THE J.C.C. HIGH-SPEED TRIAL
THE J.C.C. HIGH-SPEED TRIAL
MEMBERS’ DAY AT BROOKLANDS.
THE High Speed Trial run by the J.C.C. has always been one of the most interesting events staged at the track, for the simple reason that it gives the ordinary amateur with a normal sports car a chance to show his skill in driving and tuning, without being hopelessly outshone by special cars. It also gives the onlookers a chance of settling many arguments as to which of two standard cars of different makes is the faster.
Hitherto this event has been held on a course comprising some of the roads on the Brooklands Estate in addition to a portion of the track. This time it was decided that it would give better sport for both drivers and spectators, as well as being safer, if the event was confined to the track itself x and the ” road ” element was maintained by making up a course on the lines of the old J.C.C. 200 miles races. Cars proceeded round the track in the normal manner until the Vickers sheds were reached, when they took a lefthand hairpin round a tub in the middle of the track, and doubled back to Chronograph Villa where they took the righthand hairpin which figures in the mountain races at all B.A. R.C. meetings.
It seems a pity that courses on these lines are not more frequently used to vary the normal 13rooklands fare, which although excellent of its kind, has a taste of monotony at times. This is not an original suggestion, having been offered by MoToR SPORT on many occasions, but the success of the J.C.C. meeting once more gives proof of its soundness.
Unfortunately for those taking part in the morning’s motoring, the day corn menced wet, and not till the cars had proceeded for three-quarters of an hour in pouring rain did the weather take pity on the soaking drivers, and desist.
The full permissible entry for the High Speed Trial of 50 cars, quite unperturbed by the dismal prospect, lined up for the start, and just after 10.30 a.m. the 750 c.c. 1,100 c.c. and 1,500 c.c. classes set off in massed starts of each class at minute intervals. The opening laps produced the rather comic situation of a flock of cars which had all set off with the idea that they were in a race, arriving at the tub hairpin to find a very good imitation of the rush hour in Piccadilly Circus. They then remembered that the trial, although in spirit a race for many of the entrants, did not entail being the first man home to claim an award, and therefore possessed themselves in patience till a few laps had separated the cars sufficiently for those who felt like it to start showing the others where they got off
Quite a racing atmosphere was lent to the proceedings by a large AstonMartin entry, including the three cars which formed the last year’s Ulster team. One of these driven by Morris Goodall, was the first car round and began to establish a lead, but it soon became evident that he was not going to have things all his own way, and R. L. Bellamy, on his veteran Prazer-Nash took up the challenge, and the leaders in spite of the perfectly foul conditions, began to give a very good exhibition of driving, awkward moments being very rare.
In the 1,100 c.c. class the Rileys were steady, and as a make put up one of the most consistent performances of the day . An interesting lone entry in this class was the Alta, driven by G. Taylor, which went very well throughout, and was noticeable for good braking.
Morris Goodall was unable to cope with Bellamy’s Nash, and eventually dropped back with some minor trouble, and the latter had the honour of completing his required 20 laps before anyone else. .M. H. Scott, on a fairly old Aston-Martin, was also very good and drove neatly. while another good performance was that of F. S. Hutchens, who was driving one of the latest E.W. Hornet Specials. The car was steady and showed good acceleration.
rai rtlough’s Salmson was a good performer in the ” 1,100s ” and particular mention should be made of C. Anthony in a very ordinary looking Morris Minor, which seemed to have little difficulty in keeping up with many larger cars, all without any fuss or violence on the corners. The tub hairpin was too slow to produce
much excitement, even in the wet, the only difficulty being caused by the fact that it had been arranged so that the exit from the corner was considerably narrower than the entrance, which made most of the cars come very near the pit counter as they accelerated away.
The Fork bend itself, being rather faster, produced a good bit more variety, and when after some 45 minutes running, the sun came out and started to dry the concrete slightly, there was plenty of skidding as the cars came away from the bend.
This was usually coped with simply enough, but Hepburn on a Midget varied the usual procedure by rotating peacefully in front of Peatys’ Frazer-Nash, which had to pull smartly over to go inside him. On another occasion Mitton Watertield sailed gently into the barrier on his Riley, without doing a:ny harm. The standard of care in driving was high throughout, though actual cornering methods were rather variable, and the reliability of the cars also spoke well for
the care taken in preparing them for their contest with the track’s far-from-even surface.
Following this event those who had not too much to do to their cars indulged in lunch, preparatory to turning out for the afternoon events, which were a series of one and two lap races.
The first of these was a one-lap race with W. K. Faulkner’s 2,300 c.c. supercharged Bugatti on scratch, giving the limit man, S. Watt’s Fiat, 37 seconds. D. G. Evans was also on the scratch mark with a similar car to Faulkner’s, but when the flag fell for them, the latter shot away from Evans, and roared through the field to come home a winner by about 100 yards, at the very useful speed for a standing lap, of 85.87 m.p.h., with Waller’s Alvis and Rayson’s Riley second and third.
The next one lap race gave a very good finish between Linsey and Hartwell on Aston-Martins, the former giving away 7 seconds and just getting home with about 10 yards to spare. Duncan-Smith (Frazer-Nash), from the same mark as the winner; was a close third. The third of the one-lap races had an even closer finish. Mitton Waterfield’s
Riley came through well from the 16 sec. mark though hotly pursued by Westbrook’s Allis, which failed by some 3 yards to make up the 3 seconds he was giving him. W. A. L. Cook’s Lagonda was third. The next three races were similar events over two laps, the first having a similar entry to the first one lap, only Faulkner was rehandicapped to owe 13 seconds, while Rayson and Waller were also put back as a result of their previous speeds. Faulkner again got off the mark well but
failed to appear at the end of the first lap. Rayson and Waller were not affected by their rehandicap and finished first and second, with Cookson’s Aston-Martin third and Powis-Lybbe (Alvis), a very close fourth.
