Reports of Recent Events, January 1951

Reports of Recent Events—e.tinued from page 4

LEINSTER M.G. G.V.B. TRIAL (December 2nd)

The Leinster M.C. held its

Cup Trial on December 2nd over an 18-mile course in the Mt. Seskin-Brittas—Glenasmole—Glencree area Of the Dublin Mountains. The course contained ten observed sections and teats ranging front mud and slippery granite slabs through braking and mversing tests to a speed hill-climb on a iartermile loose stone track with four hairphis.

As in most Irish trials, the ordinary sports cars were able to hold their ONVI1 with the specials. The Winner drove a Mercury-engined special and was closely followed_ by a brace of TD-series NI.G.s. Casualties were few, being limited to a half-Shaft on a TC-M.G. and a bent chassis on a cut-down Lancia.

NORTH MIDLAND M.C. AUTUMN SPORTING TRIAL (December 10th)

Heavy rain and a blustery wind did not impair the Spirits of the competitors starting at the Peacock Hotel, Owler Bar. R. NV. Phillips (Fairley Special), T. C. Harrison (Harford Special) and A. M. Beardshaw (Wharton Special) were excellent in the mud-covered observed sections and their times in the tests proved they were no novices in the sport.

Phillips won the Members’ Trophy by the narrow margin of one mark.

At the finish, the Devonshire Hotel, Baslow, good food, ale and a film show of trials and racing events were much enjoyed by one and all.

Results :

Class L-1st (Members’ Trophy): R. W. Philfies (Fahl Special) ; 2nd : T. C. ‘Harrison (Rexford

Special ; 3rd : A. M. Beardshaw (Wharton Special ; 4th : G. P. Mosby (Ford Special); 5th : P. J. Clay (Anstin Special).

CLASS 2 STANDARD CABS.—Ist (Ceimm(ttee Cup): J. Epton (Ford); 2nd : J. W. Fleetwood (Ford); 3rd : F. Greenwood (M.G).

THE NORTON TEAM TROPHY Ube ” Ai:town-eters “): R. W. Phillips (Fairley); A. M. Beardshaw (Wharton) ; A. T. Aldred (Ford).

WEST HANTS & DORSET C.C. CHRISTMAS CUP TRIAL (December 10th)

Bad weather conditions made the annual Christmas Cup Trial of the W.H.D.C.C. rather more difficult than was intended. It was held on the edge of the New FOrest over grass and gravel hills which become very slippery when wet … and that Sunday was wet. Forty-three ears started front the St. Leonard’s Hotel, near Ringwood, for the morning section. This was simply a series of map references between which a

s:d average speed hail to he maintained. (>rw minute early or late at each point was allowed, and no fewer than thirty-nine drivers lost their clean sheets. The four who did not were : E. Crabbe (Singer), and the .1esty family, J. B. Jesty (Allard), Mrs. J. B. Jesty (Bayliss-Thomas of 1i)23 vintage) and H. R. Jesty in a Hillman Minx.

After lunch, competitors tackled three hills at Matehams Park, near If ingwood. Only J. .1. Macklin (Allard) climbed all three, and only .1. 11. .testy and G. Dear (Jaguar 100) climbed I wo.

The route II an led through lbsley to Fi rze lull. when t here were two hills, the first of whielt, Furze Hollow, stopped the entire entry again with the one exception of G. Dear. Drivers then went over open moorland, bleak in the December rain, to Godshill, taking in another observed hill, a downhill aeceleration and brake test, and an uphill acceleration test. on the. way. Aladdin, J. A. Shutler (Invicta), and George Hartwell .(Stua beam-Talbot) were outstanding in the tests.

Finally, there was an easy hill just outside Godshill, before the finish at the As You Like It roadhouse at Fordingbridge. Most drivers had to attempt this last hill in the dark, which made it look much worse than it actually was.

When the results came to be worked out, it was found that over half the entry had missed out one or other of the observed sections through faulty navigation, so that they had to be listed as nonfinishers. The result of this was that everyone who did officially complete the course won an award.

Results : CHRISTMAS CUP PERFORMANCE OF THE :

CHRISTMAS CUP (BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY) : J. 11. Jesty (3.622-c.c. Allard), 30 marks lost.

