8 H.P. FORD WINS THE LEINSTER TROPHY

July 7th 2014

THE handicappers were very wide cf the mark in the Leinster Trophy Race, held at Tallaght, Co. Dublin, on the zoth of last month. If competitors could be depended upon not to hold back their cars in the hope of receiving a favourable handicap, handicaps could always be decided upon practice times. Human nature being what it is, however, the figures have to be decided in advance, with results which are always something of a gamble. Fortunately the Irish spectators have sufficient enthusiasm to enjoy a motor-race of any description, no matter whether the fastest or slowest car is winning.

The Leinster M.C. and C.C. received 31 entries for the race, but 8 of these failed to appear on the starting line. There was one re-handicap, that of the ultimate winner, J. Toohey (Ford 8-h.p.), who was brought down from five laps and two mins. to five laps. Even so, as the race progressed it was obviously going to be extremely difficult to catch him. He outdistanced the other limit cars right from the start, and his position was consolidated by the fact that none of the back-markers could live up to their handicaps. The scratch man, Austin Dobson (Alfa-Romeo), for example, could get nowhere near his scheduled speed of 77 m.p.h. His fastest lap and the record for the race, was 70.5 m.p.h., so that he had every justification in regarding his chances of success as nil and retiring after is laps.

For some time second place was held by S. R. Sheare (M.G. Midget), but he fell back and was passed by two other M.Gs in the hands of A. P. Huet and R. Kay.

Behind these two came a sports Balla Fiat driven by F. H. ffrench-Davis, which was on the point of, challenging them when the driver skidded into a hedge and wrecked a wheel, which caused him to retire. The next man to take up the chase of the flying limit-cars was C. G. Neill, whose 2-litre Bugatti has seen many races in Ireland. Neill drove splendidly, and although he passed Kay he could not quite reach Huet. finally finishing in third place.

PLACINCS, HANDICAPS AND SPEEDS.

m.p.h. 1. J Toohey (933 c.c. Ford), 5 laps 69.33 2. A P Huet (847 c.c. M.G.), 4 laps, 41 mina. 59.06 3. C G Neil (1,990 c.c. Bugatti). 1 lap, 4 rains 66.49 4. R Kay (847 c.c. M.G.), 5 laps 57.64 5. C H W Manders (995 c.c. Adler), 4 laps, 31 nuns. 58.09 6. W J liavanagh (1,287 c.c. M.G.) 3 laps 62.22 7. S R Sheare (847 c.c. M.G.), 5 laps 56.41 8. R Marsh (847 c.c. M.G.), 5 laps 55.82 9. it B S Le FanU (995 c.c. Adler), 4 laps, 3/ mine. 66.57