B.R.D.C. Notes

“The Steering Wheel”
Racing folk have long felt the need for a social club in the West End, like the old Gilson’s. The B.R.D.C., in conjunction with the J.C.C., has now opened such a club, at 2a, Brick Street, W.1, which is open between noon and 3 p.m. and again between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. each day. Known as the United Motor Sports Club, or, more briefly, “The Steering Wheel,” the annual subscription. is two guineas. The club was opened by a cocktail gathering on December 16th last and restaurant facilities, under the supervision of a Swiss-trained chef de cuisine, will soon be available. The club’s telephone number is Grosvenor 2765.

It looks as if new records may be made at Bonneville Salt Flats between August 15th and September 15th. John Cobb will be there to try to make his Railton exceed 370 m.p.h., and Ab. Jenkins will also be present.

Eric Verkade has been in this country with his sensational touring car, a Maserati sports Zagato two-seater with two straight-eight racing engines placed side by side, giving a capacity of 4 litres. The bore and stroke are 62 by 82 mm. and the crankshafts run in seven roller and two plain bearings; there are split cage roller big-ends. Keeping to 5,000 r.p.m., Verkade gets 110 m.p.h. and, although the gearbox provides but three speeds, acceleration is most impressive. The other quite astounding car at Rowland’s Byfleet garage has been one of the 1939 3-litre type “M.163” Mercédès-Benz G.P. cars, the sort with two-stage supercharging, giving over 480 b.h.p. at 7,800 r.p.m. The Czechs “borrowed” this car from the Germans, it eluded the Russians, and it really is here in this country. Its fate is undecided.