Reports of Recent Events, March 1950

Nuwara Eliza Road Races
The races held at Nuwara Eliza on January 22nd by the Ceylon M.C.C. were a great success and were watched with enthusiasm by tea planters and up-country residents and the labour forces of the nearby tea estates. The course measured 1.8 miles to a lap and embraced eight or more bends, overtaking being prohibited along one leg. Fastest lap was by a Manx Norton, at 59.45 m.p.h., second fastest being a tie between a Triumph Tiger 100 and Bilton’s Cooper 500, at 58.38 m.p.h. The Cooper was towed 110 miles to the venue, a climb from sea-level to 6,100 feet, behind a Chevrolet, an elephant and its mahout being met en route. The Cooper needed 10 gear-changes per lap and suffered plug trouble. It ran with a 4-gallon, half-round, alloy, long-range tank in felt-lined clamps in the nose of the car, feed being by an S.U. pump below the oil tank, energised from a 6-volt motor-cycle battery strapped to the air-intake pipe by the driver’s right thigh. The 15-lap handicap car race was won by Rowlands’ blown M.G. Midget after Bilton’s Cooper had stopped for a plug-change. Results:

Motor-Cycles (Ordinary Class) (10 Laps).—1st: Peter Fernando (Triumph Tiger,) 19 min. 4.2 sec. 2nd: Wally de Zilva (Triumph Tiger), 19 min. 7.4 sec., 3rd: F. Jermain (Matchless), 21 min. 1.4 sec.
Motor-Cycles. (Racing Class) (15 Laps).—1st: Peter Fernando (498-c.c. Triumph Tiger), 28 min. 17.6 sec. 2nd: Collin Silva (347-c.c. Matchless), 29 min. 15.4 sec. 3rd: Pat Helsham (499-c.c. Norton Manx), 27 min. 5.7 sec.
Motor Cars (Racing Class) (15 Laps).—1st: F. G. Rowlands (1,250-c.c. M.G., s/c.), 32 min. 28.2 sec. 2nd: S. G. Bilton (497-c.c. Cooper Special), 32 min. 9.2 sec. 3rd: W. M. Newman (1,250-c.c. M.G.), 33 min. 35 sec.
First Event Distance (18 Miles).—Fastest lap: Peter Fernando, 1 min. 51.1 sec.
Second Event Distance (27 Miles).—Fastest lap: Pat Helsham, 1 min. 49 sec.
Third Event Distance (27 Miles).—Fastest lap: S. G. Bilton, 1 min. 51 sec.

V.S.C.C. of Australia
The following are the times and placings in the 1949 Sprint Championship Meeting:

Over 3,000-c.c. Racing:
1st: F. Kleinig (4,168-c.c. Hudson Special) .. 15.23 sec.
2nd:  G. Reed (4,376-c.c. Reed Special) .. 15.515 sec.
3rd: J. Crouch (3,555-c.c. Delahaye) .. 16.12 sec.
4th: R. Ewing (3,800-c.c. Buick Special) .. 18.59 sec.

Over 3,000-c.c. Sports:
1st: J. Jeffery (4,100-c.c. Railton) .. 18.97 sec.

Over 3,000-c.c. Vintage:
1st: H. Tompsitt (4,224-c.c. “30/98” Vauxhall) .. 21.435 sec.
2nd: J. Bissett (4,224-c.c. “30/98” Vauxhall) .. 22.68 sec.
3rd: E. Ansell (3,055-c.c. A-type Vauxhall) .. 24.115 sec.
4th: S. Mackenzie (3,500-c.c. Lorraine) ..24.685  sec.
5th: R. Tompsitt (3,700-c.c. “23/60” Vauxhall) .. 27.085 sec.

1,501-c.c—3,000-c.c. Sports:
1st: G. Nicol  (2,460-c.c. SS Jaguar 100) .. 20.38 sec.

1,501-c.c—3,000-c.c. Vintage:
1st: D. Wright (2,460-c.c. Lancia) .. 21.42 sec.
2nd: C. Nicholls (2,520-c.c. Lancia) .. 23.18 sec.
3rd: J. Lewthwaite (2,120-c.c. Lancia) .. 26.025 sec.

1,501-c.c—3,000-c.c. Racing:
1st: G. Coglan (1,250-c.c. “TC” M.G., s/c) .. 16.18 sec.
2nd: A. Rizzo  (1,496-c.c. Riley Special) .. 16.875 sec.
3rd: R. Cobden (1,250-c.c. “TC” M.G.) .. 17.86 sec.
4th: C. Brydon (1,250-c.c. “TC” M.G.) .. 18.865 sec.

