THE IVINGOE ROAD-RACE CIRCUIT

THE IVINGHOE ROAD-RACE CIRCUIT. FULL DETAILS OF THE PROPOSED COURSE TO BE CONSTRUCTED ONLY 32 MILES FROM LONDON.

FOR, some time past mention has been made in MoToR SPORT of a proposed new road-racing circuit at Ivinghoe, neat Tring. Full details as to the dimensions and situation of the track have not been -available, however, for the promotors have wisely decided to withhold information of this nature until every item in its construction has been planned by engineers, architects and surveyors. The shape of the circuit has been decided with the assistance of Mr. G. E. t. Eyston, Mr. C. R. Whitcroft, and Mr. H. N. Edwards, Secretary of the After months of this preliminary work the project has now taken on its final form, and during this month a public issue of shares will take place in order that the work of construction may be begun without delay. We are informed that the capital of the Company will be £200,006, of which P-142,000 will be expended on the construction of the road itself, fencing,

grandstands, dub house, aeroplane hangars, refreshment rooms, paddock, entrance gates, etcetera, and the remainder will be available for working capital, contingencies and prize money.

One day last month, in the company of a party Of pressmen, we visited the site of the proposed course and were deeply impressed with its natural potentialities. Anyone who has not actually seen for himself the astonishing suitability of the site for its purpose would be inclined to disbelieve that the proposed circuit could be constructed for the comparatively small sum of £142,000. However, the constructional details have been planned under the guidance of a civil engineer with wide experience of arterial road construct

ion, who is satisfied with the estimated cost. The land is absolutely open ; no trees to be cut down and rooted up. The sub

soil is hard chalk, so that a minimum of foundation will be required for the road and buildings. These two points alone will reduce the constructional costs to the lowest possible figure. The circuit will be exactly four miles in length, to facilitate timekeeping, and as will be seen from the accompanying illustrations, will be well up to the stan dard of the most difficult Continental circuits, excluding of course, the Targa Florio and the Nurburg Ring. From the spectator’s point of view, however, the Ivinghoe circuit should be superior to

both of these, being shorter and allowing him to move about from point to point. The hand of experienced racing motorists can be discerned in the wise provision of several very fast corners, on which skill has more scope than on sharp hair-pinsalthough the latter are essential, of course, on such a steep gradient as Pitstone Hill. The maximum gradient will be 1 in 5, up, while downhill the steepest piece will be 1 in 10—calling for a car of all-round performance and driving skill of the finest degree. The road will have a concrete surface, and will vary in width from 60 feet opposite the Grandstand, to allow for pit-work, to 18 feet on the hill-section. From the plans shown to us we formed the opinion that every detail for the public’s and the competitors’ comfort has been

thought of. Capacious grand-stands, view-points, car-parks, entrance-gates and refreshment buffets on the one hand, and comp Act paddock buildings and permanent pits on the other.

The club-house seemed a particularly well designed proposition, being planned for the specific purpose in view and not adapted from an existing building.

At last it seems that England is to have the chance for which she has been waiting for years, for our drivers, with such a practise course at their constant disposal, will be able to compete on level terms with the so-far supreme Continental aces.

A fixture on the International Calendar has been secured for August 19th, so if you want to be present at the first great road-race in England, don’t arrange your Summer holidays in August ! Here are a few points of interest about the proposed circuit :

The site is 435 acres in area.

Pitstone Hill, included in the site, rises 711 feet above sea level.

There is a population of nearly 9,000,000 people within a radius of 40 miles.

Ivinghoe is 32 miles from Hyde Park corner—mostly over arterial road.

Tring Station is little over 1 mile away.

The aerodrome will be in the centre of the fast stretch of the course, and is entirely free from trees.

700 men will be employed in the track’s construction.

A detailed plan of the Ivnghoe circuit. The cars ” straght legis a mile in length, and

Nearly every well-known racingmotorist has visited the site and expressed his complete approval of the site.

By means of loop roads, five alternative circuits will be available.

There will be a special hill-climb road, with a maximum gradient of 1 in 21. More than 100 acres of reserved enclosures will be available for spectators. In two of these, naturally sloping ground

II run clock-to:se, starting from the pits. the whole circuit four m:les exactly.

will enable spectators to witness the racing from their cars.

An almost complete tour of the course will be possible by spectators.

The main grandstand will accommodate 10,000 spectators.

3,000 vehicles per hour will be able to pass through the special entrance gates.

75 acres of outside car parks will be provided. The