The First 1950 B.A.R.C. Goodwood Members' Meeting

Sydney Allard’s Allard Beats Gale’s Darracq and Jason-Henry’s Delahaye to Win Fastest Race at 72.75 m.p.h. Mrs. Binns Wins Her First Race in ex-Dobson Riley at 67.5 m.p.h. Double Win by J. C. C. Mayers (Lester-M.G.) Puts Him in the Lead for “Motor Sport” Brooklands Memorial Trophy.

WET weather in the morning gave way to a fine afternoon for the first of this season’s B.A.R.C. sports-cars-only Members’ Meetings at Goodwood. Ten races were run off extremely expeditiously and provided excellent sport. Points were awarded towards the MOTOR SPORT Brooklands Memorial Challenge Trophy and £50 for the best aggregate performance at these meetings, and J. C. C. Mayers leads by one point ; the full placings to date appear on another page.

Interesting cars included the sports two-seater Coopers, the R.W.G., with Morris Minor chassis, “PB” M.G. gearbox and 1,088-c.c. engine, Rose’s modern 2 1/2-litre Lea-Francis, Chevell’s Speed Twenty Alvis, with very “outer-circuit” body and substituted 1/4-elliptic rear springs, and the ex-Couper Talbot, only you wouldn’t have known it. Cripps ran his usual Cripps Special with a four-S.U. Chrysler Royal engine in a chassis the front part of which remains Chrysler, A.S. gearbox and Mercury back axle. There were a large number of non-starters, including two Rileys and an H.R.G. which had a private accident all to themselves near Midhurst on the way clown.

If any criticism was called for, it concerned the distinctly droll handicapping. For example, in the sixth race a normal “TD” M.G. was put on scratch with Mayers’ Lester-M.G., which had already won the second race, and with Lambs’ very fast blown T-type. In this same race six “TC” M.G.s were started at the same time as Phillips’ special “TC” which had won the first race, and a blown “TA,” while they gave Lester’s Lester-M.G. six seconds, ln the tenth race Gale’s well-known 4-litre Darracq, one of the fastest sports cars in the country, which was second in the fifth race, had 30 seconds start in three laps from the original Allard, a two-seater “TC”-engined Cooper and Gilbert’s Singer-engined H.R.G. Why weren’t some of these cars rehandicapped ?

Once again John Bolster gave a well-informed and throughly jolly commentary.

Three-Lap Scratch Race for Non-s/c. Cars not exceeding 1,500 c.c.

Phillips’ special ” TC. ” M.G. ran right away from the field, although Keen’s ” Le Mans ” Singer-H.R.G. chased it hard. A long while afterwards Leonard’s “TC” M.G.-engined Cooper crossed the line, although Parker’s Frazer-Nash led it until it retired.

1st : G. E. Phillips (1,250-c.c. M.G.), won by 0.4 sec. at 67.80 m.p.h.

2nd : M. J. C. Keen (1,496-c.c. H.R.G.).

3rd : L. Leonard (1,247-c.c. Cooper).

Fastest lap : Keen (H.R.G.), at 70.21 m.p.h.

Three-Lap Scratch Race for Non-s/c. Cars not exceeding 1,500 c.c.

Mrs. Binns made a bad start, whereas Peter Clark’s “Le Mans” Singer-H.R.G. got well away, as did Mayers’ very attractive Lester-M.G., which took the lead from Peter after Madgwick Corner. By the second lap Mayers had an unassailable lead, while John Cooper’s M.G.-engined Cooper had also overtaken Clark’s H.R.G. Then Eric Thompson, in the other “Le Mans” H.R.G., passed Sutherland’s “TC” M.G. at Madgwick and got a quarter of a length ahead of Peter before the finish.

1st : J. C. C. Mayers (1,467-c.c. Lester-M.G.), won by 3.8 sec. at 69.8 m.p.h.

2nd : J. Cooper (1,250-c.c. Cooper).

3rd : E. Thompson (1,496-c.c. H.R.G.).

Fastest lap : Mayers (Lester-M.G.), at 73.68 m.p.h.

Three-Lap Scratch Race for Non-s/c. Cars exceeding 1,500c.c. but not exceeding 3,000 c.c.

This was McAlpine’s race, in the green Connaught, from first to last, but behind it was stirring to see Charles Mortimer, returning to racing in a red and silver “Silverstone” Healey, wrest second place from Tyrer’s modified, all-enveloping 1940 “Mille Miglia” B.M.W on the last lap. After a considerable period some more cars crossed the line, Rose’s Lea-Francis holding off Watkins’ and Freed’s Healeys, Jonas’ Connaught, to show there was no ill-feeling, finished last.