1,101-c.c—1,500-c.c. Sports:
1st: J. Crouch (1,496-c.c. H.R.G.) .. 16.685 sec.
2nd: G. Pearce (1,400-c.c. “TC” M.G.) .. 18.49 sec.
3rd: W. Haymet (1,350-c.c. “TB” M.G.) .. 19.23 sec.
4th: R. Heine (1,250-c.c. “TC” M.G., s/c) .. 19.505 sec.
5th: R. Ward (1,250-c.c. “TC” M.G.) .. 19.975 sec.
6th: B. Ravell (1,250-c.c. “TC” M.G.) .. 20.005 sec.
7th: N. Buchanan (1,250-c.c. “Y” M.G., saloon) .. 23.305 sec.
8th: M. Paynter (1,170-c.c. Ausford) .. 23.445 sec.

1,101-c.c—1,500-c.c. Vintage:
1st: F. Lyell (1,496-c.c. “Brescia” Buggatti) .. 25.04 sec.
2nd: J. Guess (1,496-c.c. Alvis f.w.d) .. 27.335 sec.

751-c.c—1,100-c.c. Racing:
1st: K. Tubman (1,086-c.c. “K3” M.G. Magnette) .. 18.695 sec.
2nd: G. Stewart (1,087-c.c. M.G. Magna) .. 20.19 sec.

751-c.c—1,100-c.c. Sports:
1st: R. Lord (1,096-c.c. H.R.G.) .. 21.22 sec.
2nd: L. Allen (850-c.c. “P” M.G.) .. 23.295 sec.

751-c.c—1,100-c.c. Vintage:
1st: S. Todhunter (847-c.c. “J2” M.G.) .. 22.16 sec.
2nd: J. Haines (1,087-c.c. Riley Nine saloon) .. 25.22 sec.
J. Bono (1,086-c.c. Rover Special), only one run (19.84 sec.).

501-c.c—751-c.c. Racing:
1st: J. Hooper (Hooper 500) .. 16.71 sec.
2nd: J. Peek (748-c.c. “Q” M.G., s/c) .. 18.91 sec.
3rd: D. Ansell (750-c.c. “C” M.G.) .. 23.78 sec.
4th: A. Keen (750-c.c. Austin Brook) .. 24.855 sec.

F.T.D. and Sprint Champion.—F. Klenig (Hudson Special).

F.T.D. Vintage.—D. Wright (Lancia).

Knock-Out Pairs Winner.—D. Wright (Lancia).

The Australian Grand Prix
The Australian Grand Prix races were run off by the Sporting Car Club of South Australia at a three-mile road circuit at Nuriootpa on January 2nd.
Results:

The Grand Prix
1st: D. Whiteford (Ford V8 Special), 1 hr. 24 min. 33 sec. (72 m.p.h.).

Handicap Section:
1st: J. Gullan (Ballot Olds).
2nd: D. G. Harvey (“TC” M.G.).
3rd: R. J. Kenedy (“TC” M.G.).
4th: D. P. Cant (“TC” M.G.).
5th: S. D. Tillett (“TC” M.G.).
6th: N. C. Steele (H.R.G.).
7th: “C. Dyer” (H.R.G.).
8th: P. J. R. Steele (“2.3” Alfa-Romeo).
9th: W. H Wilcox (Dodge Special).
10th: G. T. Harrison (Ford V8).
11th: V. Maloney (“TC” M.G. Special).
12th: R. K. Vinall (“NE” M.G. Magnette).
(30 cars started).

South Australian Championship (Over 1,500 c.c.)
1st: O. N. Davison (“2.9” Alfa-Romeo), 14 min. 34 sec.
2nd: H. C. Deane (Maybach Special).
3rd: D. Whiteford (Ford V8 Special).
4th: F. A. O. Gaze (2-litre Alfa).
5th: E. DeB. Norman (Double Ford V8).
6th: P. J. R. Steele (“2.3” Alfa-Romeo).

South Australian Championship (Up to 1,500 c.c)
(6 laps, 18 miles)
Australian Championship (Over 1,500 c.c.)
1st: O. Stone (“K3” M.G.), 15 min. 24 sec.
2nd: K. V. Tubman (“K3” M.G.).
3rd: D. G. Harvey (“K3” M.G.).
4th: N. Steele (H.R.G.).
5th: “C. Dyer” (H.R.G.).

