THE SOUTHPORT 100-MILE RACE

THE SOUTHPORT 100-MILE RACE

BILLY COTTON WINS WITH M.G. MAGNETTE Midland enthusiasts contrive to race satisfactorily and seriously over the course on Ainsdale Sands, Southport, and the Southport Motor Club’s 100-Mile Handicap is a classic. Dry weather broke before the race and although the rain ceased in time for the start, it left the course loose and muddy on the two bends which join the mile straights. Moreover, a stiff breeze blew loose sand about

a manner unpleasant for occupants of fast motor-cars. Thirty-four entries contained some well known names, including Jack Bartlett, who won this race in 1931 and 1932, and who Was handling his Alta, Charles Goodacre, with the Austin, and Cotton (M.G. Magnette). Thirty-one actually started. Handicapping was on a ” B.A.R.C.” basis, by credit laps. Charles Brackenbury, on a 2.3-litre Bugatti, commenced to lap at 60 m.p.h. and Cotton found even more speed from the M.G., and the limit men began to feel less happy after sixty laps had been run. By this time Sir Ronald Gunter’s Ford V8-Leidart had fallen out, the HatchSpecial had wrecked its chain-drive, Moncreiff found his Riley’s radiator leaking seriously and Williams’s blown M.G. Magnette had ceased to function. Brackenbury and Cotton engaged in a stirring duel, the Bugatti needing fresh plugs, then taking three laps in which to catch the M.G., finally suffering further plug maladies and retiring. At fortytwo laps, Cotton entered a place, behind Jackson (Riley) and Bailey (Riley). J ackson then hastily refuelled, Cotton closed, and the effort of trying to draw away apparently cracked the Riley up, as it retired within a couple of miles. Bailey led from Cotton-, then the M.G. went into first place and Bartlett’s 2-litre Alta caught both Bailey and Guy Warburton’s Riley to hold second place. Then Bartlett deemed it advisable to visit his pit to take on fuel, leaving Cotton to win easily in 1 hr. 54 min. 26 secs. for 115 miles, an average of 60.3 m.p.h. Bartlett averaged 59,76 :m.p.h. and Bailey was third at 52.03 m.p.h. Cotton found goggles more suitable than a visor under the prevailing conditions, and the popular dance-band leader drove bare-headed. The M.G. Car Co. Ltd. appreciated his victory to the extent of issuing a special poster, depicting Cotton in full flight, leading a car that looked curiously like Marcus Chambers’s ’07 Renault, but which is presumably meant to represent

J. H. Bartlitt (Alta) who finished second in the loo-nzile -race. the Austin. Baton’s Bugatti split its crankcase, the Leidart a cylinder head, Tinker’s Bugatti suffered ” plugs,” and in all nine finished and six cars were flagged off. GOOdacre had a wing fitted over the off-side front wheel of the Austin,

to combat flung sand. Brackenbury drove L. Eccles’s Bugatti. In the straight mile races Moncrei IT’s Riley, Burnand’s Riley-engitted J .W.B., Brackenbury’s Bugatti and Brooke’s 30/98 Vauxhall were to the forefront.

RESULTS 100 Mile Race

1. Billy Cottoit (1,087 c.c. M.(;., S.), 60.30 tn,p,h. 2. J. H. Bartlett (1,996 c.c. Alta, s.), 59.76

3. W. Bailey (1,087 e.e. Riley), 62.03 M.p.h.

4. P. Stephenson (747 c.c. Austin, S.), 56.34 m.p.h.

5. G. Warburton (1,087 c.c. Riley), 55.85 m.p.h.

6. H. Hodgson (1,087 c.c. Riley).

7. E. N. R. Hewitt (847 c.c. M,G.).

8. 3. W. Burnand (1,123 c.c. ” J.W.B.”).

9. C. H. Strang (1,496 c.c. Bugatti).

No other airs completed the. course within the time limit.

First Invitation Straight Mile

Heat 1 : 1, .T. W. Monerciff (1.089 c.c. Riley

Speeial): 2. 11. Cocker (1,0s7 c.c. Riley): 3. F. E. Robinson (1,990 e.r. Rititt 0. Heat 2 : 1, .1. W. Burn:mil (1,123 e,e. ” .T.W.B.”);

2, H. Hargreaves (1,087 i.e. Salmson) ; 3, 1:). W. Jackson (1,09 e.c. Final : 1, 3. W. Burnand : 2, 11. Cocker ; 3. H. Hargrea NTS

Second Invitation Straight Mile

Heat-1: 1, C. Brackenbury (2.2(53 c,c. Bugatti, s,) ; 2. A. Baron (1,496 c.c. Bugatti. S.); 3, A. Tinker (2,270 c.c. Bugatti, S.). Heat 2 : 1, A. Brooke (4,224 ca’. Vauxhall) •, 2, W. L. Woodcock (1,911 c.c. Frazer-Nash-B.M.W.);

3, H. J. P. Williams (1,087 c.c. M.G. Magnettc, S.).

Final : 1, C. Brackenhury (Bugatti); 2, A. Baron (Bugatti); 3, A. Brooke (V;iiixliall).