Thames Estuary A.C. "Cats' Eyes" Rally.

The “Cats’ Eyes” Night Navigation Rally, was held by the Thames Estuary A.C. on February 5th/6th. This event, granted National Permit for the first time, attracted a large number of entries.

The first car left Lamb’s Garage, Woodford, Essex, at 6 p.m., and during the next four hours competitors left at one minute intervals.

The route covered 458 miles, and included 8 sections, 21 time checks, and 40 route checks, which took competitors through the Home Counties, and Southern England. As in many rallies route checks were unmanned, and consisted of a board showing a letter or a number which had to be copied into the Road Books. Unfortunately, due to sabotage or negligence, check board three was missing, and caused confusion among competitors, who searched nearby ditches and hedges in vain. Due to this mishap the Club re-timed the Rally from the first time control. The really interesting section was section 4, which ran through the winding lanes of the Petworth/ Goodwood area, a distance of 60 miles, with approximately 20 route checks. In this section navigational speed, concentration and teamwork were more useful than m.p.h.

Final Control number 8 was on the front at Westcliff, the Driving Test was held just beyond this Control, and consisted of driving in and backing out of a “garage”, negotiating two chicanes, and stopping between a finishing line and a baulk line.

The first car was due to arrive at 11.37 a.m. and the final car should have been through by about 3.45 p.m., but, however, due to the rigorous conditions many cars were very late and some did not arrive at all.

It was interesting to watch the different ways in which the drivers tackled the test. Most competitors drove through at a moderate speed with the exception of one or two whose time reached a higher standard.

Very fast, clean runs were put up by R.J.Randall in his Austin A40 Sports, S.Moore in his M.G.TF, J.M.Shand in his Jaguar XK120 and J.Toomer and D.Llewellyn-Rees in their Triumph TR2.. On the other hand B.Harper in his Sunbeam-Talbot took a certain objection to a photographer, a lamp-standard, and a pylon, and endeavoured to remove the lot, but he was not the only one to lose ten seconds for sending pylons flying.

P.D.Sapsed in his Vauxhall Velox broke his offside rear suspension whilst negotiating the second chicane.

The Club handled the organisation of their First National Rally very efficiently, and although a severe test for navigation, proved to be an enjoyable and successful event.—M. P.

Provisional Results.

Best Perforrmances; R.Randall (Austin A40 Sports), marks lost nil.

Special ‘Cats’ Eyes” Awards; B.H.Howring (Austin A40), marks lost nil.

Category 1, Class A; 1st J.Moncrieff (Ford Popular); 2nd, F.H.Arthur (Ford Anglia); 3rd, S.G.Cobban (M.G. YB).

Class B; 1st, R.V.Fox (Ford Consul); 2nd, J.Maltby (Lancia); 3rd, R.A.Wilton (Ford Consul).

Class C; 1st, J.Trigg (Sunbeam); 2nd, J.Pocock (Vauxhall Velox); 3rd, R.Sawdon (Ford Zephyr).

Class D; 1st. J.Cutbush (Jaguar Mk. VII); 2nd. D.R.L.Wallace (Jaguar Mk. V).

Category 4.

Class A; 1st, S.Moore (M.G. TF); 2nd, J.Reynolds (M.G. TD); 3rd, P.A.Freeman (M.G. TA).

Class B; No finishers.

Class C; 1st, B.Day (Triumph TR2): 2nd. B.Clarke (Morgan Plus-Four): 3rd. Boulton (Healey Silverstone).

Class D; 1st. H.D.Mackay (Austin Healey 100); 2nd, Miss P.B.Burt (Aston Martin DB2/4).

Category 5; 1st, G. K. Farmer (Ford Consul); 2nd, J.H.H.Fisher (M.G. TD). 3rd, H.C.Terry (Ford Zephyr).

Team Awards; M.G.C.C. (S.E.Centre), L.N.Needham (TD), S.G.Cobban (YB), J. Shove (TF): 2nd, Lloyds MC., B.H.Bowring (Austin A40), J.J.Bremner (Ford Zodiac), J.B.Sanity (Sunbeam).

Irish M.R.C. Winter Rally (Jan. 9th)

Winter Cup; 1st A.G.Ryan (VW), lost 0 marks, time 97.4 sec.

Open-Car Award; Miss E.Ingram (M.G.). lost 0 marks, time 117.7 sec.

Closed-Car Awards; N.E.Gleeson (VW), lost 0 marks, time 104.7 sec.; H.I.Hanna (VW), lost 0 marks, 112.6 sec.; D.Connolly (VW), lost 0 marks, 135.0 sec.; C. Ward (VW). lost 1 mark, 98.1 sec.

Special Award; B.McMahon (Fiat), lost 2 marks, time 119.2 see.

Lancashire A.C. New Year Rally (Jan.16th)

1st; E. Vanner (Ford Anglia).

2nd; A.Newsham (Ford Anglia).

3rd; C.L.Kinns (H.R.G.).

First.to-Lead Prize; S.H.Pickles (Hillman Minx).

Novices’ Award; E.Saltoun (Ford Consul).

Buenos Aires 1,000.KM. Sports-Car Race (Jan. 23rd)

1st : Valiente/Ibanez (Ferrari), 6 hr. 35 min. 15.4 sec.

2nd : Najurieta/Rivero (Ferrari).

3rd : Grandio/Faraoni (Maserati).

Up to 1,500 cc. Juhan/Chavez (Porsche).

1,500-3000 cc. Grandio/Faraoni (Maserati).

Over 3,000 cc. Valiente/lbanez (Ferrari).

Fastest lap : Gonzalez (Ferrari).

Post-Monte Carlo Rally Races (Jan. 23rd)

Race 1; R.Cotton (Salmson), 23m. 09.2s. 50.53 m.p.h.

Race 2; P.Collins (Aston Martin), 23m. 55.6s, 48.90 m.p.h.

Race 3; A.Canonica (Alfa Romeo), 24m. 1.8.s. 48.70 m.p.h.

Race 4; K.Wharton (Daimler), 24m. 43.0s. 47.30 m.p.h.

Race 5; T.C.Harrison (Ford Zephyr), 24m. 36.3s. 47.60 m.p.h.

Fastest lap; Cotton (Salmson), 50.63 m.p.h.

Cambridge Univ. A.C. “Miniature Monte” Rally (Jan. 29th/31st)

General Classification; 1st: J.D.Scott (Triumph TR2), lost 5 marks, test time 25.6 s.

2nd : A.Street (Austin-Healey), lost 5 marks, test time 27.0s.

3rd : E.L.Yardley (Sunbeam-Talbot), lost 7 marks.

Class Winners.

Up to 1,200 c.c. K.G.M. Pointing (Fiat).

Up to 2,000 c.c. J.D.Scott (Triumph TR2).

Over 2.000 c.c. A.Stress (Austin-Healey).o

Team Award; B.A.R.C. team (Stross, Yardley and Pointing).

Buenos Aires Grand Prix (Jan. 30th)

1st; Fangio (Mercedes-Benz), 60 laps (175 miles) in 2 hr. 23 min. 18.9s. 73.47 m.p.h.

2nd; Moss (Mercedes-Benz), 2 hr. 23 min. 30.8s.

3rd; Trintignant (Ferrari), 2 hr. 23 min. 53.1s

4th; Kling (Mercedes-Benz), 2 hr. 24 min. 17.5s

5th; Behra (Maserati), 2 hr. 24 min. 41.2s.

6th; Menditigui.