SPEED FOR THE AMATEUR

SPEED FOR THE AMATEUR

TRIALS are grand fun, but lots of enthusiastic amateurs feel that speed events are a closer approach to real racing. Consequently, we would draw attention to the very large number of speed meetings due to be held this season. Excluding International and. Open Meetings and those invitation meetings for which entry fees have been rather on the expensive side in the past, the R.A.C. Calendar shows nineteen club speed trials or unclassified speed fixtures, eleven speed hill-climbs, six club Donington race-meetings, four small meetings at Brooklands, and two club racemeetings at the Crystal Palace circuit. This excludes sand race fixtures and those hill-climbs which we assume, from the venue quoted, to be likely to be of a ” circus ” nature. All these meetings may not materialise, but obviously there is lots to keep the amateur tuner and racing driver occupied. In many cases entry fees are exceptionally moderate. The hill-climbs call for very skilled driving confined to a terrifyingly brief period and a motor with good accelerative and road-clinging qualities. The Donington race meetings allow quite high speed

duels to develop. The speed trials promote admirable inter-club combat and put a premium on extreme accleration. The J.C.C. and M.C.C. High Speed Trials at Brooklands give the amateur a whole sixty minutes of speed work, and he knows beforehand what is expecte4 of his car. In addition, we believe the Light Car Club is to promote a mid-week meeting of short races at the Track. Donington is probably nearest to the “real thing,” excluding Prescott and Shelsley-Walsh, for which entry fees verge on the professional, always excepting the very praiseworthy Vintage S.C.C. Prescott hill-climb. The only snag is the distance away of Donington from the homes of amateurs residing in the Southern Counties. The Crystal Palace circuit is a welcome alternative and credit goes to the Riley Motor Club for arranging the first Clubman’s meeting there—last year Harry Edwards could not sanction club racing at the London road circuit. As at Donington, only a portion of the full course will be used. Of the hill climb venues, we have Prescott, which needs no introduction, Swainby, Dancer’s End, Weston-under-Penyard, Adlington., Naish House, Hay Hill and

Horndean. Most of these venues are not very well known, as yet, but Naish House very much the real thing and Dancer’s End is easy of access from London and possesses an exciting hairpin, albeit it has been rather too loose and, narrow for very fast cars up to now. The venues at which the smaller sprint events will take place are Lewes, Wetherby, Markyate, Burgh field, Reading, Southall, etc. Southall is ” circus,” Markyate is loose surfaced and short, but picturesque, and some are fresh venues, but Lewes and Wetherby are very sporting courses and definitely the ” real thing.” Scotland will also have her complement of speed trials and speed hillclimbs. For those who wish to plan their speed season now, the list of smaller meetings reads as follows :

March 4th Bristol M.C. & L.C.C. Naish House Hill Climb.

„ 11th Lancashire A .C. AdllngtonRlllCllznb.

C.U.A.C. Syston Park Speed Trial. Riley M.C. Crystal Palace Race Meeting.

J.C.C. Brooklands Meeting.

Middlesbrough & D.M.C. Swainby Hill Climb.

Westminster S.C.C. Brooldands Meeting. Vintage S.C.C. Donington Race Meet

Frazer-Nash & B.M.W. C.C. Speed Event.

Berkhamsted M.O. & C.C. Dancer’s End Hill Climb.

Yorkshire S.C.C. Wetherby Speed Trial.

Kent & Sussex L.C.C. Lewes Speed Trial.

Gloucestershire A.C. Weston-underPenyard Hill Climb.

United Hospitals & U.L.M.C. & S.S. C.C. Donington Race Meeting. Herta County A. & A .C. Markyate

Speed Thal.

Sporting O.D.C. Speed Event, Burghfield.

Middlesbrough & D.M.C. Swainby Hill Climb.

Frazer-Nash (ft B.M.W. C.C. Speed Event, Reading.

J.C.C. Donington Race Meeting. Kent & Sussex L.C.C. Lewes Speed Trial.

Riley M.O. Adlington Hill Climb. Chiltern C.C. Sneed Event.

C.U.A.C. Donlngton Race Meeting. S.U.N.B.A.C. Speed Event.

Berkhamsted M.C. & C.C. Speed Event.

Herta County A. & A.C. Markyate Speed Trial.

M.C.C. Donington Race Meeting. West Middlesex A.M.C.C. Southall Speed Trial.

J.C.C. High Speed Trial. Brookiands. Vintage S.C.C. Lewes Speed Trial. Yorkshire 13.0.0. Wetherby Speed

Hartlepools & D.C.C. Speed Event. Shepton Mallet & D. M.C. & L.C.C. Hay Hill Hill Climb.

Kent & Sussex L.C.C. Lewes Speed Trial.

Vintage S.C.C. Prescott Hill Climb. Southsea M.C. Honidean Hill Climb. Taunton M.C. Speed Event.

Bristol M.C. & L.C.C. Naish House Hill Climb.

Berkhanusted M.C. (Cc C.C. Dancer’s End Hill Climb.

M.C.C. High Speed Trial. Brooklands. Westminster S.C.C. Crystal Palace Race Meeting.

Yorkshire S.C.C. Wetherby Speed Trial.

Herta County A. & A.C. Markyate Speed Trial.

Ford Enthusiasts’ Club. Speed Event.

United Hospitals & U.L.M.C. Donington Race Meeting.

Truly, this looks something like a return to the sprint meeting era of circa 1924. If, at the end of 1939, you have only a season of slime-storming to look back on, don’t say we didn’t tell you. March 18t h 18th 25th 10th 12th 15th „ 22nd May 7th Ft 7th If 13th „ 14th „ 20th 21st „ 27th „ 29th June 3rd June 17th ,, 17th PP 18th „ 18th „ 24th „ 24t h „ 25th „ 25th July 1st 2nd f 8th )1 8th 9th Aug. 12th PI 13th „ 19th „ 26th „ 27th „ 27th Sept. 2nd 3rd 11 9th VI 9th „ 10th „ 24th Oct. 1st 7th