VINTAGE S.C.C. SPEED TRIALS AT CROYDON
VINTAGE &C.C. SPEED TRIALS AT CROYDON
The Vintage S.C.C. had a very excellent entry for their speed trials at the Autodrome Driving School at Croydon, so that the rather ” eircus-like ” nature of the course was all the more regrettable. The finish was marked by an apparently genuine Belisha beacon and the short straight, tackled twice as the cars had to negotiate a roundabout at one end, was called Railway Straight South. Enthusiasm ran high and the Paddock presented many odd spectacles, notably that of M. Chambers’s skeleton Austin being commenced by vigorous twirling of a jacked-up back wheel. Be-trousered girls were much in evidence, and one young thing even wore a tummy-belt (racing), but Sam Clutton dispensed with much of his Clothing before counting the gate money—about E,8 in half-crowns. Timing was by hand but the event was hardly a serious enough affair for this to cause anxiety—this fixture should not be allowed to eclipse Littlestone, where motors can really motor. John Bolster, after a really epic tussle, kept “Mary ” to the narrow if not straight course, to record fastest time in 32.2 secs. L. Giron, with a blown 2.3-litre G.P. Bugatti, managed 34 secs., Sumner :35 secs. with the Sumner j.A.P., which went very wild on one run, and Arthur Baron 35.2 secs. with the 2.3 Bugatti which killed poor Mervyn White, Michael May was masterly with his 2-litre Alvi:41, J. P. Parker held long slides in his Lambda Lancia and Heal and WindsorRichards did. great things with 80198 Vauxhalls. Many drivers smote banks, Kirkman bumping every possible obstacle in his comic, cut-down 12-50 Alvis, while Waddy rammed the bank hard with the Fuzzi but pulled away unaided. Most cars had more power than could be used round the roundabout, notably Stedall’s very rapid Batten-Special and EasonGibson’s monoposto Ford Ten—a racer in all save its hub-caps. Lind
Walker, in full racing attire, introduced the Molsheim exhaust note with his 11-litre G.P. Bugatti, and amongst the specials were the Emeryson, now with 2-litre A.C. engine and M.G. radiator, and a Ford V8 with special radiator, huge body and Type 40 Bugatti tail. Interesting were H. H. Walker’s 14/40 Delage, A. P. Southon’s 2-litre H.E. andJohnsonFerguson’s well known, side-valve AstonMartin, vintage 1925. The Aston-Martin Club had a special handicap class, the results not yet known, though out of thirteen runners C. M. Anthony’s special 2-litre was by far the fastest. In the smaller sports classes modern cars beat the vintagers, but the real veter ans had their own. class. The formula result is not yet known, but Nash and the Lorraine took 40.2 secs., Chilton and his ,
Itala 41.4 secs., A. A. F. Mills, on a 1911 8 h.p. Renault that cornered so rapidly as to throw its driver under the dash and which threatened to lose a rear wheel, 57.6 secs., and Lt.-Col. Clut ton’s 1909 Fafnir 65 secs.—the onlookers just loved it. Giron had the worst slide of the afternoon, recovering neatly, and Johnson’s B.M.W. liked the hedge. Bolster kept the taps wide open in spite of slides, ” Mary” slinging away Chunks of mould as she regained the straight.
as RESULTS
1,100 c.c. Sports : E. P. Wells (Singer) 41.6s. 1,100 0.0. Super-sports : V. H. ‘roam) (Fiat) 38s. 1,100 c.c. Racing: R. A. C. Sumner (Sumner I.A.P.) 35.0s.t 1,101-1,500 c.c. Sports : A. A. F. Mills (M.6.) 38.2g. 1,101-1,500 c.o. Super-sports : J. G. Clarke (FrazerNash) 35.68.1 1,101-1,500 c.c. Racing: J. 0. Clarke (FrazerNash) 35.68.1
1,501-3,000 c.c. Sports : C. M. Anthony (Aston, Martin) 37.0s. 1,501-3,000 c.c. Supar-sports : M. May (Alvis) 36.2s.t 1,501-3,000 c.c. Racing : .T. Bolster (BolsterSpecial) :32.2a.t 3,001-Unlimited, Sports : E. Bowens (30198 Vauxhall) 40.28.t
3,0 1-Unlimited, Super-sports: G. A. Stedall (Batten-Special) 35.Ss. 3,031-Unlimited, Racing : A. S. Heal (30,98 Vauxhall) 37.4a.t
Ladies’ Class : Mks M. Vilby (Frazer-Nash) 37.85.
All-Comers : 1. Baiter (Bolster-Special) 32.28-t t (Vintage motor, i.e.. prior to 1931).