B.A.R.C. Goodwood Easter Meeting
Hawthorn (V6 Ferrari) wins sensational International “100” Glover Trophy Race. Victory for Moss (Aston Martin DBR2) in Sussex Trophy Race. Lewis-Evans (Beart-Cooper) wins 500-c.c. event and Brabharn’s Cooper vanquishes Lotus in F II Lavant Cup contest. Lap record set to 97.3 m.p.h. by Hawthorn’s Ferrari and Moss’ Cooper.
In spite of icy weather crowds estimated at some 60,000 went to Goodwood on Easter Monday to watch some spectacular racing and sample the new amenities. The amenities were more attractive for the spectators than for the competitors because although the latter now have the new, if narrow, vehicle tunnel (which is too low for some transporters to negotiate) they were faced with seas of liquid mud in the new Paddocks and adjacent roads. Humans can cope in such conditions by wearing gum-boots but mud on the tyres is exceedingly bad for racing cars. We imagine, however, that the owners of Goodwood will soon have the Paddock area cemented over, taking as their example Brooklands, where, in 1907, a vehicle tunnel and concrete Paddock were provided before its constructors had so much as seen a racing car.
If the improvements fell down in this one respect, the big crowd saw some excellent racing, the presence of Hawthorn, Collins, Moss and Behra making up for the absence of the Vanwalls. Moreover, the new airstrip attracted the unexpected number of 74 private aeroplanes, which added interest of a Brooklands-nostalgia kind to the day’s sport—we hope sincerely that one summer Sunday the B.A.R.C. will hold an Air Display and Flying Meeting at Goodwood. Before the racing commenced on Easter Monday that highly commendable body, the Tiger Club, gave a display in D.H. Tiger Moths and the Volkswagen-engined Rollason Druine Turbulent was demonstrated.
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The Earl of March Trophy (10-lap Scratch Race for 500-c.c. racing cars)
Thirteen healthy “bangers” started in this race, which Lewis-Evans in the efficient Beart-Norton led from start to finish. At first he was challenged by Russell in R. R. Jackson’s Cooper-Norton but this developed a clutch malady and stopped at St. Mary’s after three laps. Taylor’s Ace Garage Beart-Cooper then followed the other Cooper from this tuning-stable at a discreet distance, with Pitcher’s Lea’s Garages Cooper-Norton in third place. In spite of fuel-haze over the engine Taylor’s Cooper ran on untroubled, but Jones’ Cooper developed trouble, Brimotors’ Cooper-Norton managed only nine laps and Lovell’s Grenfell-Norton joined the Robin Jackson Cooper at St. Mary’s.
Results,
1st: S. Lewis-Evans (Beart-Cooper). Won by 16.8 sec. at 83.62 m.p.h.
2nd: T. P. Taylor (Beart-Cooper).
3rd: J. K. Pitcher (Cooper-Norton).
Fastest lap: Lewis-Evan, 85.04 m.p.h.
The Lavant Cup (15-lap Scratch Race for F II cars)
This race was expected to be interesting, as featuring the improved F II Cooper and Lotus cars, and so it proved. Moss, in Rob Walker’s Cooper, was a non-starter, but Alfred Moss’ British Racing Partnership had Lewis-Evans in a 1958 F II Cooper-Climax, Brabham drove one of the new works Coopers, and Team Lotus put in two 1957-style F II Lotus cars, of which Allison’s had the new positive-stop gear change, Hill’s the earlier arrangement. Salvadori had to be content with a non-works car, driving Atkins’ entry. Lewis-Evans’ light green car had a radio aerial protruding from its tail, and Taylor’s Lotus sported a new high tail, making it look somewhat “Vanwall-ish.” The field was made up of privately-entered Coopers, George Wicken back again in a racing cockpit, Stoop had his 1,220-c.c. Cooper which had seized-up on the Saturday when a water hose slipped off its pipe. All the other cars used 1,475-c.c. Climax engines, except for the new 1,490-c.c. unit in Brabham’s Cooper. Salvadori got away well but had a mishap on the very first lap, hitting the bank on Lavant Straight, which caused his retirement, unhurt. Brabham soon established a decent lead, his Cooper snaking over the bump at Fordwater. Here J. D. Lewis (Cooper) looked unstable.
Behind Brabham, as the race settled down, Hill and Allison in the two Lotus cars, pursued the leader, the race run at a furious speed. Allison seemed content with third place but Graham Hill pulled out all the stops and closed on Brabham, overtaking the Cooper on lap 10. Thereafter we were treated to the spectacle of Brabham at his best, as he sought to regain the lead. This he finally did down Lavant Straight two laps from the end, leading Hill’s Lotus over the line by a very slender margin. Lewis-Evans just motored sensibly round in fourth place, crouched forward in the seat of his spotless Cooper, very comfortably ahead of F II Autocar Champion Tony Marsh. The Lotus of Taylor and Cooper of Naylor retired. This F II race could hardly have been more breath-taking and how pleasant that it resolved into a close-fought Cooper/Lotus battle, first round (and of The Autocar Championship) going to the versatile and very fast Australian driver.
