RACING AT CASTLE COMBE

RACING AT CASTLE COMBE

1 is invariably pleasant to be at a Bristol M.C. & L.C.C. fixture, and the last race meeting of 1951 at the 1.84-mile Castle Combe circuit on October was no exception. What marred the

was the fatal accident to. R. M. Curly “) Dryden during a heat of the III race. His .1.11.5. overturned Camp Corner and he died shortly from head injuries—the fourth accident in four successive weeks. The Bristol Club, like others, feels effect of the savage Entertainments imposed on motor-racing but never offered excellent value to its The meeting suffered from a

percentage of non-staters, 25 out of entrants failing to appear, including of the “stars.” As this was a Fixture, consciences deserve to guilty. Don Parker’s J.B.S.-J.A.P. held the ” 500s ” at bay in the 7-lap heat of the Formula HT race, from Wlvaton’s Cooper and in the Moss-Kieft. These three the race, Ileadlan41 cornering one and being passed in second place Wharton 011 lap four. Webb spun but

going, Taylor’s Iota retired, as did rider Tuck’s Iota-Nor-.I.A.P. valve seizure. A 10-lap sports-car race followed (all scratch races), in which F. C. Davis three laps in which to catch Grif 11-litre Lester-M.G., after which he up a handsome lead in his recently ex-Leonard ” Ferrari ‘! CooperThrelfall kept a discreet third in 1,250-e.e. Lester-M.G., both these ears

it at on the Corners, however, the Cooper-MG. The second heat of’ the Formula III was won by Leston’s J.B.S. front J.B.S. and Coembes’ J.B.S.— no Coopers I Beallnlan’S Cooper was no was driven some distance with its front wheels splayed out—wot, no black fla” ! Cars tended to rim wide at Ha fast ‘Paddock S-bend and in doing so Moore’s J.B.S.

Triumph, its driver fumbling with a broken gear-lever, took off in no mean fashion at a hidden galley and shed its tail. The 20-lap race for 1-1§-litre racing cars was reduced to six runners, and Wharton led all the way in Bell’s I 1-litre E.R.A., driving very fast. Gerard followed, hampered by a most-lin-Gerard like misfire in his E.R.A., but he contrived

to keep ahead of Peter Whitehead, who was giving Ins brother’s 13-type E.R.A. an airing. The 10-lap IA -21-litre racing car event had a mere four runners. AbeCaSSiS consequently had a comparatively gen!le ri?le in the H.W.M., pulling out a substantial lead from NVIiiteliouse, who got the Watson 2-litre Alta really moving “Or once, to liniSti seeond, al mea.1 0″‘ Stokes’ Alta, -which Peticoek’s spirts FraserNash effectively tailed. The limd of the Formula III race (10 lm is) saw I feel land make good use of the Kieft. Ire won at nearly 75 m.p.h. front Gerard. whose Cooper was now in better form. Item in its heat, with Parker’s .I.B.S, third, a pleasantly mixed result for a ” 500 ” race. ‘Hie galley at Paddock bend threw }rabbi’s .1.13.S. into a slide and it rolled

over. The driver lost many teeth and suffered severe abrasions. N. B. Johnson’s Cooper also spun here but was skilfully held. Retirements included John Cooper, Neill’s Kieft-H.R.D. and Braid’s Cooper. Next we had the 10-lap Fomule Libre race, with 12 runners. Wharton led from flag-fall but soon oil-smoke was seen to be issuing from his cockpit. Then, on lap four. as the E.R.A. (Bell’s 11-litre) Caine int() PaddoA bend a veritable fireworks. display appeared beneath it, the back wheels locked and it slid onto the grass. As soon as Ken realised it wouldn’t overturn he climbed 0111.0 the tail, jumping oat and beating at the legs of his Overalls. I re then attacked I he tire with the seat cushion until tire-extinguishers were brought across the track. The universal joint behind the Wilson gearbox had seizell, setting alight, the electron fusing— a nasty experience which left Wharton outwardly unridlled. Gerard, E.R.A. now on six, pressed on clutracteristieally to win at record speed, raising SltaweTaylor’s lap record a fraction in the process, to nearly 83 m.p.h. Peter Whitehead, glancing at ‘Vharton’s car as he went by, drove impeccably into second place, ahead of Abeeassis in the green II.W.M., which, after George Rad waved a pro’ eiting arm, had at last got past Allard’s Cadillac-Allard. Allard was a notable fourth, in front of quite a lot

Of G.I’. machinery. On one lap C. J. Hamilton’s E.R.A. went over the notorious galley followed by ” Big Bill in the Watson Alta but trier.-ifully neither car was deflected thereby. There remained the 10-lap race for sports ears over I litres. Allard kept his ” T.T.” Chrysler-Allard well in front of the determinedly-driven FrazerNast-Les of Crook and SalYadori, to win at 75.88

Bentley disposed of Bitneomber’s ” Silverstone ‘ Healey inCid entally.

We then had a lift round the course in a venerable Bean Fourteen, admiring its fine set of instruments on a polished metal dashboari I. and went swiftly Londonwards iii the Moron SPORT Jill/Ler, up with which. Sydney Allard, now in a Ford Zephyr, very nearly kept ! Results : itAriso CARS F0RME1,A III, ‘HEAT I.–lad: D. Parker (.7.13.S. J.A.e.), 74.93 m.p.h.; 2a(I: Wharton (COOper NOrtmii) ; 3rd : C. Ilmlland (Kieft-NOrtOli). HEAT 2. —1st : L. Leston (,I.1(.5,-Norton), 73.65 m.p.h.; 2nd ; A. I.oens (J.B.S.-Norton); ‘3rd 1. : Coombes Ft3AL—Ist : C. Headland (Kieft-Norton). 74.78 miii ; 2nd : F. Ii, Gerard ((Soper-Norton); :3rd P.irker (J.0.3 -J A. P.), : K. Wharton (E.R.A.), 82.07 2nd : F. It, Gerard (ERA.); 3rd : P. Whitehead (E.ILAA• 1,50 I -2,5o0-c.e.-7lit : A berassis 77.00 ; 2nd : Whitelonse (Alta);

:3rd : A. Stokes. (Ails).

FORMU1.E WEE, : F. It. (lerard (B.B.A.). 81.27 mImic, ; 2nd : P, Whitehead ; 3rd : Ii, Atieeatisls SPORTS CARS 1.7P Ti) 1,500-c.c.. : F. B. Davies (Cooper-MG.), 71.38 m.p.h. ; 2nd : GritRths (Lester-MO.);

3rd : Threltall (Lester,M.C1:). Ovine 1,500-e.r. -1st.: S. If. Allard (Ca tillae-Allard), 75.88 mph, : 2nd : A. D. Crook (Frazer-Nikth) ;

3rd It. Salva•lori (Frazer-Nash).

Ni-:w LAP Itneolto : F. It. Gerard (BALA.), 83.64 m.p.h.