RALLYING ROUND AT BROOKLANDS

RALLYING ROUND AT BROOKLANDS THE JUNIOR CAR CLUB’S “DAY OF TESTS” WELL SUPPORTED. HON. BRIAN LEWIS MAKES BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY. •

WITH a record entry of 131 cars, the J.C.C. Rally, which took place at Brooklands early last month, could hardly fail to be a success. Mr. Dyer and his merry men arranged a series of tests all round the newly opened track, the piece de resistance being, as usual, a replica of the Monte Carlo Figure of Eight, and so smoothly was the event run off that the whole entry had completed their evolutions within four hours. The cars were divided into three categories, with limits of 10, 16, and over 16 horse power, and there was a good number of Monte Carlo Rally competitors, including Whalley on the Ford, Symons on a front-drive Citroen, Lord de Clifford and the Hon. Brian Lewis on Lancia Augustas, Miss Astbury and D. E. Harris on Singers, and Miss Joan Richmond on a Triumph, and these drivers seemed to find their experience of the Ci.ite d’Azur helpful in finishing high up the lists. Having heard so much about the good handling properties of the Lancia Augustas everyone was interested to see . no less than eight of them taking part, and from this camp, the ” Seuderia March” as someone called it, came the eventual winner of the Rally in the person of Brian Lewis

Another matter of technical interest were the number of supercharged M.G. Midgets and Magnettes, which were evidently used as normal touring mounts. Amonsgt them was the supercharged ” N ” which Symons took through the Monte Carlo Rally, now the property of Mr. II. Parkinson.

The programme began with an Easy Starting Test, in which the cars were lined up through the length of the Finishing Straight and were pushed in turn into a pen outside the Paddock. Drivers were allowed 12 seconds to run to their cars, start up and drive 10 yards, and this did not seem to cause much difficulty, though it was less easy for the late numbers,

to cross the ” flying finish ” line near the bottom. The standard of driving here was on the whole high, but some of the engines on the smaller cars seemed reluctant to start on the steep gradient, and there were some distressing noises when drivers attempted sudden changes from reverse to first. It was found that the average

which took about an hour to make their appearance on the starting line, and were by then thoroughly cold. The next test was carried out on the Test Hill. Each car was brought to rest with engine stopped on the steepest part of the gradient, then at a signal had to

time for cars in Groups I and II was in each case 17 seconds, while the bigger machines averaged just 1/5-second better. Tests 4 and 5 were arranged on the Railway Straight, and on the way there behind the Aeroplane Sheds a flying mile was marked out, the minimum speeds

coast down and come to rest between two lines marked out, ten feet apart, on the 1 in 5 slope. This done, the engine had to be started, the car backed over the second of these lines, and then driven down the hill again as quickly as possible

required of the three classes being 53′ 58 and 63 m.p.h. Considering that most of the cars entered in the Rally were normal touring or sports cars, these speeds arc quite high, and 29 failed to do what was asked of them. One of the minor annoyances was that the start was marked by a checquered flag, but to those who had read the instructions this should not have presented much difficulty.

The highest speeds recorded in each class were : Class II (up to 10 h.p.), E. H. Cavendish (Singer), 64.8 m.p.h. ; Class 2 (10-16 h.p.), N. A. Pinegar (M.G. Magnette), 81.1 m.p.h. ; Class 3 (over 16 h.p.), T. C. Mann (4i-litre Lagonda), 77.6 in.p.h.

This manifestation of speed disposed of, a milder test followed in the shape of a Parking Test. With their accustomed efficiency the J.C.C. had evolved a special ” rig ” for the job, with one fixed hurdle, and one movable one, and the officials were provided with “distance pieces ” on the end of long poles, so that they did not even have to stoop to measure the distance between tyres and kerb. The hurdles were fixed at a distance apart of twice the overall length of the car, and only one reverse was allowed, but even though the distance was increased from 6 inches to 9 inches this year, there were 23 failures.

