Gerard's E.R.A. Takes Cofton Hackett Course Record and Class Records Fall

Sports Cars up to 750 C.C.:
1st.. B. Humphreys Austin) … 39.2 sec*, (Only runner.)

Sports Cars, 751-1,100 CC. and up to 750 C.C. S.C.:
1st. H. Lester (M.G.) … 36.6 sec.
2nd. H. Richards (Riley) … 36.8 sec.

Sports Cars, 1,101-1,500 C.C. and 751-1,100 C.C. S.C.:
1st. E. Newton (H.R.G.) … 32.4 sec.*
2nd. Mrs. Gerard (Riley) … 32.8 sec.
3rd. A. Daniel (M.G.) … 33.6 sec.

Sports Cars, 1,501-3,000 C.C. & 1,101-1,500 C.C. S.C.:
1st. O. Moore (B.M.W.) … 30.8 sec.*
2nd. T. Crook (B.M.W.) … 32.8 sec.
3rd. F. Woodall (S.S.) … 34.4 sec.

Sports Cars Over 3,000 C.C.. & 1,501-3,000 C.C. S.C.:
1st. L. Johnson (Darracq) … 29.4 sec.*
2nd. G. James (Alfa-Romeo s.c.) … 31.2 sec.
3rd. L. Parker (Allard) … 31.8 sec.

Racing Cars up to 750 C.C.:
1st. C. Strang (Strang “500”) … 32.4 sec.* (Only runner.)

Racing Cars , 751-1,100 C.C. & up to 750 C.C. S.C.:
1st. J. Dowson (Lightweight s.c.) … 30.2 sec.*
2nd. H. Lones (Tiger Cat) … 30.0 sec.
3rd. K. Wharton (Wharton-Special s.c.) … 30.8 sec.

Racing Cars , 1401-1,500 C.C.. & 751-1,100 C,C, S.C:
1st. C. Instone (G.N. s.c.) … 32.0 sec.*
2nd. M. Carding (Ford Midget) … 35.6 sec.

Racing Cars , 1,501-3,000 c.c. & 1,101-1,500 C.C. S.C.:
1st. F. Gerard (E.R.A. s.c.) … 27.0 sec.*
2nd.= L. Brooke (Brooke-Special s.c.) … 30.0 sec.
2nd.= R. Parnell (Maserati s.c.) … 30.0 sec.
4th. J. Ashmore (Riley s.c.) 30.2 sec.

Racing Cars Over 3,000 C.C. & 1,501-3.000 C.C. S.C.:
1st. I. Connell (E.R.A. s.c.) … 27.8sec.*
2nd. G. Bainbridge (Maserati s.c.) … 28.8 sec.
3rd. G. Watson (Bugatti, s.c.) .. 30.8 sec.

* New class record.

Cofton Hackings

Gerard (E.R.A.) made f.t.d. and beat his own record by 1.2 sec. at Cofton Hackett on October 12th. The course consisted of fairly brief straights and two awkward right-hand corners – rather a circus! On his demonstration run Gerard got down to 26.6 sec., but we assume his class time counts as record.

Records were broken in every class except that for blown sports cars up to 750 c.c. and unblowns up to 1,100 c.c., where Humphrey’s Austin figure of 36.2 sec. stands-even so, Lester’s M.G. did 35.6 sec. on its demonstration third run.

The Mephistophelgatti and Hudson-Triangle Special spun at the first bend and C. A. N. May (Ford) hit the barrels on both runs.

Lones was using a 14-to-1 compression-ratio on his two-of-everything J.A.P., and methanol fuel.

Bainbridge drove Ansell’s ex-Reggie Tongue 16-valve Maserati, which has been waiting all season for a new block — a beautiful car marred by a notice: “This is Ansell’s Best Mild” on the body.

Gerard and Connell were very polished, Salvador’ (Riley) good, but Brooke blipped and Parnell was slow in the Maserati. Roy Parnell handled the Delage well, its i.f.s. working overtime.

Mrs. Darbishire (Bugatti) seemed to throw her car into a series of phenomenal avoidances, recovering with further armwork, the course being a tricky one.

Lund’s ex-Spikins’ Singer Bantam was misfiring, Rowley’s blown 2-litre Bugatti experienced wheeispin, and Tyrer’s ex-Esplen R-type M.G. lacked speed.

Buck handled his old Bugatti very neatly, the ex-Malcolm Campbell, Ten-engined, road-equipped Ford Midget of Carding accelerated well, and Millington seemed to select the wrong ratio in the Watkins-Nash.

Monro ran his 2-seater Invicta, Pollock’s blown Frazer-Nash Six seemed almost over its teething troubles, Gahagan’s 4-seater “2.3” Alfa-Romeo was good to watch, and Sanders ran his line, aluminium-bodied 4-seater “30/98” Vauxhall as a racing car — it cornered nicely but displayed overstressed front springs.

Johnson’s Darracq was rapid in spite of misfiring, Ostle’s Riley had curious, pointed mudguards, Penn’s Riley a long, Dixon-like tail, and James’ Alfa-Romeo carried someone else’s disc wheel as spare, to comply with the regulations.