BROOKLANDS AGAIN!
BROOKLANDS AGAIN! AN INTERESTING MEETING, I N SPITE OF LIMITED FACILITIES FOR RACING. GOOD PERFORMANCES BY R. L. BOWES (BUGATTI) AND OLIVER BERTRAM (DELAGE).
AS if to compensate the Brooklands Authorities for their bad luck in having to cancel the usual outer circuit races from their programme, the weather at the opening Meeting on March 11th was almost incredibly benign. The sun shone with a serene and settled air . from a blue sky, and but for the floods in the car park midsummer conditions prevailed.
Although the attendance was meagre— largely owing to the track subsidence scare—an impression of popularity was given to the paddock by the fact that the tennis courts were choc-a-bloc with cars, in consequence of the floods in the normal members’ car park. Incidentally, the only occupant thereof was a solitary moor-hen, which seemed quite unperturbed by the howling racing cars as they hurtled up the Finishing Straight a few feet away. As a substitute for the usual outer circuit races there were four “sprints,” starting at the Fork and finishing half way down the Railway Straight—interesting for drivers, but rather too short from a spectator’s point of view. There were five mountain races, all of which, we venture to suggest, were too short. Two of them were over 3 laps, and the remaining three over 5 laps, and we missed some of
the long drawn-out battles of the usual 10 lap races.
THE FIRST MARCH SPRINT HANDICAP.
Distance about If miles.
I. L. T. Delaney (Lea-Francis 1,496 c.c., S), 18 secs.
2. C. G. H. Dunham (Alvis 2,511 c.c.), 15 secs.
3. Kaye Don (Bugatti 4,975 c.c. S), scratch. Won by 180 yards ; 180 yards between 2nd and 3rd. No speed given.
L. T. Delaney’s Lea Francis was a red-hot favourite for this race, for all those who remembered the car’s excellent performances in Mountain races last year were endeavouring to turn this triumph of memory to financial advantage at the hands of Jack Linton and his merry associates. The ” Leaf ” had some worthy rivals, though, notably in Noble’s blown Salmson, Cumming’s recently acquired 2.5 litre Maserati (the car driven by Eyston and Ramponi in the Double Twelve a few years ago), and last, but by no means least, “Tiger Two,” or in other words Kaye Don’s 4.9 Bugatti, starting from scratch. Delaney was limit man, and made full use of his start with a very fine get-away. AS he streaked down the Members Banking to the Railway Straight it was quite evident that no one could catch him,
although Dunham’s Speed Twenty Alvis was putting up a good show. Don, with the Bugatti, was somewhat slow off the mark, but once he got going —well, he gathered speed to such effect that he snatched third place.
Owing to ” Ebby ” being invisible to those in the Railway Straight no time was given for this race.
THE SECOND MARCH SPRINT HANDICAP.
Distance about 11 miles.
1. C. le Strange Metcalfe (Abbot-Nash 1,496 c.c.), 17 secs.
2. G. L. Baker (Minerva 5,954 c.c.), 20 secs.
3. H. C. Dobbs (Riley 1,089 c.c.), 17 secs. 3 lengths separated first three cars. Speed 70.8 m.p.h.
Close finishes are seldom seen at Brooklands Opening Meetings, for the results of tuning-work during the winter months are apt to produce some distinct variations of form. In this race, however, a really good fight was seen for first place, and a bunch of cars went over the line together. G. L. Baker’s big Minerva, a regular competitor at Brooklands, had only just been reassembled after a spot of bother caused by a seized sleeve, and its owner was not sanguine of success. There was a newcomer in G. K. Cox’s Rover Speed Model, while the rest of the field was made up of Dobbs’ Riley, the Abbot
Nash, Kenneth Evans’ very fast M.G. Midget, Cummings’ Maserati, and Oliver Bertram on scratch with the 12 cylinder Delage, now painted blue. Metcalf pulled ahead of the Minerva, w4th Dobbs close at hand, and all three
THE SECOND THREE LAP Mm NTAIN HANDICAP.
Distance about 3/ miles.
1. G. P. H. Noble (Salmson, 1,096 c.c., 5), 12 secs.
2. R. J. W. Appleton (Bugatti, 1,496 c.c.), 18 secs.
3. R. I,. Bowes (Bugatti, 2,263 c.c., S), scratch.
Won at 64.60 m.p.h. by 75 yards. 60 yards between 2nd and 3rd.
“Re-handicaps in this race conssted of . . . Delaney’s Lea-Francis, by virtue of a prev.ovs win.”
got a good lead on the back markers. Kenneth Evans had the misfortune to stop his engine a moment or so before he was flagged away, and had difficulty in re-starting. By the time he got going both the Maserati and the Delage had ralready left the line. Meanwhile the three early starters continued their battle, and Metcalf managed to keep his lead to the end, although the first three cars were only separated by three lengths.
