THE B.M.C.R.C'S "TWENTY-FIRST"

THE B.M.C.R.C.’S ” TWENTY-FIRST “

Huge Crowd causes some disorganisation

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V course it is simply not done to have anything like a crowd at a B.M.C. R.C. meeting. At least this is what Most of us have thought hitherto, .and unfortunately it is what the Brooklands authorities thought on the 5th of last month. The result was the most extraordinary motorcycle meeting in the history of the track.

Old habitues rubbed their eyes and looked again to Make sure, but it was quite true. That was a mass of people sitting peacefully on the top of the members’ banking, and there was none to remove them. When a few thousand people with no knowledge of the rules and traditions of the track, and with little respect for the potential danger of fast moving vehicles, get firmly settled, it is no easy thing to move them by ordinary means. At the same time the organisers will have to take good precautions against a repetition of the occurrence.

In this particular case nothing serious happened, but it certainly will unless the control of the crowd is given more attention. A crowd of the type present at the first meeting does not appear to respect persons or property, and the pits at least required considerable repairs by the end of the afternoon. Another point which does not encourage people to visit Brooklands is a delay of about an hour between the entrance and the paddock, and this was less than many of the spectators had to put up with.

The chief cause of the extra crowd was the reduction in price, and the fact that by making use of the coupon issued by The Motor Cycle it was possible to get in for half this figure, or Is. 3d. This was certainly a move in the right direction in the way of encouraging people to visit Brooklands, but it would appear that the authorities had forgotten that the journal which introduced the scheme is read by a larger circle than the usual motorcycle meeting crowd.

The actual racing was also different from the usual run of these meetings, and probably from the . point of view of the majority of the spectators was an improvement. However, to the usual spectator, who appreciates racing as such, the slightly music hall atmosphere introduced by relay races and match races was less acceptable than the old style meeting.

The actual racing produced some excellent finishes and some good speeds,. and. it was very evident that ” Ebby ” has lost none of his cunning as a handicapper.

Some excellent performances during the afternoon were somewhat overshadowed by the irrepressible Chris Staniland, who on various mounts with. Blackburn engines which had been educated to their part by J. S. Worters, annexed 4 firsts in good style. His best win was in the 3-lap solo handicap which he won from Bickell on his Chater-Lea at 95.59 m.p.h. having lapped at 102.9 m.p.h. Staniland’s performance at this meeting is interesting as he has achieved the

feat of winning the first motorcycle race of the year as well as the .first car face! Other unusual events included a match race between G. E. Nott (Rudge) and Jack Dunfee (Ballot) which was won by Nott by about 30 yards at 99.61 m.p.h. ; then the match race between George Tucker and Victor Horsman on sidecar outfits (Norton and Triumph respectively) was run off—first on their own, and again when the timekeepers were ready. Tucker winning by 1 lengths at 76.97 m.p.h. This was run between three teams of three, each team having two solos and a sidecar outfit. The winning team consisted of W. G. Hewitt (348) Zenith, B. L. Hieatt (498 Rex-Acme) and C. S. Staniland. (498 Excelsior s.c.). Staniland, in spite of being left with ground to make up, caught and passed George Tucker’s Norton, corning home for his third win with only inches to spare.

As J. S. Wright’s very ” Hush-Hush ” machine apparently hushed altogether after a rather spluttering lap, the passenger handicap was run off, though this was disturbed by a momentary reappearance of J. S. Wright, still spluttering!

The last race was The Motor Cycle Invitation race over 3 laps. Once again Chris Staniland produced a knot or so above what Ebby had allowed for and brought his wins to the nice figure of four for the afternoon. Congratulations to Chris, yony Worters, am! Blackburnes.

RESULTS.

250 c.c. One-lap Sprint.-1, C. S. Staniland (Rex czne-Blackburne) ; 2, E. Pernihough (Excelsior-J -A • P.) ; 3 L. J. Archer (New Imperial). Speed, 78.43 m.p.h. 350 c.c. One-lap Sprint.-1, B. L. Hieatt (Rex-Acme-Blackburne) ; 2, C. S. Staniland (Zenith-Blackburne) ; 3, A. Denly (A.J.S.). Speed, .83.14 m.p.h. 500 c.c. One-lap Sprint.-1, A. Denly (A. J.S.) ; 2, L. Hawthorn (Cotton-Blackburne) ; 3, C. S. Staniland. (ExcelsiorBlackburne) • Speed, 90.88 m.p.h. Threelap Sole Handicap (A and B).-1, C. S. Staniland (ZenithBlackburne) ; 2, B. Bickell (Charter-Lea) ; 3, E. vernihough (ExcelsiorJ . A. P.) . Speed, 95.59 m, p. h. Match Race : 0, U. Nott (Rudge) versus J. Dwafee (Ballot Car).–1, G. E. Nott. Speed, 99.61 m.p.h. Three-lap Solo Handicap (C, D and A. L. Loweth (Norton) ; 2, L. Hawthorn (CottonBlackburne) ; .3, R. R. Barber (Matchless). Speed, 96.90 m.p.h. Match Race : V. Horsman (Triumph s.c.) versus G. Tucker (Norton s.c.).-1, G. Tucker, speed 76.97 m.p.h. Relay Ra ce-1, J .5. Worters’s team (W. J. Hewitt, B. L. Hieatt and C. S. Staniland). Speed, 77.22 m.p.h. Three-lap Passenger Handicap.-1, E. C. E. Baragwanath (B.S.J .A.P.) ; 2, G. Tucker (Norton) ; 3, V. Horsman (Triumph). Speed, 95.23 m.p.h. “The Motor Cycle” Invitation Race.–1, C. S. Staniland (Zenith-Blackburne). Speed, 96.9