Letters from Readers, September 1938

ROAD CIRCUIT ” SPECIALS ” Sir, I am fully in agreement with the letter from Mr. Stafford of Brighton on the subject of road-circuit ” specials.” It must be obvious from the outset that no matter how good the home-grown car may be it scarcely has a chance when competing on the same basis as, say,

E.R.A.s. Apart from the fact that the actual motor will be outclassed there is no comparison between the average private pit-work, and organised” works” pit-work. The obvious case in point is, of course. the German Auto-Union and Mercedes teams. There is a Vintage Car Club and a Veteran Car Club and each club runs events for a certain type or age of car. Why not a club for ” Special” builders ? Surely one event could be set aside for these specials alone, during an afternoon’s racing at the Crystal Palace. Suitable regulations defining a special would have to be drawn up. Perhaps a kind of converse to the old T.T. regulations could be used ; instead of only allowing cars to enter which have appeared in production form and are catalogued, cars which have not been catalogued could be entered. This of course would eliminate the McCulloch Special and. other

similar brands. As we see races for Talbot Tens and -Fiat 500s these days I see no reason why exclusively ” special” races should not be organised. I am, Yours etc.,

D. CAMERON SMAIL.

Edinburgh.