1st : K. McAlpine (1,767-c.c. Connaught), won by 10.6 sec. at 72.00 m.p.h.

2nd : C. Mortimer (2,443-c.c. Healey).

3r41: 0. Tyrer (1,996-c.c. B.M.W.).

Fastest lap : McAlpine (Connaught), at 73.8 m.p.h.

Three-Lap Scratch Race for Non-s/c. Cars exceeding 1,500c.c. but not exceeding 3,000 c.c.

Only seven came out. Crook’s “Le Mans Replica” Frazer-Nash led all the way. Peacock’s “328” B.M.W. seeming to close a bit at the corners but never really being in sight of Tony. Wise’s Jaguar held third place throughout, but Innes’ “Silverstone” Healey passed Brooks’ Jaguar.

1st : T. A. D. Crook (1,971-c.c. Frazer-Nash), won by 9.2 sec. at 70.01 m.p.h.

2nd : R. F. Peacock (1,971.c.c. B.M.W.).

3rd : J. K. B. Brise (2,698-c.c. Jaguar).

Fastest lap : Crook. (Frazer-Nash), at 73.11 m.p.h.

Three-Lap Scratch Race for Non-s/c. Cars exceeding 3,000 c.c.

In a lounge suit and completely unruffled, Allard in his 4.3-litre s.v. J2 Allard, with a full-width boxed-in screen, showed Gale’s Darracq and Jason-Henry’s Delahaye the way home, making fastest average and fastest lap of the day. This was the more creditable as the Delahaye started from the same row and now has its new frontal aspect, which is said to have lopped off 1 1/2 cwt. It was in a tussle with a garage door the night before and had been hastily repainted. It came in boiling furiously. Gale, from a row behind, drove manfully to pip Jason-Henry right on the line.

1st : S. H. Allard (4,375-c.c. Allard), won by 3.8 sec. at 72.75 m.p.h.

2nd : G. F. A. Gale (3,996-c.c. Darracq).

3rd : G. Jason-Henry 04,557-c.c. Delahaye).

Fastest lap : Allard (Allard), at 75.20 m.p.h.

Three-Lap Handicap for M.G. Cars

A fine field got away, Phillips hustling through on the grass, but Miller’s “PA” Midget leading lap one from Lester’s very neat Lester-M.G., with sleeved 1,087-c.c. “TC” engine, tubular frame and coil-spring i.f.s. Already Mayers’ bored-out “TC” Lester-M.G. was in third place from scratch and it went into the lead on lap two, to a runaway win. Jacobs also came through neatly from scratch in his blown T-type, he and Phillips swamping Sutherland on the last lap. Cook’s blown “TA” retired. The new “TD” M.G. finished eleventh.

1st : J. C. C. Mayers (1,467-c.c. Lester-M.G.), (0 sec.), won by 12.2 sec. at 71.8 m.p.h.

2nd : R. W. Jacobs (1,087-c.c. s/c. “T” M.G.), (0 sec.).

3rd : G. E. Phillips (1,250-c.c. “TC” M.G.), (6 sec.).

Fastest lap : Mayers (Lester-M.G.), at 74.98 m.p.h.

Three-Lap Handicap for M.G. Cars

Nicholson’s ” PA ” Midget led lap one from the limit mark but already Haesendonck’s blown “PB”, which Bolster had told us to watch, was second, ahead of Mitchell’s “limit” “PA,” in spite of a poor get-away. It then proceeded to walk the race, superbly driven, and sounding splendid.

1st : E. J. Haesendonck (939-c.c. s/c. P.B. M.G.),

(6 sec.), won by 20.6 sec. at 66.4 m.p.h.

2nd : M. J. Pople (1,250-c.c. “TC” M.G.), (6 sec.).

3rd : G. T. Jones (1,250-c.c. “TC” M.G.), (6 sec.).

Fastest lap : Haesendonck (M.G.), at 67.81 m.p.h.

Three-Lap Handicap

This was a good scrap. From scratch McAlpine’s Connaught had the wheels of the Cripps–there had been some flap prior to the start because the Connaught starter was said to be unserviceable. All was well on the line, luckily. After lap one Waring’s beautifully-turned-out two-seater Speed Twenty Alvis had a tiny advantage over the blown Buckler, with Ellis’ “limit” Balilla F.I.A.T. merely third. Buckler then took the lead, chased by Jacob’s M.G., and Hull’s phenomenal coupé 1,750-c.c. Alfa-Romeo, head erect, had also passed the Alvis. Jacobs took the lead, Buckler’s blower-drive belt jumped its pulley and lost him second place, McAlpine was going really fast to pull up to third position, and the indomitable Hull calmly took second place. Potter-Moore’s Riley was so slow he didn’t bother to finish and J. C. G. Gilbert had a peaceful tour in his elongated H.R.G. Special, which poses as a 4CLT Maserati—we believe the intention is to install an old 1,100-c.c. straight-eight Maserati engine beneath those acres of bonnet.