The next two lap with entry practically the same as the corresponding one lap was won by Linsey’s Aston-Martin in spite of a rehandicap, with DuncanSmith’s Frazer-Nash, also rehandicapped, second. Major Gardner, in a speed model Rover, gained third place from scratch.
The final two-lap race went to E. L. Clarke on a very smart Rover coupe, which showed a fine turn of speed and put up 71.76 m.p.h. J. Reville on an Alvis, the limit car, was second, and Cook’s Lagonda third.
One-lap handicaps of the one-make variety followed for Standard, Austin, and M.G. cars and a driving skill test, over a tortuous course in the finishing straight, completed the afternoon with the exception of the test hill sweepstake, in which L. G. Bachelier’s 2,300 c.c. Bugatti was the star turn.
The large entry failed to upset the very efficient organisation, and the result was a very good day’s sport for all concerned.
PROVISIONAL RESULTS.
MGR SPEED TRIAL.
C LASS A. Special Awards (20% faster than Standard) :— H. J. Searle, G. H. Goodson, G. H. R. Chaplin, M. Gorrhige, H. Metchini, P. K. Sartori/ (A.ustins), I). M. Letts, 1). G. Evans (M.G. Midgets s/c). (Standard speed 37 m.p.h.) (Continued od page 338)
• CLNSS B.
Special Awards :-G. Taylor (Alta), J. A. Driskell (B.N.C. s/c), A. W. S. Young (Ainilcar), I. M. C. Hepburn, A. Jones, C. E. Wood (M.G. Midgets), H. C. Hunter, E. N. Ward, R. J. Appleton, E. K. Rayson, E. Brookes, M. P. Simpson, C. E. Childe Freeman (Rileys), S. Watt (Plat), A. C. Fairtlough.
C. I,. Guiver N. H. Weddle (Salinsons), G. W. Olive (Standard), C. Anthony (Morris Minor).
Standard Awards (41 m.p.h. average) :-A. A. Polard, M. T. 0. Collier, T. A. W. Thorpe (M.G. Midgets), R. S. H. Bevington, Miss Hedges, Miss J. Richmond (Riley-s).
CLASS C.
Special Awards S. Macdonald, M. H. Scott, S. C. Whitehouse, R. A. Cookson (Aston-Martins), R. L. Bellamy, H. P. A. Peaty (Frazer-Nashes), J. L. Tully, B. S. Clavering (M.G. Magnas), F. S. Hutchens (E.W. Hornet Special).
Standard Awards (44 m.p.h. average) :-M. H. Morris Goodall (Aston-Martin).
ONE-LAP HANnicAPs.
RACE A.
1. W. K. Faulkner (Bugatti s/c, 2263 c.c.).
2. I. I,. Waller (Alvis 2,148 c.c).
3. E. K. Rayson (Riley 1,089 c.c.). Won by 100 yards at 85.87 m.p.h.
RACE B.
1. A. R. Linsey (Aston-Martin 1,482 c.d.).
2. G. R. Hartwell (Aston-Martin 1,482 c.c.).
3. D. Duncan-Smith (Frazer-Nash 1,496 c.c.). Won by 10 yards at 68.22 m.p.h.
RACE C.
1. R. Mitton Waterfield (Riley 1,089 c.c.).
2. H. F. Westbrook (Alvis 1,496 c.c.).
3. W. A. L. Cook (Lagonda 1,954 c.c.). Won by 3 yards at 69.66 ni.p.h.
TWO-LAP HANDICAPS.
RACE A.
1. F. K. Rayson (Riley 1,089 c.c.).
2. I. I,. Waller (Alvis 2,148 c.c.).
3. R. A. Cookson (Aston-Martin 1,482 c.c.). Won by 20 yards at 79.55 m.p.h.
RACE B.
I. A. R. Linsey (Aston-Martin 1,482 a.c.).
2. D. Duncan-Smith (Frazer-Nash 1,496 c.c.).
3. A. T. G. Gardner (Rover 2,565 c.c.) Won by 40 yards at 73.89 m.p.h.
RACE C.
1. F. L,. Clarke (Rover 2,565 c.c.).
2. J. Reville (Alvis 1,645 c.c.).
3. W. A. L. Cook (Lagonda 1,954 c.c.). Won by mile at 71.76 m.p.h. ONE MARE HANDICAPS -2-LAI ).
STANDARD RACE.
1. J. C. C. Davies (2,056 c.c.).
2. C. Sabourni (2,054 c.c.).
3. G. W. Olive (2,054 c.c.). Won by 250 yards at 82.27 m.p.h. AuseriN RACE.
1. G. J. Axtell (749 c.c.).
2. P. W. Marriage (749 c.c.).
3. 0. 0. C. Knight (749 c.c.). Won by 1 yard at 59.36 m.p.h. -2 yards 2nd and 3rd).
M.G. RACE.
1. J. E. Hewens (2,468 c.c.).
2. D. G. Evans (747 c.c. s/c).
3. A. Jones (847 c.c.).
Won by 30 yards at 64.93 m.p.h.