Barossa Handicap
Australian Championship (Over 1,500 c.c.)
1st: W. H. Wilcox (Dodge Special), 20 min. 40.5 sec.
2nd: D. E. Jolly (Auston Special).
Fastest time: E. Norman (Double Ford V8) 20 min. 3 sec.

B.O.C. Night Trial
The Bugatti Owners’ Club Night on February 4th/5th, was run in the recent map-reading tradition of night trials, the hazards including a control at an underground “atom-bomb” factory, where “noises-off” were provided by a model i.c. engine, and a special test consisting of a timed ascent of a very steep hill on foot. Results:

1st: C. H. Bulmer (Riley Nine saloon): 1st Class Award; Hants& Berks M.C. Special Award.
2nd: H. G. D. Webb (Lagonda Rapide): 1st Class Award.
3rd: J. M. Kay (Standard Fourteen): 1st Class Award; Invicta Challenge Trophy for best B.O.C. member.
4th: F. A. Serjeant. (Standard Fourteen utility); 1st Class Award.
5th: F. B. Bryden (Ford Pilot); 1st Class Award.
6th S. H. Allard (Allard): 1st Class Award.
7th: P. L. Pulver (Lancia Aprilia): 1st Class A Ward.
8th: E. Brandon (M.G.): 2nd Class Award.
9th: H. L. Moscardi (Wolseley Fourteen): 2nd Class Award.
10th: R. F. Neave (Lanchester Fourteen): 2nd Class Award
11th: M. W. Westmascott (“12/50” Alvis): 2nd Class Award.

Hagley & D.L.C.C. Clee Hill Trial
Run on February 5th, the weather of the preceding week made this a stiff trial. Nordibank II was eliminated for the simple reason that no one succeeded in climbing Nordibank I, by which it would have been reached.

At Long Lane only two cars climbed the section—S. A. Cracknell’s Ford Ten-engined Forstin and Ken Wharton in his famous special, also Ford Ten-powered. Wharton was the only competitor to get up The Yeld, and as he later made fastest time in the special test, a clear second quicker than the runner-up, Wadsworth (blown Ford Ten-engined Pansy Special), the premier award was pretty obviously his. Even he, however, couldn’t climb The Yeld in the afternoon, when the weather had broken. Not a single car managed to get up Long Lane this time—the drought is obviously over! Results:

Club Cup (best performance).—K. Wharton (1,172-c.c. Wharton).
President’s Prize (best in 1,100-c.c. class.)—P. A. Atkinson (747-c.c. Austin).
Committiee Cup (best over 1,300-c.c.).—J. Readings (1,785-c.c. Regent).
Bromsgrove Cup (best Hagley club member).—S. A. Cracknell (1,172-c.c. Forstin).
Novice Award.—R. D. G. Smith (1,172-c.c. Fairley).
First-Class Awards.—H. B. Woodall (1,172-c.c. Wolford, S.); L. J. Tracey (1,172-c.c. Dellow); G. B. Hewitt (747-c.c. Austin); K. R. Bailey (1,503-c.c. Riley Special).
Second Class Awards.—E. B. Wadswort (1,172-c.c. Pansy Special, S.); J. D. Sleeman (1,172-c.c. Sleeman Sports); B. B. Lindon Morris (918-c.c. Morris); K. E. O. Burgess (3,917-c.c. Allard, S.).

Herts County A.C. Winter Cup Trial
Using Halewood, Bacombe, Crowell and Pyrton as observed-sections and with two special tests as well, this was a difficult trial. V. S. A. Biggs, driving a Ford Ten, deserved his decisive victory. Results:

Challenge Cup for Best Performance.—V. S. A. Biggs (1,172-c.c. Ford).
Best up to 1,500 c.c.—G. G. Smith (1,172-c.c. M.G.-Ford).
Best H.C.A.A.C. Member.—D. H. Shrimpton (Ford Eight).
Team Award.—Chiltern Car Club: B. H. Brown (3,622-c.c. Brown-Ford), H. Tucker-Peake (1,286-c.c. M.G. Magnette), W. F. Mead (3,917-c.c. Allard).