Results:
1st: J. Brabham (1,490-c.c. Cooper). Won by 0.4 sec., at 93.76 m.p.h.
2nd: G. Hill (1,475-c.c. Lotus).
3rd: C. Allison (1,475-c.c. Lotus).
Fastest lap: Hill, 95.79 m.p.h.
The Sussex Trophy (21-lap Scratch Race for non-supercharged sports cars exceeding 1,100 c.c.)
This race attracted a field of 27 sports cars so diverse in character and speed that even hardened spectators of British closed-circuit sports-car contests made excuses to stand a good way back from the edge of the track! Nor did four non-starters, who included Salvadori in Coombs’ 1,750-c.c. Lotus, do much to alleviate the situation. Moreover, a Le Mans start was the order of the day.
However, all went off without incident of a sad character.
Great interest attached to the Ferrari driven by Collins, who arrived at Goodwood with his wife in a striking Pinin Farina-bodied Ferrari sports car. Instead of the expected 3-litre V12 Testa Rossa, Ferrari had brought an experimental 2-litre sports car with engine based on that of the V6 Grand Prix car. A normal back axle is used, without independent suspension, there is a full-width screen to the cockpit, in which the driver sits on the left, with the battery on the floor on the right. Ferrari had been busy from 8.30 a.m. onwards on the Saturday, practising in the sleet to ascertain the correct gear ratios. Opposing this new Ferrari, which was giving away a great deal in litreage, was Moss in the works 3.8-litre Aston Martin DBR2. Scott-Brown had a new Lister-Jaguar, Hill a Lotus Fifteen with 1,960-c.c. engine (the other Lotus Fifteen was not present, so Allison had to stand down), Bloxam s H.W.M. Jaguar and five privately-entered Aston Martin DB3S, including Jean Bloxam’s coupé, while Duncan Hamilton’s D-type Jaguar could be guaranteed to go rapidly. There were also two 3-litre V12 Ferraris entered by Equipe Nationale Beige, driven by Bianchi and Mairesse
Moss showed his usual ability at a Le Mans start and led away but Scott-Brown out-accelerated him and passed the Aston Martin. Thereafter we were able to watch Scott-Brown employing his unusual tactics to keep the new Lister-Jaguar ahead of Moss, whose car was slower but who braked later into the corners. Stirling, driving with his great experience and as calmly as usual, had to wait for eight laps before he passed the Lister-Jaguar. Two laps later the steering tightened up on the luckless Scott-Brown and he pulled off onto the grass before St. Mary’s.
Moss now led very easily from Collins, who was driving the new, very crisp-sounding Ferrari impeccably, his understeer line out of St. Mary’s with the power turned on being delightful to behold. But he was 1.8 litres down on the British car and, barring a bout of the Sebring axle trouble, Moss couldn’t fail to win. This he did, setting a new sports-car lap record of 92.5 m.p.h. on his way. Duncan Hamilton was taking r.h. corners on l.h. lock in his usual exuberant style, to hold a safe third place. Mairesse was later passed by the Lotus Fifteen, which was going so well in Hill’s hands that it actually set the 2-litre sports-car lap record to 90.38 m.p.h., vide the official results (but we believe the time-keepers were not aware Collins was in a 2-litre Ferrari!), before retiring with gearbox trouble. Bianchi, who circulated with the filler flap of the big yellow Ferrari open, hit the chicane on lap 15, returning to the race, however, with a badly dented tail, finishing a lap behind Whitehead’s Aston Martin DB3S, which, in fourth place, was the last finisher to complete the full distance. Mairesso went ploughing in a big way after Lavant Corner on one lap in the other yellow Ferrari but regained the straight untroubled.
Results:
1st: S. Moss (3.800-c.c. Aston Martin DBR2). Won by 47.6 sec., at 89.94 m.p.h.
2nd: P. Collins (2,000-c.c. Ferrari V6).
3rd: J. Duncan Hamilton (3,442-c.c. Jaguar-D type).
Fastest lap and new sports-car lap record: Moss, 92.5 m.p.h.
2-litre Class: Collins (Ferrari).
New 2-litre sports-car lap record: G. D. Hill (Lotus-Climax 15). 90.38 m.p.h.
Glover Trophy International “100” (42-lap Scratch Race for G.P. cars)
It was a good idea on the B.A.R.C.’s part to put on this race for G.P.-type cars over a distance that is half the minimum for a G.P. race and therefore a useful try-out for near G.P. machinery.
Ferrari Automobili thought it worthwhile sending one of the latest F1 V6 Ferraris for Hawthorn to drive, and B.R.M. had two cars, with Behra and Schell as drivers, which, however, were last season’s machines, with “interim” modifications to Behra’s car.
