SAND RACING AT LA BAULE.

SAND RACING AT LA BAULE.

Marcel Lehoux second and Falchetto third, both on 2.3 Bugattis.

Williams wins on a 4.9 Bugatti.

THE annual Grand Prix de La Baule may be likened to the Southport 100 Miles Race, being run on the sands round a line of flags, with hair-pin bends at each end. In view of the skill of Southport competitors at this mode of racing, a visit to La Baule could very well be combined with a holiday on the French coast, with the possibility of being able to cover expenses, at any rate so far as racing is concerned. In terms of English money at the present rate of exchange the prize-money is roughly as follows : To the driver covering the greatest distance, £360, and cup value £120. Class awards : Over 2,000 c.c., 1st, £120 ; 2nd, £96; 3rd, £60; 4th, £42: 5th, £36; 6th, £24. Under 2,000 c.c., 1st, £96: 2nd £60; 3rd, £30; 4th, £24 ; 5th, £24 ; 6th, £18. Under 1,500 c.c., 1st, £72; 2nd, £36; 3rd, £24; 4th, £24; 5th, £24; 6th, £18. It will be seen that there are 18 prizes, and in the event of there being less than 18 finishers, the balance is divided among those starters who have retired, in proportion to the respective distances they have covered. • The full list of entrants was as follows : Over 2,000 c.c.

F. Montier (Moldier Special, 6.500 c.c.).

V. Williams (Bugatti 4,900 c.c.).

J. Villain (Alfa Romeo 2,336 c.c.).

Baron de Waldthausen (Alfa Romeo 2,336 c.c.).

M. Lehoux (Bugatti 2,300 c.c.).

J. Gaupillat (Bugatti 2,300 c.c.).

Hartmann (Bugatti 2,300 c.c.).

B. Patchett° (Bugatti 2,300 c.c.).

A. Ducouret (Bugatti 2,300 c.c.).

Brainard (Bugatti 2,300 c.c.). Under 3,000 c.c.

Comte Czaikowski (Bugatti 2,000 c.c.).

P. Veyron (Bugatti 2,000 c.c.).

M. Jacob (Bugatti 2,000 c.c.).

A. Renaldi (Bugatti 2,000 c.c.).

J. Delon= (Bugatti 2,000 c.c.).

Eric Lora (Bugatti 2,000 c.c.).

Ch. Brunet (lingatti 2,000 c.c.).

Walter Wustrow (Bugatti 2,000 c.c.). Under 1,500 c.c,

Mine. ‘tier (Bugatti 1,500 c.c.). Burgaller (Bugatti 1,500 c.c.). J. Scaron (Amilcar 1,100 c.c.). V. Desbois (Rosengart 750 c.c.). When the cars were lined up in front of the Casino for the start it was seen that the Montier Special, Hartmann, Gaupillat and I3urgaller, all on Bugattis, were nonstarters. Other alterations to programme were that the Bugattis of Brunet and Wustrow were replaced by similar cars .handled by Motile and Majezar Istvan, Promptly at 3 o’clock the 18 cars were flagged away, and straightway Williams took the lead with his 4.9 Bugatti, ahead of Lehoux (2.3 Bugatti). On the second lap Williams broke the lap record with a time of 2 mins. 21 secs. and this rapid progress soon put him well ahead of the rest of the field. Lehoux made a gallant effort to keep pace with the larger car, but did not possess such good acceleration, and slowly dropped behind Falchetto, who was lying third, had damaged 2nd gear on his Bugatti, and was immediately ousted by Waldthausen’s Alfa Romeo. Little change took place in the order of Race organised by the A.C. de VOuest, on

August 13th. Previous winners :

