J.C.C. AT PLAY ON BROOKLANDS

J.C.C. AT PLAY ON BROOKLANDS

ON March 26th the J .C.C. held its seventh Brooklands Rally, comprising six tests carried through in succession with the usual highly commendable organisation. Increased hours of daylight allowed extra entries, and this year the later date brought fine, if very chilly, weather. One hundred and fifty entries were received and best performance Of all, for which, this year, the Speed in the flying half-mile counted, was made by D. H. Murray’s Frazer-Nash-B.M.W. Thirty first-class and thirty-eight secondclass awards were allotted. The Figure of Eight ” Wiggle Woggle” test was the biggest attraction for spectators, who were able to Watch in comfort on the new all-concrete grandstand beside the Finishing Straight. W. J. Moss (blown Lagonda Rapier) was boiling. K. C. Delingpole’a blown M.G. was steady, likewise Frey’s M.G. and Gibbs’S M.G. Norton Bracey’s M.G., with supercharger between its dumb-irons, was particularly rapid, but Gillett overshot at the first pylon with his Montlhery M.G. Dave Harris(M.G.) was extremely good, Jackson (M.G.) was neat, but field (M.G.) was slow. Limpus drove his M.G. very nicely, tyres protesting, and Minter’s blown M:G. behaved satisfactorily. Nuthall (N.I.G.) was noticeably good and Dennis Parker (M.G.) made a fine effort, blipping and rolling round the obstacles. Reid, with a blown Midget, overshot the first pylon and failed to attempt the test. Rushbrook (M.G.) overshot the first pylon sufficiently to require two reverses, but subsequently went fairly quickly, using second gear. Squire’s M.G., with lightweight wings, and Stikman’s M.G., were fairly good, the latter inclined to roil, but Toon (Stone’s M.G.) was slow and Miss Dorothy Stanley-Turner’s 750 c.c. M.G. approached slowly and almost turned the wrong way in leaving the figure-of-eight area, which seemed to amuse the driver. Walker (M.G.) was good without doing anything outstanding and Andrews (M.G.), after overshooting, was very quick, tyres squealing. Miss Bean (Morgan 4/4) toured through, Simmonds (Morgan 4/4) was steady, and Bushford’s Morris Eight tourer was braked strongly and handled extremely well. Pacer’s Brooklanda Riley Nine was slow, the driver’s door flying open, and Smith’s Riley saloon wasn’t quick. Prince did a model drive with his Singer, likewise Buffey (Talbot Ten), and Conper’s Talbot

Ten, popping back, ran well. YarburghBateson needed to reverse his A.C. within the bay, Fairtlough’s A.C., with immense exhaust fan-tail, was very well handled and fast, but Henderson-Hamilton got his blown A.C. badly placed at the first pylon and was slow. Houlding’s A.C. seemed cramped by misfiring, but Maynard’s A.C. was good and WillSon’s A.C. fairly so. Sheane, with an elderly Armstrong-Siddeley saloon, had worries at the first pylon and rolled enormously, but Anthony’s 2-litre Aston-Martin approached really fast and was extremely rapidly driven. Johnson-Ferguson’s s.v. Aston-Martin, all the way from Scotland, was carefully handled, but Hellaby’s Aston-Martin toured it. Mann’s Ulster Aston-Martin was so fast that it overshot badly but took the -figure eight very quickly indeed, and Miss McOstrich’s Frazer-Nash, smoking, was accorded a universal ” v.g.” Martin’s Frazer-Nash went through in a series of controlled tail-wags, and Peaty’s familiar FrazerNash had a front wheel slide and was rather wild, but very effective for all that. Iii Contrast Barritt’s Frazer-NashB.M.W. was taken through steadily, whereas Hutton’s Frazer-Nash-B.M.W. was handled brutally and rolled round very fast. Jones’s (Frazer-Nash-B.M.W.) was good and Curtis, driving his H.R.G. in shirt sleeves, overshot badly, got going, crashed into second gear and did an extremely good run. Parley’s H.R.G. was also excellent, though the brakes sounded to be binding. Robins then put up a most polished exhibition, quite tinflurried, yet fast enough to make the H.R.G.’s covers howl, and to record second best time in 63.2 sees.. Mrs. Cotton’s Aprilia Lancia saloon was good, Eason-GibsOn’s sister car approached really fast but was slow restarting because the driving seat collapsed, and Miller’s Lancia nearly rolled it front covers off. Brand’s very noisy s.C, was excellent, and Lord Waleran took his Aprilia Lancia twice round the ” eight ” for sheer joy. Alexander’s M.G., blipping, came out wide but fast, while Blackford’s M.G. bounced sideways to rest and went through very rapidly. Giiffitlis (M.G.) used blipping tactics, and Est y nJ ones (M.G.), lady passenger lying down, was very slow, and reversed again within the bay. Kemp, with comp. covers on the front of his M.G., was good, but Miss. Fay Taylor stalled her Opel’s engine

at the first pylon, and rolled through in second gear, the carburation making the car rather hesitant. After this we went to the Test Hill, and only saw the very rapid runs of the smart 328 B.M.W.s„ Allard’s V12, Allard and Symmons’s L.M.B . from afar. Actually, best time was made by D. H. Murray (Frazer-Nash-B.M.W.) in 61.6 secs. In the Easy Starting test the old s.v. AstonMartin, Steadman’s Wolseley, MartinHurst’s Rover, Dyball’s S.S. and Smith’s

