MOTOR SPORT

A. J. Butterworth (A.J.B.) Makes f.t.d. in the Wet at Brighton

THE Speed Trials over the ‘Standing kilometre course on the Madeira Drive at Brighton never fail to attract a full entry and invariably produce first appearances of car and drivers, or constitute the Only eOmpetition event of the year for others. The weather kept line on September 1st for the morning runs, which were confined to sports ears in various classes ; fastest time went to Sydney Allard driving his Cadillaceng;ned J2. Close behind was Lyeett in his 8-litre Bentley and for the second runs these two ears were matched against each other. Harry Lester caused some confusion in the official results by bringing along a 1,500-e.e. Lester-M.G. in place of the quoted ” 1,100 ” and Jay and Heath added to the muddle by producing racing ears instead of Sports ears and running in the afternoon under their sports-car numbers. Interesting among the sports entry were S. G. Greene’s Frazer-Nash, the car Moss borrowed to win the Empire Trophy, Charles Brackenbury with one of the 1950 “Le Mans ” Aston-Martins, Hutchings with his ” Le Mans ” Allard and C. E. Lewis with the fabulous 4.6litre V16 Maserati G.P.-cum-sports car. Entitled the International Speed Trials, the Continental element was provided by G. Trouis from France with a sports D.B.-Panhard, apparently on his way through to run in the T.T. .Allard’s time of 27.40 see, set up a new sports car record and Lyeett recorded 27.92 see. when running in the Bentley D.C. Class, which was also an improvement on the old course record for sports ears. The over-2,000-e.e. sports car class had a Vast entry with no fewer than twelve XK 120s, fastest of which was W. A. Jacobs, in 31.20 see., while this class also boasted two Austin A90 saloons (sports cars ?). After the lunch interval the rain began to fall and eante down heavier and heavier as the afternoon wore on so that all hopes of any course records were out of the question. There were not many 500s running but a varied selection of larger racing ears, although the class for lady drivers in racing care produced a collection of sports ears. Among the assorted cars 11)••••••••••

in the best Brighton tradition were the blown Farley Spe(ial, comprising Morgan, G.N., blown J.A.P. and Norton gearbox, the Galiagau Special with two-stage blown Riley engine in an Amilear chassis. Lamb’s supercharged Rapier Special, and the Autovia-engined, 1)0:Tc-chassis Bentley Special, making its annual appearance. Honours for f.t.p. (fastest time of the paddock) were shared between Rivers Fletcher (13ugatti), Jay (1,100-e.e. Alta) and I3oyce with his newly-acquired ex-” Bira “-MaeAlpine Maserati, now painted red, while many of the 500s joined in. The serious attempts on f.t.d. were made by the Steyr:: of Allard and Butterworth, Lloyd-Jones’ Kestrel-engincd Special, R. R. C. Walker, actually driving one of his Cars (the Delage), Poore’s Alfa-Romeo and Brooke with the Vauxhall-Villiers. .J. W. Broad in the ex-Maelauhlin

singleseater Austin, in perfect condition, hit a large pool of water soon after the start that spun him completely round and thereafter it was thought better to run the ears singly. However, before this decision was taken Allard and Butterworth made their first runs together, in the two fourwheel-drive Steyr-eng,ined Specials. Archie gave a masterly demonstration and Syd was left behind grappling with a car that appeared to want to dive into the sea. An outstanding drive was that by Goodhew in the monoposto Alfa-Romeo in the heavy rain, while Raven made very good use of his preseleetor gearbox to win the vintage racing car event with his 3-litre Bugatti. Due to lack of co-operation among the time-keepers and the time-recorders some of the results became a little muddled while the programme did not help by having two columns for times and a final-plaeings column for speeds, with no conversion table. We still feel that the arrangement of a land-side and sea-side cone being hoisted at. the end of a double run, as pre-war, would assist greatly to the enjoyment of those people at the paddock end of the course who would like to know which of a pair of ears finished first.. Much of the confusion among the official results was lirought abol it by cars running in two classes and being given two separate n

uni.iers ; however, here is my interpretation of what went 011.–1). S. J.

Results : t 8. K•

CLASS 1–Sporas (5 55 t 1″r0 1,100-C.C.,-1St : 8. K• 11.01(e(1,0u-c.c. na;ilis. Plat), 36.20 ate.; 211)1; )L. W. ()reel:n.00(1 ( 1(.W .n.-Ford). 37.80 Sec: ;

3rd : G. Tunlis ( I ). 11.:%s.56 See. WHIN’ t I tree ,.:Irters.) CLASS 2 –SPORTS CAlts 1,101 I ,5oo-c.e.-lst: Lester ( ,430.e.c. lest r. :?2.7(1 26e0I’d ) ; 211(1 A. 0. 4;osiadl

35.30 see. ; :3rd : L. Leonard 0’001,1-M.G.:, 3:,70 sec.

