VINTAGENTS AT DONINGTON
VINTAGENTS AT DONINGTON
ABOUT thirty Vintage S.C.C. members competed in the Club’s Donington race meeting on August 12th. Unfortunately the day was saddened by a fateful accident to Sir John Bowen. He was handling a six-cylinder 1 flitre Maserati in the fourth race and was in third place from the 12 secs. mark, when, on the 5th lap he got into a swerve along the Straight and crashed. That such an accident should happen at a small meeting is as unfortunate as it is unusual. To Sir John’s relatives and friends we offer our deepest sympathy. In the first 3 lap Handicap (the manufacturers’ circuit was in use) Parnell’s B.H.W. came right through from scratch
to win at 80.2 m.p.h. ” Hambone ” Hampshire’s Maserati was second and Miss Wilby’s Lincoln-motored At al an t a, sounding quite “twin o.h.c.” was third, holding Crozier’s blown 11.-litre Bugatti up from Melbourne. Wood gyrated his S.S. 100 at this corner. Next we had another 3 lap Handicap in which Wicksteed’s 1932 cut-about “
Ulster” Aston-Martin caught Bassett’s stripped touring Riley Nine, Scott’s 41-litre Bentley and Spooner’s 1.7-litre Alfa-Romeo, to win at 65.1 m.p.h. The third race was a 6 lap handicap, and Parnell, who was using a very fine B.M.W. cabriolet as a personal car, again came right through from scratch to an easy victory, at 82.0 m.p.h. He momentarily took to the grass coming out of Melbourne on lap 2 and accelerated up hill with smoking tyres. Swain’s old A.lvis, about which there was so much discussion in MOTOR SPORT a while back, led until the last lap, when both Crossley’s 328 B.M.W. and Peck’s old 3-litre .Austro
Daimler passed. Windsor-Richards handled a 41-litre Bentley in place of his Delag,-e, sliding more than Scott on the corners.
The next 6 lap race saw Wicksteed’s Aston-Martin again victorious, at 66.57 m.p.h. Bassett’s Riley led until lap six and the Atalanta beat Wood’s S.S. easily on acceleration up from Melbourne. Shapley’s Bugatti was soon in trouble and Hampshire’s Maserati retired early. Sir John Bowen missed a gear change on lap 2 and later crashed fatally, as reported. Bassett’s old Riley was second and the Atalanta third. In view of the sad accident aforementioned, the Relay Handicap, for which five teams had entered, was abandoned, and likewise the sports-car scratch race. The 6-lap all-corners race as replaced by a 2 lap scratch race, contested between Parnell, Marston (Bugatti), Clark (Bugatti) and Windsor Richards in Haw
thorn’s 1.8-litre Riley. The B.H.W. won easily at 75.0 m.p.h. and Parnell then sportingly stood down for the day.
The two 10 lap Handicaps were combined in one race, which Bassett led for 3 laps, until Crossley’s B.M.W. got ahead, only to be caught on lap 7 by Clark’s blown 2-litre G.P. Bugatti, which won at 74,86 m.p.h. Wood’s S.S. was third. RESULTS
3 Lap All-Comers Handicap: 1, R. Parnell (B.H.W. sic), 80.2 m.p.h.; 2, 1). Hampshire (Maserati s/c); 3, Miss Wilby (Atalanta).
3 Lap All Corners Handicap : 1, A. Wicksteed (Aston-Martin), 65.1 nip.h.; 2, E. Bassett (Riley) ; 3, W. Peck (Austro-Daimler).
6 Lap All Corners Handicap : 1, R. Parnell (B.H.W. sic), 82.0 m.p.h.; 2, (1. Crossley (B.M.W.); 3, W. Peek (Austro-Daimler).
6 Lap All Corners Handicap : 1, A. Wieksteed (Aston-Martin), 66.57 m.p.h.; 2, E. Bassett (Riley); 3, Miss WIlby (Atlanta).
2 Lap Scratch Race : 1. R. Parnell (B.H.W. s/c) 75.0 m.p.h. : 2, C. Clark (Bugatti s/c). 10 Lap All-Comers Handicap : 1, C. Clark (Bugarti sic), 74.86 m.p.h. ; 2,0. Crossley (11.M.W.); 3, G. Wood