MOTOR SPORT

750 CLUB’S SIX-HOUR RELAY RACE

THE 750 Club, and particularly. Holland Birkett, are to be warmly congratulated on the Six-Hour Sports Car Relay Race which they put On at Silverstone on August 25th. The race followed in the high tradition of the pre-war L.C.C. Brooklands Relay Races, but the regulations were rather more flexible and the duration doubled. Racing cars were barred, but teams of from one to six sports cars had to get a team-sash round the Club Circuit as many times as possible between 12.30 and 6.30 p.m. Only one car could run at a time, but any car of a team could go out or be called in as Team Managers desired and if a car broke down its driver was permitted to ask a marshal to telephone Contra when a p.a. message was broadcast so that another car of the same team could be dispatched to retrieve, and carry on, the sash. Other innovations were a fund set aside to reimburse deserving entrants incapacitated by mechanical derangements, a system of pit-snooping to keep the p.a. pruned with up-to-date information and handicapping by credit laps with a separate race for the 750 Formula Austin teams. The Austin Motor Co. contributed 2100 to the prize fund.

Quite how Charles 13uhner contrived such a fair handicap with fast and lessfast ears in a team swapped on and off the course as managers’ plans or the dictates of fortune necessitated, or how the lap scorers kept pace of flying sashes among these frequent changes, is unknown, but all worked satisfactorily and a very competitive, instructive and enjoyable race resulted, in which club members got a very fair proportion of real racing. No accidents happened despite the usual gyrations at corners and pits and the amount of traffic, racer and pedestrian, along the two-way road behind the pits connecting with the Paddock. Drivers who so far forgot themselves as to reverse after over-shooting a pit or otherwise inconveniencing their fellMvs were lectured and a Buckler was black-flagged for an insecure Hillman-Minx bonnet, although allowed to proceed after the safety catch had been examined. Thirty teams entered, of which 24 were one make, and obviously this excellent race will attract more popularity Still next year and must become an annual fixture. How well the handicap functioned is seen when we state that at first Dr. Harris’ ” Chain Gang ” FraserNashes led, then D. Scott’s Singers, of which Tilling’s 1i-1itre Six was very effective, passed into the lead. After about 1i hours Coram’s Aston-Martin team, aided by Stapleton’s rapid exHorsfall Type C Speed Model, led, but the Singers won back that position, only to be caught by Whetton’s Morgan Sparrowe’s car amongst them. Then good driving and organisation on the part of the V.S.C.C. Bentleys under Major Bailey prevailed and, -hard though the Morgans tried, this vintage team gained a deservedly popular victory, at 66.44 m.p.h. covering 175 laps. But the London Area Austins looked like being second, after very fast lappery by the Lotus, until Heyward’s ” Ulster ” slowed and dropped them two places. So obviously the handicapping was sound I

The race is probably being discussed still in clubrooms and bars ! The London Austin people, only allowed to use the Lotus (it did a lap at 71 m.p.h. !) for 30 laps, more or less built. one whole Austin from three others. The. Stage II ” TD ” M.G. team was unlucky, Phillips’ car throwing a rod as it, left its garage that morning, Lund’s retiring with a broken crankshaft on lap 1, So Trevors and Jambs each did three-hour spells. The only team to retire of 28 to start were Jolly’s ” TC M.G.s. Peter Waring managed a powerful team comprising his old Speed Twenty Alvis driven by Worsley, Wright’s Lagonda Rapide, Goodhew’s 4i-litre Lagonda, Chevell’s ” 4.3 ” Alvis and Crozier’s 8-litre Bentley, but the lastnamed soon lacked anchors. The D.I.S.S. Delage team was handicapped by toolarge big-ends and too-small Antovaes. the Antique Antipon Aprilias were nobly assisted by Magnani’s beautiful Farina Lancia saloon but the Bucklers had continual trouble, swapping sick ears for less-sick with extreme frequency. The ladies’ two XK 120s were reduced to one after Anne Newton’s had twice shed its oil via its sump-level indicator and this remaining car, though bereft of certain gears, beat the scratch team of maleconducted XK 120s by determined efforts on the part of Nancy 13inns, Margaret Holden and Anne Newton. The men’s XIC 120s suffered a collapsed inlet manifold and loss of brakes, etc. The LeaFrancis engine of Sears’ Fraser-Nash blew a gasket but another was obtained in Northarnplon and later this car resumed ! The: engine of West’s Formula Austin literally fell to pieces but Stokes’ Healey ” Silverstone ” did much to uphold this team’s honour. It was, alas, involved in a crash with Gregor Grant’s M.G. saloon on the way home. An M.G. pulled into its pit so enthusiastically that it buckled a wheel of the team-car waiting to leave, R. W. Hogg sported a neat scuttle cowl onliis Austin ChummyNippy, while Verdier’s shabby Ford Eight saloon was quite indecently fastit had a Ford Ten engine. The CooperSports team was penalised by Lister’s car breaking a piston and the steering wheel of Leonard’s ” Ferrari ” car coining off in the hands of its astonished driver.F. C. Davis. It was all the greatest fun and they will still be talking of it when they line up for the 1952 race

