The Harrow C.C. Cottingham Memorial Trophy Trial

In fog conditions on November 19th, the Harrow C.C. ran off a most effective and stiff trial, the sections, mostly long slippery grass slopes, subdivided and marked accordingly, and all located within an economically small radius; 54 entries were received and the event counts towards the B.T.D.A. “Star.” From the “Lambert Arms” at Aston Rowant a run of two miles brought cars to the first section, which had ten sub-divisions. Before we arrived Clayton’s Ford Ten engined Clayton, Phillips’ Fairley, Appleton’s Allard and Faulkner’s Mercury had climbed clean. Many failures followed, but McAlpine made a grand ascent in his “oversize” Mercury-engined Allard, Oliver acting as navigator, Waring treated the hill with contempt, his Dellow’s blower whining defiantly, and Imhof’s central-engine Ford Ten Special, now with swing-axle independent rear suspension where originally he had no springing at all, was also fast and determined. Collins made a gallant attempt, his Dellow failing in the last section, where Price’s V8-Price also stuck. Smith’s M.G.-Ford Ten had a fluffy engine to offset his girl-passenger’s bouncing tactics, but he got to Section 8, as did Mead’s Allard, the blown Buckler, its body now conforming with F.I.A. sports-car requirements, and Cocker’s H.C. The next two hills were of similar type, but shorter and steeper. The first of them defeated every competitor and up the next, curving-left-hand ascent, where the sun shone only at the top, Waring pointed his success by getting his Dellow over the summit, whereas Imhof stopped in the last section. A return was now made to the first hill, but near the top drivers had to divert from the former course and climb a steep grass bank. Day’s Mercury, Appleton’s well-handled Allard, Smith’s carefully handled but fluffy F.M.B. Ford, McAlpine’s Allard, Collins’ Dellow and Price’s Price managed it and Imhof’s Special had plenty in hand, while Waring, now obviously a likely winner, came up perfectly, rocking the Dellow’s wheel from side to side. Mead’s Allard and Ginn’s Ford V8 just made Section 8, and Readings’ Regent, driver as well as passenger bouncing furiously, stopped just short of it, as did Macklin’s Ford-Ten-Austin, and Lawson’s H.R.G., in spite of doing peak revs., after which Pentony just persuaded his Vauxhall-Morris into Section 8. After welcome hot soup at the “Lambert Arms,” (racing-driver Geoffrey Daybell used to be manager and this was a popular starting point for pre-war M.G.C.C. trials) drivers set out in the fog to tackle six more sections, Crowell being cut out to make up time. At Pyrton many competitors could not so much as leave the start, but 23 cars got up. Willis was a determined failure in his B.M.W., but a Jensen just would not look at it. After this three more of the morning’s hills were re-tackled and then came Section 11, where a steep hump at the very bottom brought practically every car to rest, except the Imhof, which reached Section 4 and Waring’s Dellow, which, surprisingly, didn’t get quite so far. The last Section, a long, chalky haul, “failed” all but five competitors. So ended a well-run event, which finished not too late and which had not cost competitors too many coupons. Waring’s Dellow deservedly made best performance and went back to Bristol in state on a trailer behind a Jaguar saloon. Clerk-of-the-Course Tett announced the results soon afterwards: —

Best Performance and Committee Challenge Cup: W. H. Waring (1,172-c.c. Dellow), 23 marks lost. 
Cottingham Memorial Trophy: A. G. Imhof (1,172-c.c. Imhof Special), 31 marks lost. 
Challenge Cup: B.. W. Phillips (1,486-c.c. Javelin-Fairley), 32 marks lost. 
Dryden Cup: D. W. Price (3,922-c.c. Price Special), 35 marks lost.

No First-Class or Second-Class awards were won, but the organisers sportingly gave souvenir “Firsts” to Faulkner (Mercury) 38 marks lost, Appleton (Allard) 41 marks lost and Clayton (Clayton), 44 marks lost, and a souvenir “Second” to Collins (Dellow), 47 marks lost.

Photo Caption: W. H. Waring’s Dellow Performs Outstandingly in Foggy but Effective Classic.