THE THIRD LEWES MEETING

THE THIRD LEWES MEETING

COURSE RECORD LOWERED BY 2.LITRE ALTA THE Lewes speed trials up Race Hill on the Sussex downs are really cxcellent. They retain all the oldtime trr.dition and are almost as free and easily run, for no charge is made to spectators and competitors park in fields beside the A-mile course. This time a policeman really did his job in keeping the onlookers behind the ropes, and we hope the Arm of the Law is suitably

rewarded by the promoters. Lewes continues to attract the “specials brigade,” and on August 21st Sumner brought the blown Sumner J .A.P., J. C. Fry his very fast mid-engined Freikaiserwagen, a photograph of which had found its way into the daily Press on the Monday, Orlebar the Red Biddy Special, Symonds the B.H.D.-G.N., Whitfield-Semmence his recently completed A.C. engined Semmence-Special, E. R. Stafford his well finished Moses, and G. A. Stedall a streamlined Batten-Special-Ford V8. Then there was T. B. O’Reilly’S Borborygmus, which Tony Curtis, sportingly ensconced as usual in his roomy broadcasting van, told us was the correct medical term for belly-rumblings. This car is actually the old Horton-Special, with Alta engine, chain transmission, and a generally Frazer-Nash layout. Most of the body has now been cut away and it looks a most business-like job. Incidentally, we feel that it would be better were original names to be used in the entry forms, subsequent pet names to be the sole right of owners’ friends, and to be painted on bonnets between inverted commas.

A dull morning gave place to the sun and the usual cars towing racing-motors or strange trailers descended upon Lewes, filled with weirdly garbed enthusiasts and vivid women, as one expects at one of these meetings. Samuel opened things by winning the Frazer-Nash class against slight opposition. Some delay while the timing-set was coaxed to refunction and

Pane, going off carefully as is the habit of a Frazer-Nash, won the 14-litre standard sports class from Farley’s H.R.G., in spite of Farley putting through the power at something like ” 4,500.” Fane again scored in the 2-litre and unlimited sports classes, driving a Type 328 Frazer-Nash-B.M.W., with Parley’s H.R.G. runner-t1p. In the 1,106 c.c.

super-sports class J. N. Irmes’s K.3 M.G. won after an excellent run, and improved its time to dominate the 14litre section. Then Forrest Lycett, who had brought McKenzie down as passenger, won the unlimited class with his 8-litre Bentley, beating Matthews’s ex-T.T. Ford V8 and the Frazer-Nash-B.M.W.s of Pane and D. N. Leon, amongst others. So to the racing classes, the first of which went to Denis Evans, who arrived from Eastbourne in his brother’s Alf aRomeo and did his fastest Lewes run yet, in 19.44 secs. He drove the Bellevue cut-down, c-engined Mcntlhery M.G., which still has its original gearbox, transmission and typically flimsy front axle. The Sumner-J.A.P. was driven well to

take second place, beating the un.blown Freikaiserwagen by .22 of a second. In the 14-litre class Hartwell’s fabrictailed M.G. Magnette did 19.95 secs. and Evans could only manage 21.76 secs. Sumner was third, faster this time, in.

21.89 secs. Nigel Orlebar ran a very short Brescia Bugatti, that arrived behind the Granville Grenfell Lambda Lancia. The 2-litre class saw Geoffrey Taylor’s 2-litre single-seater Alta win in 19.6 secs., Evans, still unable to equal his first time, being second. Then, in the unlimited class, Taylor got his start just right, did not shut off for snaking, and recorded 18.75 secs., going over the finish at something like 103 m.p.h. on this very narrow, bumpy road, averaging 63.9 m.p.h. This beats the old record, established by R. G. J. Nash last year with his Frazer-Nash-Union-Special, by .31 of a second. Baron was second in 19.53 secs., driving the ex-C.E.C. Martin 3.3-litre G.P. Bugatti, now looking very smart after a repaint and starting easily on its transverse handle at brother

Baron’s bidding. Hartwell’s M.G. was third. In the handicap class, in which Sumner ran the 12-cyl. Delage, Nigel Orlebar was victor, with his vintage Brescia Bugatti.

RESULTS

Frazer-Nash Cars : 1, J. 0. Samuel, 26.128. Standard Sports-Cars

Standard Sports-Cars

1,500 0.0. : 1. A. F. P. Fane (Frazer-Nash), 27.80s.; 2, E. K. Farley (11.R.G.), 28.10s.

2,000 c.o. and Unlimited :1, A. V. P. Fane (FraserNtuth-li.M.W.), 25.838. and 25.728.; 2, E. R. Farley (II.R.G.), 27.808. and 27,30s. Continued on next page

Super Sports-Oars

1,100 e.e. : 1, j. N. lanes (M.G. K3), 26,12$, ; 2, H. Witley Burt (939 e.e. M.G.), 28s.;

1,500 c.c. : 1, J. N. Lines (1,087 c.c. M.G. K3), 213.02s. ; 2, H. J. Griffiths (0. Taylor’s 1,496 c.c. Alta), 26.58s.; 3, A. P. P. Fane (1,496 c.c. Fray,erNash), 27.80s.

Unlimited : 1, Forrest Lycett (8 -litre Bentley), 22.27s.; 2. G. S. C. Matthews (Ford V-8. ex-T.1′. car).

26.36s.; 3, A. F. P. Fane (2-litre Frazer-Nash13.M.W.), 26.48$.

Racing-Cars

1,100 c.c. : 1, Denis G. Evans (747 c.c. M.G. MontIliery), 19.44s.; 2, R.. A. C. Stunner (998 c.c Sumner-J.A.P.), 22.57s.; 3, J. G. Fry (1,097 c.c. Freikaisenvagen), 22.79s. 1,500 c.c. : 1, (I. Hartwell (1,287 c.c. M.G. Mag nette), 19.95:4. : 2. I). Evans (11.G. Nortilbery),

21.76s. ; 3, R. A. C. Sumner (smancr-J.A.P.), 21.89s.

2,000 c.c. : 1, Geoffrey Taylor (2-litre Alta). 19.60s.: 2, 1). 0. Evans ()LG. Montlhery), 20.90s.

Unlimited : 1, Geoffrey Taylor (2-litre Alta),. 18.75s.: 2, A. Baron (3,$00 c.c. Bugatti), 19.53s..

8, Hartwell (1,287 r.e. M.G. Magnette), 20.79s. Handicap : Nigel B. °debar (Bugutt,i); 2, A. L. Baker (M.G.); 3, A. Baron (3,300 e.e. Bugatti), time front scratch 19.O Is. 4, 0. A, Raiford (II.R.G.).