Results :

1st : V.S.C.C. Bentleys.-1). McKenzie, .1. A. Williamson, D. J. R. Chapman, J. 11, OrrEwi R. IL II. Mason, C. B. II. Bradshaw ; 200 laps (including 25 credit laps), 06,14 11141-b•

2nd : Morgan ” 414.”-J. H. Sparrowe„ W. Allerton, ‘1’. A. Parks, J. S. Atkins; 1410 laps (34 credit hips). 61.51 m.p.h.

3rd : Chiltern H.R.G.-M. J. C. Keen, D. Blakely, Mrs, It. B. Gibbs, R. C. Green ; 10.1 laps (25 credit laps), 64.10 m.p.h.

4th: London Area 750 Matins–A, C. B. Chapman, 8. Bakin, I,. H. Heyward ; 193 laps (48 credit laps), 55.05 m.p.h. 5th : )curie Nelson.-G. Worsley (2,511-eic. Alvin), B. A. Chevell (4.3oo-c.e. Lagondi), R. FreemanWright (4,453-e.e. Legends), 1, Good hew (4,500-c.e. (Bentley), a. Nt. Crozier (7,982-e.e. Bentley); 191 laps (6 credit lape), 70,24 m.p.h. Gth : Antique Antipon Aprilian. N. 1″reedinan it. W. Austin’ C. H. Batligatc, 11. Magnani, J. Care:foot ; 101 laps (34 credit hl, 59.6

7th : _Singers.-3. Tilling, C. 14. Preston, P. A.

Rawlings, scot 1. ; 191 laps (3)( credit, laps), 58.00 mph.

Chain Gang (Frazer-Nash).–It. E. Brown, R. C. C. Palluer, IV. 1.1 Smart

C. M. Sears, A. U. ; 191 laps (25 credit laps), 63.02 m.p.h.

: Ladies’ N K 120.–Nancy MOM RIO Margaret Holden. Anne Newton ; t9) hips (I4 credit tans), 09.86 m.p.h.

10th : Healey ” K em p, 11.6. W. I1ayne4.4 and 0. IC W. Haynes, A. J. A. Stokes,

P. Simpson ; ISO laps (0 eredit laps), 00.48 m.p.h. Ilth : Anton-Martins, 188 laps (12 credit laps), 12th : Coow :Sports, 188 laps (14 credit laps).

13th : Bentley D.C., 188 laps (25 credit laps)..

14th : X K 120, I57 laps (scratch). 15th : Sporting Owner 1)..C., 145 laps, (18 -redit laps). 700 FORMULA CLARR.-tat : 1.010011 Area (as 4th ‘above): 2nd : Northern Area (11. W. Phillips, C. D. Finney. C. C. Robinson, W. Sehelleic, berg, G. It, (3aliagan, 1). Recs), 140 taps (48 credit hips), 52,01 m.p.h. ; 3rd : Midland Area (A. R. Morton, p. Allen-Asquith. A. J. lisSli. It. Hall, 3. Peattleid, K. P. 8.•Stantlin), 15 credit

laps), 51.25 h.