Berkhamsted M.C. & C.C. at Howard Park

Berkhamsted M.C. & CC. at Howard Park

Howard Park, Aston Clinton, conveniently situated within an hour and a half’s drive from London, and originally discovered, we believe, by the Berkhamsted Club, has long been unique as a venue where, on payment of a reasonable fee, clubs may organise speed trials on practically any afternoon during the season. Since the course was first used some three or more years ago the Berkhamsted, Vintage C.C., United Hospitals, W.A.S.A., Cambridge University, Talbot C.C. and other clubs have arranged events there, taking ad vs.,.ntage of a 3-mile gravelsurfaced course on private ground in surroundings that are not only picturesque to a degree, but which provide excellent hotel facilities and more than ample parking space. It is, therefore, regrettable that grazing rights have interfered with the use of the original straight course, and that a new course, used by the ” Berko ” on Sunday, July 5th should have been pronounced too dangerous by the R.A.C. for the Crernian

M.C. to use it again on July 19th. It is to be hoped that the meeting on July 5th will not be the last to he held at Aston Clinton, which village is proud of a strong speed-trial tradition, for in the pre-1925 days racing cars were not unknown on the road leading up from the entrance to Howard Park. At the July meeting a good crowd of spectators was somewhat disappointed by low speeds for a spectator cannot easily appreciate that a course of narrow width, on a continual curve, must be treated with respect, especially when many humps abound. The Paddock was of decidedly more interest than the course. Rupert Instone had come down with the G.N. “Martyr” which was making a first appearance with a Zoller compressor, which feeds through plain pipes direct to each cylinder. Incidentally each cylinder of the special J .A.P. engine has individual valvetiming, compression-ratio, etc. Instone simply could not make use of the power available, broadsiding very badly in getting away on one occasion, though his acceleration for seconds at a time was simply breath-taking. Appleton ran his special in sprint trim, and made

decided gear-changes. De Mattos (Singer) experienced steering intrigues and misfiring and R. Magnus (EinerysonSpecial) had consistent wrestles with the gear-shift, during one of which his skeleton motor-car skidded broadside, rolled completely over, and then did its best to demolish some iron railings. Amazingly enough Magnus was merely scratched, but Bolster was not present to exchange a handshake—you recall that he once motored on his head for quite a while at Shelsley.

Baron’s Brescia-engined G.P. Bugatti was fast and very steady. The AppletonSpecial added excitement by “lightingup,” but without serious damage to its beautiful machinery. Sumner’s Sumner J .A.P. was blipped all down the course and Symonds, too, had to use discretion at the wheel of the ex-Davenport G.N. “Spider.” A Frazer-Nash-B.M.W., not in ine programme, carried notices such as” Beer is Best” and similar inscriptions which are out of place at a speed trial. Some interesting motors were present. F. Groom produced a Morris Minor Special, and Jan Breyer had brought his f .w.d. Salome. Green ran an old Salmson, E. G. M. Wilkes had a 12-50 Alvis as well as his G.N., Almack the familiar Austin and a Riley-engined G.N., and W. G. Smith a single-seater long-tailed Lea Francis. There were lots of M.G.s, of which B. Rogers’ blown Midget made fastest time of the day in 16.5 secs. L. Christensen ran a very smart black ” hybrid ” Darracq, and G. R. Horn’s

Talbot had artillery wheels, a lowered 10-23 Talbot radiator and was fully stripped.

RESULTS 850 c.c. cars: A. G. Sanderson (M.G.)

850 c.c. Sports cars: A. G. Sanderson (M.G.) 21.48.

1,100 c.c. Sports ears : It. M. Sanford (Fiat) 20.78. 1,500 c.o. Sports ears : G. Ba,gratouni (M.G.) 18.9s.

850 c.c. Racing cars: B. Rogers (M.G.) 16.5s. 1,100 c.o. Racing cars : B. de Mattos (Singer) 17.5s.

1,500 c.c. Racing cars : A. Baron (Bugatti) 17.8s.

Limerick Grand Prix

Another of those excellent Irish roadraces was due to be run off on Bank Holiday Monday, August 3rd, the Limerick Grand Prix, over 55 laps, or 1513 miles, of a 2/-mile circuit. A handicap system based on a combination of credit laps and/or time allowances was arranged, and the awards list was most generous, with a silver trophy, replica, and ‘200 for the entrant of the winning car. Apart from trophies and replicas £550 of prize money was listed in the

supplementary regulations. Singlefee entries were charged at £12 10 0. We foresee British drivers making a special feature of these Irish races in 1937. The organisers of the Limerick Grand Prix were the Irish Motor Racing Club, Ltd., with the co-operation of the Limerick Car Race Committee. The entries comprised Austin Dobson’s 3-litre AlfaRomeo, Powys-Lybbe’s 2.3-litre AlfaRomeo, I. F. Connell’s famous 2.6-litre Alfa-Romeo, two Adlers, Boyle’s 13-litre Alta, Goodacre and Dobson’s Austins, the Duke of Grafton’s 3.3-litre Bugatti, a 2-litre Bugatti, ” Bira,” Manby-Colegrave, Whitehead and Dobson with 1N-litre r,,R.A.s, two Frazer-Nashes, Toohey’s amazing Ford Eight, Miss Eileen Ellison’s Maserati, eight M.G.s, including Kenneth Evans’ entry and McClure, Mrs. Wisdom and Mrs. Dobson with 1,100 c.c. Rileys.