By this time a good crowd had gathered round the Figure of Eight course, which was marked out on the Railway Straight finishing near the foot of the Home Banking, where an official precariously balanced on a kitchen chair signalled to his colleague at the moment of crossing the final line. The small cars opened proceedings and provided little excitement, other than an

occasional missed gear-change When turning into the Wiggle-Woggle. D. E. Harris created something of a stir with his all-red Singer, cornering, as it seemed, with excessive zeal, with tyres almost off the rims, but in spite of this he was found to have made the fastest time of his category, 72.6 seconds beating Goodson, who took his Austin through with much less excitement by 3/5 seconds. Another wild man was G. H. Bull, who came within an ace of inverting his Triumph, while Miss Richmond, who followed him on a car of similar make considerably faster without having to alarm the spectators. .

Class II opened with de Jong, who was far from happy on his A.C., and Uglow on a similar car, who showed how it should be done, while Biggs, on an old Alvis, had difficulty in sorting Out the ratios. Then followed a group of Aston Martins, the fastest being C. M. Anthony, who just beat Morris Goodall with a time of 78.8 seconds, while Miss Hedges kept her foot down too hard on her longwheelbase car and knocked down the hurdles on both sides of the ” 8.” Symons fairly slung his front-drive Citroen round the bends, tyres screaming and wheels canted at a terrific angle, and Tenbosch was fiery and fast on the Ballila Fiat, which., owing to its excellent lock, was able to corner tight round the marking obstacles.

Gardner, on a Frazer-Nash, was fast and steady, equalling Anthony’s time, not so Stewart and Law, who took the obstacle too wide and hit the hurdles. The Nash prestige was restored by D. A. Aldington, who slid his car round with tremendous verve and with tyres at an angle to the rims, making the best time so far of 73.8 seconds.

Then it was the turn of the Lancia Augustas, which, with their tremendous lock and easy handling, were naturally expected to give a good account Of themselves. Lord de Clifford obliged with a neat run in 76.4 seconds, then came the Hon. Brian Lewis, who with superb nonchalance Made the fastest time of all in 72.2 seconds, the front well heeled over, as is usually the case with independently sprung cars. Two more of these little cars also fitted with neat open bodies were driven by the Earl of March, whose firm now hold the London concession, and Lord Curzon, while Mr. Noel Rees, whose name is well known to everyone as a keen follower of the sport and whose racing cars have on several occasions been piloted to victory by Brian Lewis, ” beat up” his son with a closed car, and incidentally most of the remainder of the cars in Class II. The bigger cars gained in acceleration what they lost by reason of their length, and Charles Follett opened proceedings with a neat run in 79.8 seconds,Wood on a Buick threw his Buick about withtrue Continental abandon to record 75.2

seconds, while Whalley handsomely beat the other Fords with a time of 72.4 seconds. A final sensation was caused when Donald Munroe’s old Invicta caught fire. The test hill came into service once More for the Stop and Restart Test which took place on the 1 in 5 gradient, and following this all the cars had to complete the climb non-stop to avoid loss of marks. Most of them accomplished this test without trouble, modern brakes and emergency bottom gears being what they are, but some of the

OFFICIAL RESULTS,

Best Performance.—Hon. B. E. Lewis (Lancia Augusta).

Best Lady’s Performance.—Miss J. Richmond (Triumph Southern Cross).

38 First Class Awards.—Up to 10 h.p. : C. E. Taylor (Alta), G. H. Goodson (Austin), E. Gillett, M. H. Fortlage (Fords), D. F. Merrix (Morris), Miss K. Taylor, A. P. Squire, T. W. Davidson, L. B. Dyball (M.G. Midgets), A. L. Philips (Riley), P. J. Calvert, N. A. Prince, A. A. Bolsom, J. E. Gibson, E. H. Cavendish (Singers), A. H. Oxenford (Standard), Miss J. Richmond (Triumph). 10 h.p. to 16 h.p. : W. P. Uglow (A.C.), A. F. P. Fane (Frazer Nash-B.M.VV.), C. W. P. Hampton, Hon. 13. E. Lewis, Earl of March, Noel Rees, J. S. 13ass (Lancias), P. B. Clarke, E. K. Monro (M.G. Magnettes), C. V. Glass (Singer), H. G.

