Letters from readers, August 1961

N.B. Opinions expressed are those of our correspondents and “Motor Sport” does not necessarily associate itself with them. – Ed.

Saloon car racing

Sir,

Although I spent all of May 6th at Silverstone, I must have missed the Production Car Race, and I look forward to your report on it. Mind you, I did see several Jaguars vainly pursuing an American heap of chrome, and I believe there were three or four other makes involved – however, I looked in vain to see one or two examples of the 59 different makes of saloons I counted in my car park. Naturally I realise that the controllers of motor racing in this country have the interests of the spectator at heart and they obviously hope that eventually there will only be one make of car racing which will lead to closer racing as in the ” 500″ days – it should also kill this class just as effectively.

In a more serious vein, may I ask you as a responsible and outspoken magazine to campaign even more strongly than you did earlier this year against the present set-up in saloon car racing, for the benefit of spectator and entrant alike. Can you get the organisers to understand that the ordinary paying public are completely indifferent to Group II, III or XYZ. They want to see fast, noisy, varied saloons (preferably on the limit) and to tell them that because Group II cars are “perfectly standard, old boy” they will be able to identify them with their own vehicles, will provoke suitable derisive noises. The public isn’t so stupid – they know that the difference between the car they get off an assembly line (which judging from readers’ letters is a pretty doubtful acquisition), and the immaculately prepared one they see on the track on which a lot of time and money has been spent, is vast indeed. Nor can Group Il racing be attractive to genuine private entrants, or why have fields shrunk in 1961? Let us hope that spectators at National and International meetings also have a chance to see a touring car race at a Club meeting in order to restore their confidence, or doubtless this type of racing will go the same way as others which have been ruined by bumbling bureaucracy.

I am, Yours, etc.,

London, N.W.3. – J. Stanton.

[Although this letter refers to a meeting held some months ago it has considerable significance in view of the ban placed on the Chevrolet Impala and Ford Galaxie at The British Empire Trophy Meeting last month. – Ed.]