Kentish Border C.C. Mount Misery Trial
Another of the trials run on February 5th was this Kentish Border C.C. event and, like the others, it was no picnic. Only Vero’s Dellow and Gosnell’s H.R.G. managed to get up Chalk Hill I, while Chalk Hill II proved so difficult that it was eventually cut out altogether. Vero just stopped momentarily on Buckwell Bank, spoiling his chances, and only Lawson’s H.R.G., Boyes’ Batten Special and Faulkner’s Mercury, the. last-named certainly “bucking well,” climbed clean. The special tests finally decided the issue between Lawson and Faulkner. Results:

Best Performance.—R. FauIkner (4,000-c.c. Mercury).
Special Award and Best in Opposite Class.—M. H. Lawson (1,500-c.c. H.R.G.).
First-Class Award.—E. W. Vero (1,172-c.c. Dellow S.).
Second-Class Awards.—A. J. G. Wicks (1,098-c.c. Riley), C. M. Boyes (3,622-c.c. Batten Special).

West Hants & Dorset C.C. Hartwell Cup Trial
In previous years the annual Hartwell Cup Trial has been a fairly easy event. A 65-mile run through some of Dorset’s loveliest country, four or five rather steep hills, some tests, that is all there was to it. This year, the route was the same, but the weather made it a very different proposition. It started simply enough. The thirty-four competitors left Upton in bright sunshine, and all they had to do was to average 15 m.p.h. “as the crow flies” to a map reference point near Milborne St. Andrew. Thirty-three drivers did this. One misread his map, went to Corfe Castle instead, and could not make out what had happened to the rest of the trial. The real business of the day began with an observed climb, including a stop and restart test, of Little Minterne Hill, near Cerne Abbas. Twenty-six cars climbed the hill, and A. G. Pragnell in his Pragnell Special made best performance in the test, closely followed by J.B. Jesty’s Allard, and L. J. O. Bartlett’s Ford. A brake test followed, in which J. A. C. Laverick’s Jaguar was best. Four miles further on was an acceleration test in which competitors had to run to their cars, get in, start the engine and accelerate to a point 200 yards up a hill. Several normally well-behaved engines refused to start at the critical moment, while two competitors, displaying great personal agility, ran right past their cars in their enthusiasm.

When the cars reached Quarry Lane, near Evershot, the rain had started. Eleven cars failed here. The lunch stop was at Beaminster, where the village square was filled by the cars of the competitors and officials. Meerhay, fatuous in past London-Exeter trials, leads out of Beaminster, and days of rain had washed the top surface away leaving a series of rock outcrops. Even so, twenty cars climbed non-stop.

Watersmeet is a long, steep, muddy hill near Melplash. Car after car stormed up the lower slopes only to fail higher up. Reversing down was a tricky process. Then J. J. Macklin, in his Ausford, just managed to struggle over the top, and T. Bryant’s Morgan also did after failing lower down and managing to restart. L. W. Barter, in his 2½-litre Riley saloon, made a splendid attempt, only to fail at the very top when a radiator hose came adrift. By now a queue of cars was waiting to make the climb. The rain was pouring down, and it was becoming dark. It became necessary to cut out the hill and send the remaining cars to the finish at Asker’s Road House. As the competitors sorted themselves out at the foot of the hill, a local inhabitant who had been watching the proceedings with a jaded air, remarked: “I could have told them before they started they wouldn’t get up, without them wasting half the afternoon to find out for themselves.”

Results:
Hartwell Cup (best performance of the day by a closed car): L. J. O. Bartlett (3,622-c.c. Ford), 66 marks.
Club Cup (best open car): J. B. Jesty (3,622-c.c. Allard), 55 marks.
First Class Awards (closed cars): R. Newton (Standard Vanguard), 57 marks; W. A. Walters (1.400-c.c. Frazer-Nash B.M.W.), 56 marks; H. R. Jesty (1,265-c.c. Hillman), 56 marks; L. W. Barter (2½-litre Riley), 55 marks; R. F. Hill (1,185-c.c. Sunbeam-Talbot), 52 marks.
First Class Awards (open cars): J. A. C. Laverick (3,485-c.c. Jaguar), 52 marks; P. Herring (1,172-c.c. Ford), 52 marks.
Second Class Awards (closed cars): S. Elgar (1,767-c.c. Triumph), 45 marks; V. E. Toulmin (1,265-c.c. Hillman), 45 marks; F. W. Scott (3,181-c.c. Lagonda), 44 marks; K. H. Rowson (Vauxhall Velox), 41 marks.
Second Class Awards (open cars): T. Bryant (1,084-c.c. Morgan), 49 marks.