THE PIRST THREE l,AP MOUNTAIN HAmitcAr.
Distance about 3/ miles.
1. K. D . Evans (M.G. Midget, 747 c.c., 5), 20 sec,.
2. C. Paul (Maserati 2,494 c.c., 5), scratch.
3. H. J. Aldington (Frazer Nash, 1,498 c.c.), 12 sees.
Won at 59.66 m.p.h. by 50 yards. 75 yards between 2nd and 3rd.
The first of the Mountain races was a very short affair of only 3i miles. Limit man was W. L. Thompson, with the Austin he has raced regularly at Southport. He received 7 seconds from Kenneth Evans, but the latter quickly forged ahead with his blown Midget, and was never headed for the rest of the race. Aldington and Cyril Paul both made great efforts to catch the Midget, but Evans was handling the car with cool skill, his cornering at the Fork being very neat. Paul, who was driving instead of Cummings, caught and passed Aldington, and was close on the .Midget’s wheels at the Fork on the last lap, failing to catch Evans by 50 yards in a very good finish.
. . . The most interesting car on the starting line in this race was the 2.3. litre singlecamshaft Bugatti once owned by Penn
Wright was the limit man with his unblown M.G. Midget, but it soon became evident that the winner would probably be found either in Noble’s Salmson or in Appleton’s Bugatti.
At the end of the first lap Appleton. was in the lead, driving with great determination. Bowes was handling his fast Bugatti with calm precision, and had already picked up two places. On the next lap Appleton and Noble were still first and second, but Bowes was now lying third, although some distance behind the leaders. Mathieson, with a blown 2 litre Bugatti, was driving his usual fast race, and clung to Bowes’ wheels without being able to gain any distance. Wright’s M.G. was not going well, and he fell back to last place, while Eccles (Bugatti) could make no impression on the leaders.
Then, on the last lap, Noble made a great effort and passed Appleton to take first place in a keenly contested race. Bowes, coming up hand over fist, was third, 60 yards behind Appleton.
Hughes, and recently acquired by R. L. Bowes, who was down to drive it in this race, starting from scratch. G. W. J. H.
THE, WEYERIDGE. _TUMOR MOUNTAIN HANDICAP
Distance about 6 miles.
I. P.M. Walters (Riley, 1,089 c.c.), 35 secs.
2. R. J. W. Appleton (Bugatti, 1,496 c.c.), 10 secs.
3. J. Eason Gibson (Riley, 1,089 c.c.), 25 secs.
Won at 59.66 m.p.h. by 500 yards. 300 yards between 2nd and 3rd. A big field turned out for the first of the 5 lap Mountain races, in spite of two non-starters, these were PowysLybbe’s 12/60 Alvis and J. C. Graham’s Riley, which had broken its crankshaft in practice. Two cars were re-handicapped in view of previous successes, the Abbot-Nash going back 10 seconds on a par with Walters’ Riley ; and Appleton’s Bugatti reverting to the scratch mark from 10 seconds, in company with Field’s
Invicta. At the start Walters ran right away with his blue Riley, and. established a comfortable lead which he was to hold until the end. On the second lap Apple
BROOKLANDS AGAIN I—continued.
ton, in spite of his re-handicap, had pushed the radiator cowling of his Bugatti into 6th place, and looked as though he would menace the leaders. Wright fell back, and on the third lap pulled up at the Fork to retire. When the car was travelling at about 15 m.p.h. there was a sudden wh-u-u-f-f-f and the whole machine was enveloped in flames. The driver leapt out, and in his hurry forget to switch off the Autopulse, and as the trouble was caused through a broken petrol pipe, a pretty little blaze ensued.
Drivers approaching the Fork, seeing the dense smoke as the Pyrene men dealt with the blaze, thought there had been an accident, and swept through the smoke in a most dramatic manner. Just as Field was getting the measure
cis, by virtue of a previous win, also 10 seconds ; and Bowes’ Bugatti, which was put back from scratch to owe 5 seconds. At the start Cuthbert jumped into the lead, passing de Belleroche (Austin) and Powys-Lybbe’s Alvis. On the second lap there was little change in the respective positions of the whole field, but on the third people began to shift about a little. Cuthbert’s Riley began to sound queer, and he was repassed by de Belleroche, who was driving a very good. race. Shuttleworth had fallen by the wayside with his 2 litre Bugatti, and he was followed by Cuthbert. Bowes, Eccles (Bugatti) and. Morgan (Invicta) all began to move up, and on the last lap the green Bugatti got into second place behind Belleroche. At the Fork only a few feet separated
of Appleton, his Invicta gave up the ghost and he had to retire. Meanwhile Appleton had displaced Metcalf in second place, who was also ousted from third position by Eason Gibson’s smart black Riley. And so they remained until the finish, Rayson (Riley) snatching fourth place from the Abbot-Nash on the last lap.
