Rumblings, November 1952

Elkhart Lake Rally

By air mail from the U.S.A. have come some very interesting notes on the Elkhart Lake Rally, held last September by the S.C.C. of America. C. A. West, Chicago Region rally, hill-climbs and trials Chairman, who sends them, describes Motor Sport as the Sports-car ” bible ” of S.C.C.A members. Incidentally, his father built cars from 1901 to 1909 and no less a person than Fred Duesenberg was his best man. West hopes to import a late model 4½-litre vintage Vanden Plas Bentley, which he considers superior to the J-model Duesenberg of the early thirties.

The interesting thing about the S.C.C.A. Elkhart Lake Rally is that it was an attempt to “feel the way” towards a National Rally in the future. For this year’s event replicas of the Monte Carlo Rallye number-plaques were issued and trophies were presented by His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III of Monaco, Sydney Allard and the New York Nuffield agents, while the Ladies’ award was called the Mme. Junek Trophy. In agreeing that the Prince Rainier Trophy should be an annual award Prince Rainier expressed, through his Directeur du Cabinet, the hope that participants in the Elkhart Lake fixture would support the 1953 Monte Carlo Rally.

Over 130,000 spectators watched the Rally, which won high praise from Fred Wacker, the Chief Stewards and other authorities. The overall winner was a TC M.G. from Long Beach, driven by Mr. and Mrs. D. S. Dickinson. The Nuffield Trophy for 1½ -litre cars was won by Mrs. C. H. Portman and Jody Hutchinson of Los Angeles, in a TD M.G., the Allard Trophy (over 1½ litres) by Mr. and Mrs. D. C. Biggs of Missouri, in a blown 2.9 Alfa-Romeo. English, Scottish and Irish Clubs sent out copies of their rally regulations to assist the S.C.C.A. Organisers.

So America is truly “Rallye” conscious. Incidentally, Jody tells us that in struggling against opposition to lady racing drivers the “dicing fair sex” in the States have recently formed their own association, rather like our old W.A.S.A.

Scheme

Practically every form of motoring competition and social now has its following and it is exceedingly difficult for organisers to think up anything original. The boat which motored  smoothly along the Thames during the Hants & Berks M.C. Night Navigation Rally and had to be “intercepted” by competitors who were told merely the time and place from which it started, that its speed would be 7 knots and that locks took 7 minutes to negotiate, was brilliant in the extreme.

Turning to purely original events, we want to put in another plea for a Motoring Garden Party—for next summer, of course, although the thought is a welcome one amidst the stuffiness of a Motor Show! The Guild of Motoring Writers’ Motor Show Test Day at Goodwood, points the way.

The plot would be to find a venue with grass lawns, refreshment tents and band and so on (Goodwood Circuit would do very well) and then, away with speed, noise, excitement, to parade interesting cars individually before the onlookers, while a knowledgeable and talented commentator described their (the cars not the onlookers!) purpose in life. The success of the thing would probably depend on striking a balance between too few or too many cars. The “groupings” could he varied from party to party. Thus it is not difficult to visualise a simple”Veteran-Edwardian-Vintage-Moderns” parade, later varied by one-make “evolution” parades, or, again, groups of “age-cum-size,” perhaps later to branch out into purely one-make, or one-type (vintage-light cars, vintage heavy cars, open cars, town carriages, etc.) meets. After the formal parades members could no doubt sample each other’s vehicles and, naturally, there would be a bar. For the ladies, fashion parades from summer frocks to bathing costumes could be incorporated and we feel many manufacturers would gladly send their latest models to the bigger parties. Any takers?

Quiz

The closing date for the Quiz in last month’s Motor Sport was inadvertently given as November 10th instead of, as usual, the 10th of this month. Consequently, the solution will be given in the December issue. Meanwhile, as this is Show-time, here is a quiz of a different sort, which you may care to try. It consists of naming the cars for which the following slogans have been used; the solution will be given next month with that for the October pictorial quiz

(a) As Old as the Industry, as Modern as the Hour.

(b) Count them on the Road.

(c) The Answer to a Connoisseur’s Prayer.

(d) The Little Engine with the Big Pull.

(e) The Silent Sports Car.

(f) Distinction with a Difference.

(g) Motoring at Tram Fare.

(h) The Supreme Car.

(i) Builders of Quality Vehicles for Seventy-Six Years (1928).

(j) The Car Magnificent.

(k) The Car of International Reputation.

(I) British and Best.

(m) Acclaimed by All.

(n) Master of the King’s Highway.

(o) Built to Last a Lifetime.