CLASS 3..-firtocrs CASs. 1.5(11 Ist : S. 0, Greene ( Fraser.): ash), 32.26 sec. ; 2nd : It. Is.

Place (Fraser-Nash), 32.81 see.; 3rd : D. Lewis (Alfa-Rome), 31.31 see.

Ciass 4SroRTS CARS OVER 2,000-OX.-1sd : S. D. Allard (Cadilltte,Allard), 27.40 see. (new record): and: F. Lyeett (8-litre Bentley), 28.50 see. ; 3rd : A. P. Hitchings (Ptdillac-Allar(t), 29.20 see.

CLASS 5-SUPERCHARGED SPORTS CARS UP TO %000-ex.-1.st : F. C. Davis (1,435-cx. ,32,68-sec. ; 2nd ; V..1. Hero (1.097-e.c. A:161,ot), .33-.57 see.; 3rd :1). W. Davis (MG. Magnate-X), 34.11 ace.

CLASSG-SUPERCHARGROSPORTSCARS,UNLIMITEP.ler : U. Parker (2,664-c.e. jaguette): 29.18 see. : 2nd : WA. I.. Cook (Bilotti 37, gire), 33.10 see. ; ltd : Mrs. Whineop Illitgatti 43L 34.93 sec.

CLASs 7-1.3.11.C. MEMBERS (BENTLEY CARS).-let : F. Lyeett (8-litre Bentley), 27.02 see. (new record) ; 2nd : G. 11. Crozier (8-litre Bentley). alma see.; 3rd R. W. Hogg (41-litre Bentley). 32.35 sec.

CLASS 8-RACING CARS, FORMULA 111.–181 :P. Parker (J.B.S.-J.A.P.), 32.82 see. ; 2nd : B. C. *Ieelestone (ooeper-J.A.P.), :33.33 see. ; 3rd : R. Al. Dryden (J.B.S.-Norton), 33.99 see.

CLASS 9 -RACING CARS. 501-730-C.c.-1st : it. Al. Smith (7.10-c.c. M.D. sk), 35.28 see. ; 2nd : F. 0. Lomax (740-c.c. M.O. sle), 37.50 See.; 3rd : D. J. 0. King .(Austin gfe), 50.32 see.. (Only three starters.)

CLASS 10-RACING CARS 751-1,100-0.0.-1st: II. D. Bradnaek (Cooper 000), 31.85 gee. ; 21111: C. Beatn(Cooper 1,000), 34.42 gee. ; 3rd : U. R. Daimon (0aliagan Special), 35.21 Sec. CLASS 11-RACING CARS, FORMULA 1-1st: A. J. Butterworth (A.J.B.), 26.77 see. (new record) : 2tel : S. H. Allard (Allard-Steyr), 29.47 sec. ; 3rd : R. R. C. Walker (llelage Sped:ill, 30.62 gee,

Cl,ASS 12–RACINO CARS, FORMULA : ‘1’. Crook (Frazer-Nash), 32.45 gm ; 21111: H. -A. Richards (Riley Special), 34.00 into.; 3rd : B.de Mattos (Croniard Special), 34.19 atle.

(:LASs 13-RAciNG CARS, BNLIMITED.–1st : A. J. Butterworth) (A.J.B.), 26.03 .30% ((AA) ; 2nd : 11. 1.10Yd-.1011eS, (Triangle), 28,70 ACC. ; 3rd : 3. nooditeiv (2,992.c.c. A Ila-Rorneo), 28.80 sec.

CLAss 15 –VINTAGE RACING CARS.–ist: A. S. Raven (2,994.e,c. Bugatti), 31.80 see.-; 2nd : M. C. Hokin() (2,26t-c.c. Sugatti). 32.70 see. ; 3rd : G.. A. FAVell (10,06S-c.e. Delage), 32.82 sec.

13..Ass 10-LADY DRIVERS ONLY-let : Mrs. Allard a.aaillae-Atiario, 31.90 sec. ; 2nd : Mrs, Snow (Jaguar XK ISO). 35.40 sec. ; 3rd : Mrs. Hewitt (Allard), 36.20 sec.