THE SPRINT GAME

THE SPRINT GAME

LAST month in MOTOR SPORT Dr. Joseph 13ayley wrote on the joys of sprint racing with motorcycles and I am in full agreement with all he says, having a 5c0-c.c. motorcycle of my own in sprint trim that will do the standing start i-mile in 14 seconds, not fast enough to gain awards but fast enough to be fun and I find the friendly atmosphere at Sprint meetings a welcome change from the ” big-business” of motor racing. As Dr. Bayley pointed out there are no restrictions in sprint racing, blowers, nitro, multi-cylinders all being welcome, the aim being to get the b.h.p. from the engine, transmit it to the ground and cover the I-mile as quickly as possible. A motorcycle that will stand up on its rear wheel if given too much throttle, or go sideways with wheelspin, is an exciting thing to ride and equally an American dragster that takes less than ro seconds for the s.s, t-mile must be an exciting thing to drive.

The National Sprint Association, as Dr. Bayley said, was formed by the riders themselves and has gone from strength to strength, now owning its own timing equipment, much of the costa of which was gathered by donations from riders and tuners. This enthusiasm cannot help succeeding for it is deep-rooted and, at the doctor said,” there are no cash prizes and no one wants any.” It is essentially a sport, and not an expensive one. One sprint event recently held was strictly private, for entrants and friends, the public were not admitted, mostly because the land-owner was led-up with the mess the paying public left on the previous occasion, and it was a huge success. Without the need to look after the paying customers overheads were low and entry-fees likewise, so the whole event cost Very little to put on and was simple to organise.

Some idea of the effect that the N.S.A. has had in bringing sprint riders together in a unified body can be seen from the fact that sprints have been organised in Ireland and the I.O.M., the Auto-Cycle Onion are prepared to acknowledge the 4-mile as a recognised distance for records, and there is every promise of a National Sprint Records Day at the end of the Season. Such is the revival in sprinting that the Avon Tyre Company have started making special ” smooth tread ” sprint tyres for 1,0002.e.C. motor cycles, and should there be equal interest in car sprinting they would no doubt soon produce a ” click” for a dragster. Sydney Allard has already given a start to the revival of sprinting for cars with the building of his ” dragster” and there are others known to be interested. If the car sprint enthusiasts will gather together I am sure the two-wheeler boys will be glad to join forces in the common aim of covering a standing start )-mile,

or kilometre as quickly as possible with no holds barred.-D. S. J.