And Now for a Motor - Racing Boom

And Now for a Motor-Racing Boom

For several years past there has been a steady growth of public interest in motor-racing, a trend which has been noticeably reflected by the increased amount of space devoted to the sport in the daily press.

This increase in popularity is now to have the very welcome effect of bringing into being two more road circuits, at Brooklands and the Crystal Palace, to supplement the existing venue at Donington Park.

The latter circuit, by making road-racing possible for the first time in this country, has made extraordinarily rapid strides in the few years of its existence. So much so, indeed, that it has well-nigh spelt the end of track-racing, except for the unique B.A.R.C. Bank Holiday sprint meetings and the ever-popular “Five Hundred.”

After losing both its long-distance ” road” races, the B.R.D.C. Empire Trophy and the J.C.C. International Trophy, the famous old Weybridge track has announced a new road circuit which, judging by the plans, ought to be extremely well received by drivers and spectators alike. It will bring out the very best in a car, speed, acceleration, braking and cornering abilities, and at the same time it will give the spectators a greatly improved view of the racing. It is to be devoutly hoped that admission prices to good vantage points round the new circuit will not be of an exclusive nature, for in this respect Brooklands has in the past compared most unfavour ably with Donington. The ideal arrangement is undoubtedly to have one price for the whole course, excepting the

grandstands. In this connection, too, it is worth bearing in mind that really big ” gates “— without which the sport can never hope to attain national standing—will only be obtained by keeping admission prices as low as possible.

Particularly is this aphorism recommended to the attention of the sponsors of the Crystal Palace circuit, which is in a much better position than either of its rivals to attract really big attendances. With several railway stations at its very doors, bus and tram services running to it from all parts of London, and situated in the heart of residential suburbs of the metropolis, the Crystal Palace circuit will be easily accessible to crowds of a magnitude previously only connected with football and horse-racing.

The position of Donington is very different, but such a reputation for good racing has the Midland circuit that it is assured of continued popularity in the face of the new competition. Mr. Fred Craner has steadily kept before him the aim of giving the public better and better value for their money, with the result that the Donington organisation is one that both its southern rivals would do well to emulate. Even with these three circuits in full swing we shall still have a good deal of leeway to make up before motor-racing in England attains the national popularity which it enjoys in Germany and Italy. Motorracing has been under a cloud for so long in this country so that it will inevitably take some time to educate the

public to appreciate the attractions of what is undoubtedly one of the finest sports in the world.

But we are progressing. The number of enthusiastic followers of the sport is mounting daily with the increased number of clubs that have now been formed, and everything points to motorentering on a longoverdue boom in 1937.

Here’s wishing success to all those on whose plans the health of the sport depends !