CLUB COP (BEST PERFORMANCE IN OPPOSITE CLASS) : J. A. Shutter (4,463-c.c. Invieta), 48 marks ICA.

FIRST.CLASS AWARDS: L. J. 0. Bartlett (3,622-c.c. Ford), 48 marks lost ; W. A. Walters (1,496-e.c. Frazer-Nash-B.5M.), 511 marks lost ; Mrs. J. B. Jesty (1,496-c.c. Bayllas-Thomas), 70 marks lost ; A. II. Saunders (1,087-c.c. Riley). 02 marks lost ; P. A. Collingwood (3,622-c.c. E.11.0.), 70 marks lost H. R. Jesty (1,265-c.c. Gillman), 60 marks lost ; R. M. Lee (1,185-c.c. 8tinheam-Talbet4, 64 :narks lost ; S. Cum (2,199-c.c. Austin), 64 marks lost.

:1w:win-CUSS AwAsns 13. 8. Poole (1,760-c.c. Belsize), 78 marks lost ; G. Cooper (9113,c.c. Morris). 72 marks lost ; R. D. Corbett (1,203-c.e. Vaushall), 86 marks lost ; 11. Smart (t,971-c.c. Bristol), 92 marks lost; P. Moore (3.022-c.c. Allard), 90 marks lost ; G. Verner (ilitinber), 74 marks lost ; F. IL Bullock (1.707-e.c. LeaFrancis), 96 marks lost.

BUGATTI OWNERS CLUB WELSH RALLY (December 8th -9th)

In this event the organisers attempted t• elhnitatte the most undesirable feature of nic,,t long-distance rallies, which is the hill cimninable stretches of good clear TWOS Which have to be covered at some painfully low speed because of I he set maximtun. average. There was a night section starting from three points; in Virginia Water, Stratford-on-Avon and Chippenham. These routes converged at the first control near Oxford, giving approximately the same mileage, and passed through Cirencester, Stroud, Gloucester, Ross-on-Wye, Hereford, Hay,

Brecon, Lampeter, Aberayron on the coast, and Aberystwyth. The 70 competitors were started at one minute intervals, irrespective of their starting point, and all given the sante latest time of arrival at Aberystwyth. The entry had been arranged in order of estimated performance, the slowest starting first, so that the possession of .a faster car conferred no advantage. There was no other time control during the night, but there were four checks to visit, at each of which the location of the next one was given. These controls were situated in remote farmhouses, and one on the beach itself, so that time was easily lost by navigational errors. This could be made up by fast motoring, but in practice it was found that only seven competitors got to A laaystwyth on tinw. This was in part due to tog LIII ice in England, although everybody who was late admitted to having lost t hemselves at least once.

After a very good breakfast at the 13e1IVIte Royal Hotel competitors were sent off to Prescott by a route over the mountains, but not including t lie rougher passes such as 13wIday-Gas-s. Along MS route there were four undisclosed tontrols, situated round blind corners, and every competitor set his own average a-peed for the whole of the route by the time he arrived at the first check. To prevent too slow speeds being chosen, there was an overall time limit on handicap as in the night section. Thus each navigator had to work out the average speed as represented by the overall limit, and select a working average something above this to allow a margin against a double loss of marks at the finish, and to take refreshments at the controls for which time was allowed not affecting the running averages.

The whole of these manoeuvres were worked into a story in which it was supposed that each competitor was a doctor hurrying to save a patient lost in the mountains, and to pick up a special vactine landed from a submarine on the way, at the instigation of the fabulous Dr. Foster. Messages from the latter, directing the carrier of the life-saving vaccine were in fact the directions issued at the day controls. The missing patient was finally run to earth in a village near Hereford, and the vital injection given.

At Prescott, reached in the darkness of Saturday evening, each competitor was desired to negotiate the hill from Pardon Hairpin to the end of the eases, in reverse, and apart from one or two unfortunates whose cars grounded while turning at at Pardon, this last straw was received with tolerably good humour. One enthusiast, long after crossing “Line B,” motored through the Allard gap on the semi-circle, and balanced his Rover on the edge.

The final six were extremely closelyplaced and the reaction of all competitors to the event seemed to be very favourable.