1st : R. W. Jacobs (1,087-c.c. s/c. M.G.), (28 sec.), won by 9.4 sec. at 70.08 m.p.h.

2nd : D. H. C. Hull (1,750-c.c. s/c. Alfa-Romeo), (28 sec.).

3rd : W. McAlpine (1,767-c.c. Connaught), (0 sec.),

Fastest lap : McAlpine (Connaught), at 75.10 m.p.h.

Three-Lap Handicap

As the flag descended for Borra’s Riley Nine it said “clonk,” and stayed where it was, baulking Clark when the time came for the three ”Le Mans” H.R.G.s to be released. Palmer’s “T.T. Replica” Frazer-Nash led from Rolfe’s ex-Tuson 1,090-c.c. Balilla F.I.A.T. only to retire. Nancy Binns in her ex-Dobson Riley Sprite, with T.T. engine and spare wheel stowed in a wide tail, handled this famous pre-war car skilfully and was in third place, The Frazer-Nash then ceased and Mrs. Binns, Ruddoek’s Meadows-H.R.G. and Coombs’ Rover-engined Cooper all came into the picture, a ruffled Peter Clark waving Miss Haig’s H.R.G. out of his way in the background. The leaders held their positions, Mrs. Binns afterwards telling us over the public address system that this was the first motor race she had ever won anywhere. She was mighty pleased and deserved to be, a lap at over 70 m.p.h. indicating her to be a superior driver to many of the men. But it was a close finish!

1st : Mrs. N. Binns (1,496-c.c. Riley), (28 sec.), won by 1.4 sec. at 67.5 m.p.h.

2nd : G. A. Ruddock. (1,496-c.c. H.R.G.), (26 sec.).

3rd : J. Coombs (1,100-c.c. Cooper), (28 sec.).

Fastest lap: Mrs. Binns (Riley), at 70.8 m.p.h.

Three-Lap Handicap

Gale’s Darracq could hardly have tipped Handicapper Ebblewhite a fiver beforehand but it couldn’t stop itself winning, from the 30-sec. mark ! Behind, Sparrowe’s fleet Morgan “4/4” and Matthews’ Jaguar held second and third places until swamped on the last lap. Mrs. Gilbert, in those yards of H.R.G., toured along as her husband had done earlier, but at least Ebblewhite paid her the compliment of putting her on scratch, whereas in race eight this same car was at “13 seconds.” Brandon’s M.G.-engined Cooper wasn’t far behind Render in the original Allard at any part of the proceedings !

1st : G. F. A. Gale (3,996-c.c. Darracq), (30 sec.), won by 23 sec. at 69.11 m.p.h.

2nd : D. D. Render (3,917-c.c. Allard), (0 sec.).

3rd: E. Brandon (1,250-c.c. Cooper), (0 sec.).

Fastest lap : Gale (Darracq), at 71.79 m.p.h.

THOUGHTS

The scratch races produced closer finishes than the handicaps !

* * *

J. C. C. Mayers, who leads for the MOTOR SPORT Brooklands Memorial Challent Trophy–it must be his initials !–drove a very neat Lester-M.G. It had a bored-out “TC” engine, slim, green two-seater body, 6.00-15 Goodyears on its back wheels, tiny headlamps turned sideways to reduce drag, diminutive sidelamps, mica screens, that on the passenger’s side folded back, two semi-downdraught S.U.s protruding through the bonnet, strut-type shock-absorbers, cowled radiator, and detachable steering-wheel.

* * *

J. Hamilton’s Meadows-engined Darley bent all its push-rods in practice.

* * *

Coombs’ Rover-engined Cooper arrived with a Barnato-Hassan-like air-intake but this seemed to have fallen off before it was due to race.

* * *

R. K. N. Clarkson wore a crash-hat inscribed “New Imperial” and drove a J2 Allard, but didn’t “come home.”

* * *

The fifth race produced Scott-Russell’s 4 1/2-litre Bentley with body off the ex-Couper Talbot, and G. M. Hutton in this selfsame Talbot with a new, vast, very “outer-circuit” body. Alas, it retired.

* * *

C. A. Booker’s “TC” M.G. had a compression-ratio of 9.3 to 1.

* * *

N. T. Havart’s blown ” PA ” M.G. with coil-spring i.f.s. was a non-starter.

* * *

I. C. Lucas’ “TC” M.G. sported a Roots-blower. And who called the “TD” M.G. “the poor-man’s Buick” ?