Bristol M.C. & L.C.C. Full Moon Cup Trial
An entry of 28 had a real afternoon’s mud-slinging on February 11, when the Full Moon Cup Trial was held in an area about 10 miles front Bristol lying between the Weston-super-Mare and Bridgwater roads. The heavy weather immediately prior to the trial greatly increased the hazards, as the hills were mainly of the mud-and-leaf-mould character.

This season’s event brought in four new hills in addition to three old favourites. Of the new ones, Brockley Slime, Farm Steep and Coombe End proved the stickiest, and the course was one of the most compact the club has ever run, being only about 15 miles from start to finish. Results:

Full Moon (for best performance).—B. Fitzwater (Riley Special), 85 marks out of a possible 115.
First-Class Awards.—W. H. Waring (Dellow), D. J. Hase (Meakin Cross), and J. T.-Spare (Whiteford Special).
Second-Class Awards.—D. Bollom (Dellow), W. A. Cleave (Morris), C. Brough (Dellow), and H. E. Roberts (Robros Special).
Team Award.—B. Fitzwater and J. T. Spare.

M.G. C.C. Chilterns Trial
The Eastern Section of the M.G. C.C. ran this trial over a 45-mile course in the Chilterns on February 12th, using six observed-sections and a downhill braking test. Of the excellent entry of 54, only four gained First-Class Awards and ex-motor-cycle rider E. N. Frost can be proud of his Best Performance. He drove his 4,375-c.c. Allard. Shillingridge Wood failed 37 cars and only a dozen competitors managed to ascend the Stopper. Worley was disqualified for using four-wheel-drive on his Land Rover. The event finished, in the now habitual driving rain. Tucker Peake’s M.G. won the famous M.G. Banana. Results:

Banana Trophy (best performance by M.G. C.C. member driving an M.G.).—H. W. Tucker Peake (1,287-c.c. M.G.).
Hanks Trophy (best performance by M.G. C.C. novice member driving an M.G.).—M. J. Pople (1,250-c.c. M.G.).
Salmons Cup (best performance by M.G. C.C. associate member driving any car other than an M.G.).—D. F. Annable (1,500-c.c. H.R.G.).
Visitor’s Cup (best performance by member of invited clubs).—E. N. Frost (4,375-c.c. Allard).
Visitor’s Cup, Novices (best performance by novice member of invited clubs).—R. C. Willis (1,971 Frazer-Nash-B.M.W.).
First-Class Awards.—D. Render (3,917-c.c. Allard), V. S. A. Biggs (1,172-c.c. Ford), G. G. Smith (1,172-c.c. M.G./Ford) and B. H. Brown (3,622-c.c. Brown/Ford).

Maidstone and Mid-Kent M.C.
Tyrwhitt-Drake Cup Trial
Thirty-three entrants faced the starter at The Square, Lenham, for this event, including G. F. Hayward’s successful Monte Carlo Rally 1½-litre Riley and one lady driver, Miss Hazel Williams (Austin).

Two miles from the start brought competitors to the special test, where M. Lawson (H.R.G.) made f.t.d. in 22 sec. Two easy sections followed until section 4—The Knoll—a very steep grassy bank which failed everyone except Lawson, and R. Marsh (Morris saloon). The next section—Stock Wood—consisting of a 1-in-3 path in a deep wood, thick with fluid and leaves, stopped everyone, although Lawson and D. H. Cotton (Cotton) struggled into the last sub-section.

Heavy rain fell as the entry reached the last two sections—Roy’s Grotto and Lime Kiln—and only Lawson succeeded on the former, while S. R. Seelly (Riley) was the only saloon driver to reach the top of the latter. From here the finish lay only one mile away but several competitors deemed the thick rutted mud through the woodlands worse than the section, but all the finishers had signed off before the light failed. Results:

Tyrwhitt-Drake Cup.—M. Lawson (1,497-c.c. H.R.G.).
Class Cups:
Best Under 1½-Litre (sports).—D. H. Cotton (1,205-c.c. Cotton).
Best Over 1½-Litre (sports).—A. J. Jarvis (4,495-c.c. Bentley).
Best Under 1½-Litre (saloon).—R. Marsh (1,100-c.c Morris).
Best Over 1½-Litre (saloon).—S. R. Seelly (2,440-c.c. Riley),
First-Class Awards.—H. Clayton (Clayton), G. F. Pentony (Morris Special), L. Fuller (F.M.W.), A. G. Pine (Alpine), C. Yates (Austin).
Best Standard Sports Car.—J. D. Hart (1,297-c.c. M.G.).
Best Standard Saloon Car.—G. F. Hayward (1,497-c.c. Riley).