B.A.R.C. MEMBERS' GOODWOOD MEETING (June 14th)

display_5689f27b5a

MORE incidents: arising from bad or over-ambitious driving were seen at this meeting than for some time past, commencing in practice when Mrs. Bloxham damaged her Aston Martin DB3S against the chicane. Drivers were lucky in escaping injury.

The MOTOR SPORT Brooklands Memorial Trophy Contest also enlivened the afternoon. M. Taylor driving his Lotus-Climax so well that he is now only a point down (13 to 14) on K. A. Greene (Lotus Climax). July 12th should see a really tremendous battle between these two contestants.

it was Taylor who won the first 10-lap scratch race. at 86.97 m.p.h. from Greene, braking noticeably later into Woodcote. His best lap was at 88.16 mph. Westcott’s Lotus-Climax beat Bristow’s Elva-Climax to third place. Arundell lost his Lotus-Climax in the chicane and, stopping sideways on, for some unaccountable reason, had its shape further altered by McKee’s Elva-Climax.

Hicks’ fast but unstable Standard Eight won the first saloon race at 60.64 m.p.h. from Vaughan’s Volkswagen. The latter has-44,000 miles to its credit, is virtually standard, and its cornering was improved by Continental front, Michelin “X” back tyres. Osbourne’s Morris was third. Clarke’s Dauphine blew up seriously in a fine smoke cloud.

Fletcher, in the first works A.C. Ace, led the Marque scratch race for seven of the 10 laps, until the transmission sheared at the clutch. Burrell, trying very hard, was the winner, at 75.06 m.p.h., in his Triumph TR3, comfortably ahead of Sleep’s ex-Grant Norton A.C. Ace and Ewer’s TR2 Sutton (Austin-Healey 100) would have been second if the cautious no-spinning rule had not disqualified him. He set fastest lap, at 77.28 m.p.h., almost touching Hurrell as they battled for the chicane on lap four, Sutton getting by but hitting the wattle coming out. Horn’s TR2 and Noble’s M.G.-A collided at St. Mary’s and Arnold was thrown out of his TR2 at the same place. Time for a Tin-Basher’s Trophy ?

The next closed-car handicap was hectic, Chamberlain’s Jaguar XK140 spinning out of Woodcote and being hit by Foster’s M.G. Magnette, putting this much-fancied car out of the race. Brightman won, at 73.17 m.p.h., in his Ferrari-like A.C. Aceca coupé, from Uren’s 3.4 Jaguar and Handel’s M.G.-A. Fastest lap went to Brightman, too, at 75.66 m.p.h.

The handicapping was poor and Sutton’s Austin-Healey won the next 5-lap handicap out on its own, at 75.35 m.p.h. Eventually Hudson’s sister car finished second and another Austin-Healey 100. driven by Mackay, third. Baille’s D-Jaguar did fastest lap, at 82.6 m.p.h.

Taylor then won a 5-lap scratch race from Greene, but by a bare three-fifths of a second, at 87.1 m.p.h., these two indulging in side-by-side assaults on Woodcote, until Greene braked first. Greene was credited with the fastest lap, at 88.71 m.p.h. Westcott’s Lotus was third, but Graham (Lotus) had closed right up in the chicane, braking hard to avoid ramming Westcott, so acceleration differed here.

Brightman’s A.C. then won again. a 5-lap handicap. at 73.34 m.p.h. this time, holding off Howard’s Cooper-Climax. which Kathleen Howard had driven earlier, and Baille’s Jaguar, the last-named, after touching Birch’s Cooper-Jagoar during one dicey moment, making fastest lap, at 83.56 m.p.h.

Racing concluded with a final 5-lap handicap. which the handicappers virtually awarded to Ashby’s 328-c.c. Berkeley before the start. It averaged 58.68 m.p.h.. Entwistle’s M.G.-A was second, the irrepressible Hurrell third. Sleep’s A.C. made fastest lap, at 76.46 m.p.h.

See you on July 12th ? – W.B.