Poore beats Gerard at Prescott and equals May's old record

Many class records fall. Whincop takes Sports-Car Record with his 2.3-litre Bugatti

The weather cleared for the Summer Prescott meeting and it was most interesting, although the crowd was not immense, so many being prevented from attending by Mr. Gaitskell. Poore made f.t.d. in the Alfa Romeo, a polished and popular achievement, which equalled May’s pre-war course record. Gerard was second fastest, Fry, joint hero of Bouley Bay with Poore, third fastest, the Freikaiserwagen displaying prodigious acceleration. Sydney Allard also went better than ever before in the monoplace Alllard. Mays, handicapped by having lost bottom gear at Jersey, was slower than Poore and Gerard in practice and, finding his plugs’ electrodes inclined to fall into the cylinders, scratched from the meeting.

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A few new cars and modifications enlivened the Paddock, apart, that is, from summer frocks and the “New Look.” Hindes had a 3-1/2-litre Jaguar with an extended, airship-shaped tail, the Freikaiserwagen wore its mudguard-like engine cover, a shield before its carburetter, and a boost-gauge tied on at the extreme rear of the engine. The tyre valve in one of the tubular side-members still occasions mystic comment ! Poore sensibly had his victorious Alfa Romeo under a tarpaulin, which certainly kept the rain away. The Neale Special was a new “bitser”, having a 2-litre multi-carb. A.C. engine in a Riley chassis, with Wolseley radiator, and a high, long touring body. The Underwood Special “gave-away” the origin of its engine by reason of a protruding Scott radiator on the off-side of the tail; front suspension was by transverse spring and wishbones. Brandon was driving the ex-Dryden, ex-Harvey-Noble M.G.  Whincop gleefully pointed out that his trustworthy ex-Shuttleworth Type 51 Bugatti really is a sports car now, for his wife has finally had her way, and a second aero-screen is available for her side of the car! The results, class by class, follow (times in seconds;   * = New Class-Record)

 Class 2, Sports cars up to 1,500 c.c. Non-supercharged

Newton’s H.R.G. won easily, after a spirited run, breaking his former class record by 0.64 sec. in doing so. Only three ran.

1st. B. J. Newton (H.R.G.) … 50.65*

2nd. D. C. Pitt (M.G.) … 50.06 (?) 

Class 2(s), Sports cars up to 1 ,500 c.c., Supercharged

Leonard was another easy winner in this class, but not up to his record speed. Finch worked hard at the Amilcar’s tiller, getting second place.

1st. L. Leonard (M.G.) … 51.61

2nd. O. A. F. Finch (Amilcar) … 53.25

3rd. G. H. G. Burton (Riley) … 54.17 

Class 3, Sports Cars, 1,501-3,000 c.c., Non-supercharged

Not unexpectedly Gilbert Tyrer won this class, on a polished ascent, but well below his own record speed. Bond-Williams handled his 2-litre Aston-Martin nicely, changing down a cog very beautifully in the Esses.

1st. G. Tyrer (B.M.W.) … 52.94

2nd. N. I. Bond-Williams (Aston Martin) … 53.11

3rd. T. A. D. Crook (B.M.W.) …53.57

Class 3(s), Sports cars, 1,501-3,000 c.c., Supercharged

This was Whincop’s class, in spite of much wheelspin from his “2.3” Bugatti.

Not only did he beat Crook’s “2.9” Alfa Romeo and Oliver’s “2.3” Bugatti’ but his Type 51 bettered its own class-record by 0.59 sec., this constituting the sports-car record for the hill. The former sports-car record belonged to Rodney Clarke’s “3.3” Bugatti, and Whincop, giving away a litre, bettered it by 0.30 sec., a very fine show. He was very slightly slower on his second run. Pierpont slid to a standstill broadside on, in his Type 55 Bugatti, entering the Esses.

1st. A. C. Whincop (Bugatti) … 49.56 

2nd. R. M. Oliver (Bugatti) … 49.91 

3rd. T. A. D. Crook (Alfa Romeo) … 49.94 

Class 4, Sports cars over 3,000 c.c., Non-supercharged

Tom Cole scored in this class, in spite of twice knocking his gear-lever into neutral, his Jaguar being more than a match for Allards and J.M.B.s!   Maréchal, back from Spa, was second, nearly setting the J.M.B.’s rear tyres alight, and Mansell’s Allard was neatly handled. Porter’s 4-1/4-litre Bentley saloon was impressive in its own way, and one could appreciate just how quiet these fine cars are.

lst. T. L. H. Cole (Jaguar) … 52.21 

2nd. J. P. Maréchal (J.M.B.) … 53.09 

3rd. G. N. Mansell (Allard) … 53.89 Class

4(s), Sports cars over 3,000 c.c., Supercharged

Rodney Clarke’s magnificent red “3.3” Bugatti was off colour and only ran once, not defending its record. However, do what Leslie Allard could in his North Downs-blown yellow Allard, and he did a lot, tail sliding badly in the Esses, Clarke won his class.