Hawthorn’s Ferrari had a Perspex cover extending right over the carburetter intakes, the four-spoke steering wheel which is a Hawthorn fad and, also to please the driver from Farnham, there was an aero-screen set behind a full-width cockpit windscreen! Both this and the sports Ferrari were on Englebert tyres. The only real opposition to these genuine G.P. cars were the Cooper-Climax cars of Moss and Brabham. Moss had the engine from the famous Rob Walker Argentine winner, in a 1957 chassis, albeit a new one, with the radius rods from the rear hub-carriers. Brabham used a works 1,960-c.c. Cooper, Salvadori swopping with him for the other works Cooper. Halford and Campbell drove old G.P. Maseratis, the latter’s the ex-Scarlatti car, and it was nice to see three Connaughts running, Richardson having his G.P. car, Scott-Brown another, and Lewis, Evans the “Dart,” the two last-named driving for B. C. Ecclestone. No one can cast any aspersions, incidentally, on Tony Vandervell for sensibly giving this 100-miler a miss.
For three laps after flag-fall Behra kept the B.R.M. fairly well in front of the Ferrari. Alas, on lap four the B.R.M. slid straight on into the concrete wall of the chicane, this 9 in. barrier literally exploding, as did much of the B.R.M. A front wheel fell off and pandemonium prevailed, Behra walking away from the carnage, rubbing his knees! Schell had already, on the opening lap, been into his pit and after another stop on lap seven he retired his B.R.M. with smoke issuing from its rear brake. Is the B.R.M. hoodoo aloft again?
Moss had stalled the Cooper’s engine just before the start. He was pushed along the course as the flag fell and roared off in pursuit of the field, while officials watched with wide-open eyes! That he was soon in third place after four laps, closing fast on Brabham, whom he took on lap 10, indicates but mildly the miraculous manner in which Stirling was hurling—that word is not over-dramatisation! —the little Copper round Goodwood. He could scarcely have gone faster, and as Hawthorn, driving very placidly, left St. Mary’s, Moss was entering that corner. Brabham was noticeably outpaced by Moss—and the Australian does not exactly hang about!
Whether Moss would have got on Hawthorn’s tail we shall never know, because on the 22nd lap the Cooper threw a connecting-rod, coming to rest, engine a mess, at Woodcote. The race now became a procession, the V6 Ferrari unassailably in the lead, Brabham fast but far behind in second place. Salvadori was third, but not on the same lap, Allison was driving well, but also well back, in last year’s F II Lotus, to win, however, the F II section from Marsh’s Cooper. At intervals the Maseratis of Campbell and Halford circulated, until the latter slid slowly sideways off the course at St. Mary’s as a means of stopping after the brakes had vanished. The Emeryson made even rarer appearances.
Hawthorn and Moss had held off any trace of boredom, however, and both had lifted the Goodwood lap record to 97.30 m.p.h. (1 min. 28.8 sec.). Wait for Monaco!
Results:
1st: M. Hawthorn (2,417-c.-c. Ferrari V6). Won by 36 sec., at 94.96 m.p.h.
2nd: J. Brabham (1,960.-c.c. Cooper-Climax).
3rd: R. Salvadori (1,960-c.c. Cooper-Climax). 41 laps.
Fastest lap and new lap record: Hawthorn and Moss. 97.3 m.p.h.
Formula II Class:
1st: C. Allison (Lotus-Climax). 41 laps.
2nd: T. Marsh (Cooper-Climax). 40 laps.
3rd: I. Burgess (Cooper-Climax). 40 laps.
The Chichester Cup (10-lap Scratch Race for sports cars up to 1,100 c.c.)
As the light faded under a wintry sky with a hint of snow and the fascinating variety of visiting light aeroplanes took off on their return journeys (amongst them Tony Vandervell’s Dove), the small sports cars had their race. No fewer than 20 Lotus cars ran, together with three of the Elva works team and the new Tojeiro. Campbell- Jones drove Margulies’ Lotus-Climax so effectively that he just managed to catch Dickson’s blue Lotus on the run in to finish, setting a new Class G sport-car lap record of 88.89 m.p.h. in doing so. Otherwise Dickson had led all the way, a polished drive. Salvadori didn’t seem to have enough “steam” in one of Coombs’ Lotus entries, and Flockhart, in the other, was even slower. However, headlamps alight. Salvadori finished third, ahead of Hall in a team Lotus.
Results:
1st: J. Campbell-Jones (1,098-c.c. Lotus-Climax). Won by 0.2 sec. at 87.0 m.p.h.
2nd: T. Dickson (1,098-c.c. Lotus-Climax).
3rd: R. Salvadori (1.098-c.c. Lotus-Climax).
Fastest lap and Class C sports-car lap record: Campbell-Jones, 88.89 m.p.h.
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A club for minicar owners?
Claude Rye is contemplating starting a club for users of three- and four-wheeled cars not exceeding 500 c.c. Those interested are asked to express their views to Mr. Rye, whose address is 899, Fulham Road, Fulham, London, S.W.6.