handicap saw Ansell’s T & ‘f-tuned E.R.A. win from Beadle’s Alta, with Whitehead’s scratch E.R.A. about equal distance away in third place. Ansell drove well to ward off the Alta, which picked up splendidly on the field. Dennis’s SS turned round at the Fork and finished last in spite of a rousing exhaust note, the Mills Special vomitted, and Hampshire’s Maserati retired. The speed was 74.68 m.p.h. Next we had the big race of the day, the 20 Mile Locke King Trophy Handicap —and it was an outer-circuit race. Once Talbot was second. Right at the end

Sumner had a plug cut out and retired, leaving Wooding to win at 115.68 m.p.h. from the old Amilcar. Much interest was attached to the E.R.A. driven by St. John Horsfall. It ran very steadily, its front end obviously light for tackling the outer-circuit bump, and, although we believe revs, were purposely kept down because of a road-circuit axle ratio, it finished third, lapping at about 125

m.p.h. The Duesenberg and BentleyJackson could not stay the distance.

A very pleasant meeting concluded with a long, outer-circuit handicap, won by G. B. C. Sumner (M.G. S) with C. G. H. Dunham (Alvis) and A. F. P. Pane at a speed of 111.85 m.p.h., being some consolation for Sumner’s bad luck in the previous race.