1st. R. R. Clarke (Bugatti) … 50.23

2nd. T. L. Allard (Allard) … 50.67

Class 5, Racing cars up to 500 c.c.

The 500’s caused plenty of excitement. The F.H.B. smote the outside bank entering the Esses on its first run, Moss touched the bank leaving the Esses on his first run, an incident that hardly affected him at all, while Saunder’s Cooper seemed to suffer clutch slip and caught fire, the delay before fire-extinguishers arrived being quite startling. Little damage was done. The Buzzi seemed troubled with a difficult gear-change and Longmore’s Marwyn was slow. Moss drove splendidly, and not only won the class but set yet another new Class 1 Prescott record. It should be explained that, officially, Brandon’s 49.22 sec., made at the Club meeting in the up to 750 c.c. class, does not count, but Moss beat Lones’ former record by 0.47 sec. Strang came to grief on his first run and would have been much faster on his second had he not missed a change.

1st. S. Moss (Cooper) … 49.51 

2nd. Strang (Strang) … 50.41

3rd. R.M. Dryden (Cooper) … 50.86

Class 6, Racing cars, 501-750 c.c.

The Lightweight was a non-runner and Ken Wharton, driving very nicely indeed, won easily, although Hadley’s “works” Austin class record of before the war still stands. Symonds got a well-deserved second -place and Brandon, mit  M.G., was third.

1st. K. Wharton (M.G.) …48.51 

2nd. G. H. Symonds (Austin) … 51.59

3rd. E. Brandon (M.G.) … 53.84

Class 7, Racing cars, 751-1500 c.c.

Fry, indulging in a magnificent power slide from the Esses, had things all his own way, although when it is remembered that the V-twin Cooper is unblown, its efficiency is also a matter for warm congratulation. The Freikaiserwagen broke Cooper’s class record by 0.85 sec. Richardson, using twin rear wheels, placed the E.R.A.-Riley beautifully, to get third place. Geoffrey Ansell was disappointing in the E.R.A. Kennington had a nasty experience on his second run, when the off-side front wheel of his M.G. commenced to wobble as he accelerated from the Esses. Fortunately he wasn’t going very fast at this point. When the car was lifted clear of the ground by the breakdown crane, the wheel fell off.

1st. J. G. Fry (Freikaiserwagen) … 46.21*

2nd. J. Cooper (Cooper) … 47.86 

3rd. G. N. Richardson (E.R.A.-Riley) … 48.17

Class 8, Racing cars 1,501-2,000 c.c.

Noel Carr caused the stir in this class, his Alta leaving the course at the first bend and folding back its near-side front wheel. Gerard got down to 46.18 sec., obviously trying harder than on his early runs. Norris’ Alta accelerated beautifully from the Esses, and Neale’s crisp-sounding, very smart Bugatti was third, going close to the inside bank at the Esses.

1st. F. R. Gerard (E.R.A.) … 46.18 

2nd. J. B. Norris (Alta) … 50.03 

3rd. P. W. Neale (Bugatti) …51.42

Class 9, Racing cars over 2,000 c.c.

This was a really interesting struggle.  Sydney Allard made his fastest Prescott run to date, in 46.44 sec., in the Steyr-Allard. Bear did his usual stylish run in the ex-Abecassis Bugatti, very fast too, in 48.16 sec., Hutchison a typically “Hutch” ascent, front wheels locking and sending up little puffs of smoke before the corners, in 48.22 sec., then Poore closed with 46.21 sec. In the second half Allard was slower, but Bear got down to 47.72 sec., to be beaten by McAlpine in the ex-“Bira” Maserati, who, in turn, was beaten by Hutchison, who did 47.34 sec. Poore was really good to watch, not seeming to brake heavily, yet calming the big car down for the bends, swishing round them, then turning on his very real acceleration to immense effect. He bettered his own class record by 0.20 sec.

1st.  R. D. Poore (Alfa Romeo) … 46.21*

2nd. S. H. Allard (Allard) … 46.44

3rd. K. N. Hutchison (Alfa Romeo) 47.34

Class 10, Handicap

1st. N. W. Pollock (Frazer Nash)

2nd. W. D. Porter (4-1/4-litre Bentley)

3rd. G. E. Matthews (Jaguar)

Class II, Team event

In this class Poore clocked f.t.d., 46.14 sec., equalling May’s 1939 record.

1st. Poore, Hutchison, Fry.

2nd. Moss, Cooper, Dryden.

3rd. Stubberfield, Whhicop, Pierpont.

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The Best Dozen

Poore (Alfa-Romeo) Gerard (E.R.A.) … 46.14

Fry (Freikaiserwagen) … 46.18

Allard (Allard, fastest unblown car) … 46.44

Hutchison (Alfa Romeo) … 47.34

McAlpine (Maserati) … 47.42

Cooper (Cooper)… 47.47

Bear (Bugatti) … 47.72

Stubberfield (Bugatti) … 48.09

Richardson (E.R.A.-Riley) … 48.17

 Ansell (E.R.A.) … 48.38

Wharton (Wharton) … 48.51