By an extraordinary co-incidence the winner’s speed was exactly the same, to two places of decimals, as that recorded by Kenneth Evans in the first three-lap race.
THE WEYBRIDOE SENIOR MOUNTAEN HANDICAP.
Distance about 6 miles.
1. R. L. Bowes (Bugatti, 2,263 c.c., 8), sqratch.
2. Marquis de Belleroche (Austin 749 c.c.), 40 secs.
3. A. H. L. Eccles (Bugatti, 1,496 c.c.), 15 secs.
Won at 68.6 m.p.h. by 100 yards. 70 yards between 2nd and 3rd. Re-handicaps in this race consisted of I. M. C. Hepburn’s Riley, which was found to have four carburettors instead of two, and was accordingly penalised to the extent of 10 seconds ; Delaney’s Lea-Fran
them, and on the run-in Bowes got 100 yards ahead, to win a very well-driven race from scratch. Eccles passed Morgan to gain third place. THE WEYBRIDGE LIGAINTIVO MOUNTAIN HANDICAP
Distance about 6 miles.
1. H. J. Aldington (Frazer Nash, 1,496 c.c.), 40 secs.
2. R.14. Bowes (Bugatti, 2,263 c.c., S), 15 secs.
3. Kaye Don (Bugatti, 4,975 c.c., 6), scratch.
Won at. 62.31 m.p.h. by 30 yards, 100 yards between 2nd and 3rd.
This was undoubtedly the best race of the day, and produced a very welldeserved win for ” Aldy ” with an unblown Frazer Nash. On the first lap Aldington arrived at the Fork in company with R. L. Bellamy, on the veteran Nash driven by its owner in countless trials, but now repainted a beautiful green with white wheels, and with a blower attached to its engine. With thoughts of Kaye Don on the 4.9 Bugatti and Bowes on his fleet ” 2.3 ” bearing down on them from the rear, the
smaller machines were pushed by their drivers to the limit in order to establish a lead. Delaney was warned for going wide at the Members Bridge turn, while some fierce braking was seen at the Fork. The brakes of the Horton Special (now fitted with a blown Alta engine) seemed to lock in an alarming manner, while Bellamy was occasionally a little hectic. Best of all was H. J. Aldington, who certainly used the powerful brakes of his Nash to the utmost advantage, but whose judgment was always perfect.
The 4.9 Bugatti, in spite of its new’ Lockheed brakes, seemed difficult to handle on the corners, and on the second lap Don used the “escape road” at the Fork, made a wide sweep, and returned to the fray. Then, soon afterwards, having just passed Bowes, Don took the top corner a little too fast, slewed round broadside, and lost much valuable time in getting going again. Bowes made a great effort to catch Aldington, and might possibly have done so if he, too, had not slid just a little too much at the Fork on the last lap. “So it was ” Aldys’ ” race, after all, and a very good one at that.
THE THIRD MARCH SPRINT HANDICAP. Distance about 11 miles.
1. A. L. Baker (Minerva, 5,954 c.c.), 20 secs.
2. 0. Bertram (Delage, 10,688 c.c.), scratch.
3. R. Morgan (Invicta, 4,467 c.c.), 8 sees.
Won at 67.42 m.p.h. by 30 yards, 75 yards between 2nd and 3rd.
In this race the big Minerva, driven this time by “Junior,” in other words Alec Baker, got over the line first, in spite of a re-handicap of 3 seconds. Oliver Bertram made a perfect get-away with the Delage from scratch and fairly pounced on the other cars in the Railway Straight. He could not quite make it, however, and the Minerva crossed the line with 30 yards to spare.
THE VOUE’TH MARCH SPRTNT HANDICAP.
Distance about If miles.
1. P. W. Dixon (Riley, 1,089 c.c.), 11 secs.
2. 0. Bertram (Delage, 10,688 c.c.), scratch.
3. C. G. H. Dunham (Alvis, 2,511 c.c.), 14 secs.
Won at 77.89 m.p.h. by 80 yards, 120 yards between 2nd and 3rd. By the time the last race was run dusk was falling, and it was difficult to distinguish the cars as they flashed down thp • Railway Straight. Baker, senior, was at the wheel of the Minerva this time, and at the end of the race raised a protest that he had been baulked by another compe titor, The protest, however, was not
An interesting car was R. J. Munday’s Munday Special, which as exclusively reported in MOTOR SPORT last month, ig composed of an old G.P. Sunbeam chassis powered by a 30/98 Vauxhall engine.
At the start Freddie Dixon showed that his Riley possesses really phenomenal acceleration, and he was soon bearing down on the Minerva. Bertram once again did all he could to score a win, but Dixon was too far ahead, so that the Delage driver had to be content with a ” second ” once more. Dixon’s speed, 77.89 m.p.h. was the fastest at which a sprint race had been won throughout the day.