S.S. all tied, in 7 secs. In the 1938 Monte Carlo test at the Fork, Murray was fastest in 56,4 sees., followed by Sikock’s V8 Jensen in 50.2 secs., while in the timed half-mile round the Byfleet H. J. Aldington’s Frazer-Nash-B.M.W. averaged 91.84 m.p.h. and Mrs. Wood’s sister car 83.3 m.p.h. On the Test Hill restart Gibson did great things with the Lancia’s handthrottle, finding the handbrake

adequate. When we arrived EstynJones, Kemp (M.G.$), Miss Taylor (Opel) and Bussey (Riley) had all but Lady Mary Groavenor’s Riley failed, Hubbard’s Riley was slow, and Taylor’s Riley seemed to fade, while Rowbotham’s Rover took its time in restarting. The V12 Allard spun away and. Allard cut out for the summit, Dr. LivingstoneSmith’s Rover was good, but Tipper’s Standard failed and Wood’s Le Mans Singer needed coaxhg. Vidler’s blown Wolselev got off slowly, pinking, and Morison-‘s big Alvis spun furiously. Gregory ‘s 8-litre Bentley just got away, clutch smoking, to pick up well, and Dorrnlorf, on Ulf. British Salmson Six, had worried moments, though sub sequently changing up. Bear’s Bugatti seemed successful until clouds of black smoke intruded and it cut out high up.’ Brierley and Denton were excellent with V8 Fords, the latter with hand-controlled advance and retard, likewise Lawry and Millard. Don Aldington’s Type 55 Frazer-Nash-B.M.W. _ was outstanding, and ” H. j. ” and Viscount Curzon with Type 328 Frazer-Nash-B.M.W.s were very very excellent. Murray kept up the good work for the marque, using plenty of revs., and Mrs. Wood, not quite so neat, was also excellent. Silcock’s Jensen spun furiously and wound its way upward and Smith’s big La.gonda was neat and Symmons’s L.M.B. just thought the tiring a rather mild joke. Linea’s 2-litre M.G. lacked power, but Joseph’s Lagonda was excellent and Sythoff had to brake his Packard heavily to stop it at the line. Pooles (Railton), MartinHurst (Rover), Redgrove (Rover), Maclean (Railton.), Abbot (S.S.) and shirt sleeved Coppen (S.S.) were all untroubled, and. Goldman’s S.S. was good, although mis

firing. Pycroft’s S.S. was extremely powerful—a stark motor done up in leopard skins. Time marches on. Smith, of intense expression, just got his S.S. away, Miss Streather (S.S.) was very sure, Dvball’s S.S. slower but sure, Tiracchini (S.S.) excellent, Freedman’s Terraplane ran back, Dr. Squire’s Terraplane got away and just completed the climb, Snell (S.S.) had his moments, and Mayer (Wolseley) closed with a very fine performance.

So concluded an excellent meeting, but one in which gearboxes are more heavily punished than in any other sort of competition, because of rapid need of stationary reverse gears.

RESULTS

Rest Performance : D. H. Murray (Frazer-NashB.M.W.).

No lady qualified for the Ladies’ Award.

First-Class Awards : E. G. Boutle, N. E. Bracey, F. A. H. Frey, (‘. G. Gibbs, C. 0. Jackson, D. Parker, A. P. Squire, F. H. Stileman, K. W. Toon, G. WWalker, G. H. Alexander, P. L. Griffiths (M.G.$), A. E. S. Curtis, E. K. Farley, G. H. Robin 4 (H.R.G.$), P. de F. C. Pycroft, A. P. Smith (SSs), Viscount Curzon, D. H. Murray. (Frazer-Nash-B.M.W.$), C. P. Melly, E. Taylor (Rlleys), L. M. Buffey, W. M. Couper (Talbots), M. H. Fortlage (Ford), D. T. Russell (Hillman), L. M. Maynard (A.C.), Noel Rees (Lancia), H. Wood (Singer), S. H. Allard (Allard Special), G. Wood (Bentley). Second-Class Awards • C. M. Conner, K. C. Delingpole, R. F. Hield, G. S. Limpus, F. G. H. Minter, Miss 1). Stanley-Turner .(34.0.$), Hon. R. de Yarburgh-Bateson, A. J. Brandt, A. C. Fairt lough, F. A. Houlding (A.C.$), C. M. Anthony, R. Johnson-Ferguson (Aston-Martins), Bliss P. McOstrich, J. Martin (Frazer-Nashes), D. A. Aidington, H. J. Aldington, Mrs. H. Wood (Frazer-NashB.M.W.$), G. E. Coppen, C. 0. Tiracchini (S8s), D. B. Hail, G. M. Denton, S. M. Lawry (Fords), Mrs. M. J. Cotton, J. Eason-Gibson, Lord Waleran (Lancias), J. L. Rowbotham, G. J. Redgrove (Rovers)

Best Performances in Timed Tests : R.

Easy Starting : R. Johnson-Ferguson (AstonMarlin). W. B. Stedman (Wolseley), W. F. F. Martin-Burst (Rover), L. B. Dyball (88), A. P. Smith (SS), all 75. Monte Carlo ” Wiggle Woggle ” : D. H. Murray

(Frazer-Nash-B.M.W.), 61.68.; G. 11. Robins (H.R.G.), 63.2s.

Dr. H. F. Squire (Terraplane), H. symmens (L.M.B.), D. G. tillcock (Jensen), R. E. Dorndorf (British Salmson), W. B. Stedman (Wolseley), A. E. Bussey (Riley), P. A. Thornton (Standard), N. A. Prince (Singer), J. A. Andrews, M. A. C. Shrunonds

(Morgans), R. M. Holder (Fiat). 1938 Monte Carlo Test : D. H. Murray (Frazer Nash-B.M.W.), 56.4a.; D: (1. Silcock (Jensen V8),

59.2s. Flying Halt-Mile: H. J. Aldington (Frazer-NashB.M.W.), 91.84 m.p.h.; Mrs. H. Wood (Frazer

Nash-B.M.W.), 83.33 m.p.h.