Were the books ever cooked?

With cricket and rugby in trouble over players placing bets on the outcome of matches, could this ever have changed the history of motor racing? Book-makers lined up at Brooklands, where there was even a Tote, to provide entertainment or profit for visitors. Motor Sport has revived the story of the Tripoli Lottery that affected a GP result. Bookies welshed at Donington’s GP in 1937. But did betting ever change the face of Brooklands racing?

As most races were handicaps the punters certainly used to time practice laps and do sums to calculate who might be a race winner. If a driver felt he had every chance, why shouldn’t he have money on his car and his ability? But what if, having backed another driver, he then found that he could beat him; might he ease off to ensure a better financial result than £20 first prize? Most sincerely I hope not…