1924. M. Benoit (E.H.P.), 98.135 k.p.h.

1925. Mot (Bugatti), 111.262 k.p.h.

1926. I,. Wagner (Delage), 123.583 k.p.h. 1927. G. E. T. Eyston (Bugatti),119.856

1928. Blacque-13elair (Bugatti), 124.671 k.p.h.

1929. Etanceliu (Bugatti), 128.725 k.p.h.

1930. No race.

1931. Williams (Bugatti), 143.268 k.p.h.

1932. Williams (Bugatti), 145.270 k.p.h.

Distance: 68 laps of 3 km. course, total 204 kms. the leaders, except that Falchetto one( more took third place from Walthausen A few competitors were in trouble, Ducouret having to stop to change his plugs. Williams, now firmly established, began to ease up, especially as the course was getting badly cut up on the corners. Lehoux regained a little ground, but Williams had the race nicely in hand, and eventually won by a margin of 32 seconds,

having averaged 143.600 k.p.h. or 89,75 m.p.h.

In the 2 litre class Count Czaikowski and Pierre Veyron had the fastest cars, and immediately began a rousing set-to. Veyron led at the end of the first lap, but was then passed by the Count. For 11 laps the cars were together, and then Veyron had to stop to repair a broken oil-pipe, allowing Jacob to take second place. Meanwhile Lora had dropped out of the fray on the third lap, followed by Istvan on the eleventh. Veyron set out to catch Jacob, which he succeeded in doing on the 25th lap, but Czaikowski was too far ahead, and finally crossed the line 2m. 18s. ahead. Delorme and Renaldi were consistent runners, but were unable to produce a sufficient turn of speed to challenge the leaders. In the 1,500 c.c. class the forfeit of Burgaller left only three runners, of whom the 750 c.c. Rosengart could not be serf ously considered as a match for the 1,500 c.c. Bugatti of Mme. Itier and the 1,100 c.c. Arnilcar of Jose Scaron. After the flag fell the .Amilcar took the lead, and Scaron seemed quite happy until the 10th lap, when a cloud of blue smoke betokened a fractured piston. Mme. Hier then had a fairly easy task, but her hopes of victory were quickly dashed when another competitor clumsily rammed her Bugatti broadside on one of the corners, damaging it so badly that she could not continue. This left the little Rosengart alone in the field, but two laps later mechanical trouble caused its retirement, so that the class was now void. What a chance for a Southport driver

RESULTS. General Classification

1. Williams (Bugatti 4,900 c c.), th. 25m. 14s. average speed 143.600 k.p.h., 89.75 m.p.h.

2. Lehoux (Bugatti 2,300 c.c.), lb. 25m. 46s.

3. Patchett° (Bugatti 2,300 c.c.), lb. 29m. 7s.

4. Waldthauser (Alfa Romeo 2,350 c.c.), lh. 29m 42s.

5. Czaikowski (Bugatti 2,000 c.c.), lb. 32m. 16s.

6. Brainard (Bugatti 2,300 c.c.), lh. 32m. 43s.

7. Veyron (Bugatti 2,000 c.c.), lb. 34m. 34s.

8. Jacob (Bugatti 2,000 c.c.), lh. 36m. 23s.

9. Delorme (Bugatti 2,000 c.c.), 2 laps.

10. Villain (Alfa Romeo 2,350 c.c.), 3 laps.

11. Ducouret (Bugatti 2,300 c.c.), 6 laps.

12. Renaldi (Bugatti 2,000 c.c.), 13 laps.

13. Matile (Bugatti 2,000 c.c.), 15 laps. Over 2,000 c.c.

I. Williams (Bugatti).

2. Lehoux (Bugatti).

3. Falchetto (Bugatti).

4. Waldthauser (Alfa Romeo).

5. Braillard (Bugatti).

6. Villain (Alfa Romeo).

7. Ducourct (Bugattl). Under 2,000 c.c.

I. Czaikowski (Bugatti).

2. Veyron (Bugatti).

3. Jacob (Bugatti).

4. Delorme (Bugatti).

S. Renaldi (Bugatti).

6. Matile (Bugatti).

under 1,500 c.c.-No finishers. The Bugattis of Williams and Count Czaikowski

both ran on Dunlop tyres.