"Sports" Car Racing at Brooklands

EDITORIAL.

“Sports” Car acin at rooklands

THE first British 1,000 Miles Race failed to fulfil the primary function of a motor race, that is, to be sufficiently entertaining to draw a moderate crowd of spectators. Motor racing is only made possible by the public paying for admission to witness a race, and, spectators are perfectly within their rights in demanding good entertainment. This fact has to be faced, although many extenuating arguments can be put forward to account for the small attendance at the 1,000 Miles Race. For example, several interesting cars were scratched at the last moment ; Leeson’s tragic accident cast a gloom over the proceedings, at any rate on the first day ; and the race lacked the spectacular interest of a massed start. True, but we think that the real reason is a more fundamental one. We are of the opinion that long distance races of anything over 500 miles with ” sports ” cars can never be a success at Brooklands. Speeds are not high enough,

the only corner is out of sight of the general public, and there is an absence of the spirit of a race which make these events uninteresting to all but the most ardent enthusiasts. What kind of races for “sports ” cars, then, should be staged at Brooklands ? There are two alternatives. First, we suggest a revival of the Six-Hour Race, over the original circuit, that is anti-clockwise, with sandbanks in the Finishing Straight. This race would be short enough to prevent it from degenerating into a trial of comparative performances, and if run on a simple form of handicap, with credit laps for the

smaller cars, and a massed start, it would contain sufficiently attractive elements to draw a considerable crowd. Secondly—and this idea could with advantage be duplicated for racing cars—we suggest a Mountain Championship Meeting. Easily the most popular items on the programme of the B.A.R.C. Meetings, both from the drivers’ and the spectators’ points of view, are the Mountain races. The corners produce the definitely thrilling spectacle of cars racing wheel to wheel, their drivers straining every nerve to gain a few inches on their rivals. And remember that cornering does not show up the inferior speed of ” sports ” cars as track racing does. We suggest, then, a Mountain Championship Meeting of scratch races, to be run in classes, the winners to earn the title of Sports or Racing Mountain Champion of Brooklands. We realise that the shortness of the circuit could be put forward as a possible disadvantage of this idea, but if the classes were run separately we do not think that many cars would be so fast as to cause confusion through gaining a whole lap on their rivals. In any case, the race would be easier to follow than the The path of pioneers has

always been a hard one. While criticising the 1,000 Miles Race, one must not forget the magnificent record of its organisers, the Junior Car Club, to whom of gratitude. We can only regret that their splendid talents of efficient organi sation should not have reaped more satisfactory

results. the motor racing public of Britain owe a lasting debt complicated handicap

events which are run to-day.