All the front wheels of the “independent suspension ” brigade presented an amusing sight as they negotiated the Figure of Eight. Here is A. P. F. Fane, who won a First Class award on his Fraser Nash—B.M.W.

Frazer Nashes had trouble in getting away, while several of the Wolseley Hornets pinked unpleasantly and refused to complete the climb. Parkinson also got rather confused with the self-changing gear of his supercharged Magnette and stayed put for some time.

The meeting closed with another ascent of the Test Hill, this time made while changing down through all the gears. The gnashing of teeth was less than one might have expected, for unskilful drivers got down to bottom early, while more experienced hands just snicked in the lowest ratio when nearing the summit. Only one failure was recorded, but the simple final test was nicely justified by the the timely finish of proceeding which closed just as darkness was coming on. Altogether a most successful event and a worthy prelude to the season’s meetings on the track and the as yet unknown task which the R.A.C. have in store for those who converge on Eastbourne at the end of the month.

Macklin (Triumph), C. J. Turner, R. M. Borehain (Wolseley Hornets). Over 16 h.p.: G. E. Coppeu (Alvis), C. G. Fitt, R. G. Percival (Fords), E. R. L. Crockatt (M.G.), R. J. W. Appleton (Railton), J. W. Whalley (Ford). 38 Second Class Awards. —Up to 10 h.p. : J. Harrison (Ford), 4. E. Nuthall (Morris Minor), A. C. Goodman, D. H. Cottinghain, Miss E. W. ‘Watson, N. Bracey (M.G. Midgets), P. de F. C. Pycroft, W. Martin-Hurst, H. T. J. Scott (Buoys), D. E. Harris t S. L. Chappell, I. M. Palmer, M. Constanduros, A. tx. Imhof, W. H. 13etts (Singers), F. A. Fuller (Standard). 10 h.p. to 16 h.p. : K. de Jong (A.C.), M. H. Morris Goodall, C. M. Anthony, R. Johnson Ferguson (Aston Martins),

D. A. Aldington (Frazer Nash), Lord de Clifford, I. Rees (Lancias), H. A. Peek (M.G. Magna), L. J. Turner, I. Marten (M.G. Magnettes), J. G. Redgrwe (Rover), ‘Miss J. Astbury (Singer), C. G. Allen (Standard Avon), S. M. Lawry, H. F. Burt( Triumphs), A. G. J. Bochaton (McEvoy Wolseley), F. A. Lovegrove (Wolselex Hornet). Over 16 h.p. : Charles Follett (Alvis), (.. 0. Wood (Buick), G. Warburton qRailton).

21 Third Class Awards.—Up to 10 h.p. : 1, Creek Ford), G. W. Walker, C. W. E. Windsor-Richards M.G. Midgets), Miss P. Lacon, A. Broadley, A. C. {elway, Miss P. D. Goodban (Singers), R. Grace (S.S.I1), G. H. Bull (Triumph). 10 h.p. to 16 h.p. : H. E. Symons (Citroen), M. P. Tenhoseh (Fiat Bolilla), R. G. Pegler, D. G. Silcock (Lagonclas), Viscount Curzon (Lancia), L. Mills (Lea-Francis), N. A. Pineger (M.G. Magnate), J. C. Crowther (Riley), Mrs. A. E. Moss (Singer), L. Pricleaux-Brune (Triumph), R. P. Stewart (hazer Nash). Over 16 h.p. : 1. C. Mann (Lagonda).