THE MOVE TOWARDS DONINGTON

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Next season Donington Park will become the centre of -English motor-racing. The race for Grand ‘Prix cars held there last month showed that we can at least claim to have a real road circuit, and one, moreover, which offers still further scope for development.

The success of last month’s race convinced the B.R.D.C. that it would be better to hold their British Empire Trophy Race at Donington next year, and at the same time comes the nei,vs .that the J.C.C. have accepted our suggestion of reviving their famous 200 Miles Race—at Donington.

The early announcements make it possible to review the prospects of racing in England next season, so that we can see whether races are being duplicated at Brooklands and Donington, and can form some opinion as to whether our national calendar is becoming too crowded with events. At Brooklands the programme consists of five B.A.R.C. Meetings, which have an attraction all of their own and are assured of an adequate entry ; the J.C.C. International Trophy, which by virtue of its

system is in reality a scratch race; and the B.R.D.C. 500 Miles Race, which will presumably always please drivers and spectators alike as the only genuine track race in Europe. This appears to be the ideal fixture list, not too crowded, and no two races clashing. In our opinion the loss of the British Empire Trophy is more than compensated by the better balance of the calendar. Remember that Indianapolis only has one race a year ! The Donington programme will require careful handling. The addition of long distance races Will automaticially ‘detract from the ordinary meetings of short races, which up to now have been the main

stay of the fixture list. It would probably be better to reduce them to two per season, and to allow certain clubs to use the whole circuit for their meetings (which do not necessitate a large gate).

The biggest problem, however, is to sort out the four bis;events. It cannot be denied that the proposed J.C.C. 200 Miles Race would be a strong rival to the existing Nuffield Trophy race, and that the British Empire Trophy, if run as a scratch race in classes, would be very similar to the ” Donington Grand Prix.” The danger is that the entries might become divided bctween the two, with a consequent loss in spectacle to both races. It is presumed that all the organising clubs will make every effort to raise tempting sums of prize money, both from their own funds and from the

largesse of private individuals, How much better it would be if the races could be coupled to form two first-class events, with sufficient finances to cover travelling expenses for leading Continental drivers and really worth-while prize money ! We feel sure that we are

expressing the views of motor-racing followers when we declare our preference for two outstanding races.

Such an ideal arrangement is not likely to occur, however, for the simple reason that the organising clubs would almost certainly prefer to take their chance of making their individual rates a financial success. The chance may involve the sport of motor-racing falling into disrepute as a public spectacle, but in view of the fact that so many responsible people in this country refuse to regard motor-racing as a public spectacle, there is little likelihood of our warning being heeded.