Rest-and-Be-Thankful

Many thousands must have watched the R.S.A.C.’s Rest-and-Be-Thanktul Hillclimb on Saturday, July 7th. The coach and car parks were filled to overflowing and late comers had difficulty in finding anywhere to park their cars.  lt was a thrilling afternoon, and even the terrific downpours of rain didn’t discourage or dampen the spirits of the spectators. The practice runs on Friday had been eventful enough owing to the slippery state of the road. R. D. Buckler successfully managed to turn his car on top of himself at Cobblers Bend. He was extricated unhurt and the car being righted he was able to drive off for another run. Averil Scott-Moncrieff crashed at Stone Bridge. The Bugatti’s blower valve stuck and the car rushed on to overturn and roll down the embankment. Fortunately Averil was unhurt apart from a very stiff neck and bruises, but the car was badly damaged.

Almost as soon as the event started the heavens opened and the rain just poured down.  Consequently the speeds were not too good to start with,  Caution was needed on the slippery surface, for the precipitous sides of the hill allow no margin for mistakes.  Wheelspin and sliding were responsible for much lost time.  Pat Prosser in his Cooper ran into the railings at Cobbers Bend and had to retire, John R. McBain lost precious seconds in a terrific slide at Stone Bridge and Bill Smith in a J. P. Triumph ran along the grass at Cobblers Bend.  Ken Wharton in his Cooper ran up the banking at the famout top hairpin, but clocked the best time at 71.19 sec., which remained the best time of the meeting until Dennis Poore in his Alfa-Romeo, driving magnificently up the slippery track, beat it by clocking 62.82 sec.Fortunetly when the second runs started the sun began shining, the track quickly dried, speeds improved, and records were broken.  This time Ken Wharton in his Cooper put up a good performance and reduced the class record from 68.30 to 56.35 sec., and the cheering spectators thought he had f.t.d. in the bag.  Sidney Allard drove with determination in his Allard and created a new class record, clocking 63.30 sec.  Again driving the E.R.A. Ken Wharton broke another class record, with a time of 57.42 sec.  The climax of the meeting came with the final entry.  The excitement was intense as Dennis Poore streaked away from the start; hardly slowing even for Stone Bridge, round Cobblers, and braking just in time at the top hairpin, he gave a final burst to finish and record the best time of the day.  He beat Ken Wharton by .03 sec., and beat his old record by 1.28 sec.

Results:

1st: R. D. Poore (Alfa-Romeo), 56.32 sec.; 2nd: K. Wharton (Cooper), 56.35 sec.; 3rd: K. Wharton (E.R.A.), 57.42 sec.; 4th: P. J. Collins (Cooper), 60.63 sec.; 5th: R. N. Flockhart (J.P. Vincent), 63.26 sec.; 6th: S. H. Allard (Allard), 63.30 sec.

UP TO 500-c.c.—1st: E. Williams (Cooper), 65.18sec.; 2nd: N. Sanderson (Cooper), 67.91 sec.; 3rd: C. R. Hunter (J.P.), 69.16 sec.

501 TO 1,100-c.c.—1st: R. N. Flockhart (J.P. Vincent), 63.26 sec.; 2nd: M. A. H. Christie (Kieft), 6.57 sec.; 3rd: R. T. Haddow (Cooper), 65.52 sec.

501 TO 1,100-c.c.S/C—1st: K. Wharton (Cooper), 56.35 sec.; 2nd: A. H. B. Craig (M.G. Special), 75.03 sec.; 3rd: B. J. Smith (Dellow), 77.88 sec.

1,101 TO 1,500-c.c.—1st: P. J. Collins (Cooper), 60.63 sec.; 2nd: Jack Fisher (Fisher Special), 68.69 sec.; 3rd: I. Hooper (Hooper Special), 69.97.

1,101 TO 1,500-c.c.S/C—1st: C. D. F. Buckler (Buckler), 71.39 sec.; 2nd: J. M. Hendry (Frazer-Nash), 80.88 sec.; 3rd: N. A. Kennedy (Stafonak), 83.05 sec.

1,501 TO 3,000-c.c.—1st: J. H. Walton (Alta), 67.15 sec.; 2nd: J. Brown (H.W.M.), 67.18 sec.; 3rd: J. R. Stewart (Healey), 67.95 sec.

1,501 TO 3,000-c.c.S/C—1st: K. Wharton (E.R.A.), 57.42 sec.; 2nd: P. J. Stubberfield (Bugatti), 65.89 sec.; 3rd: A. Brooke (Vauxhall Villers), 68.43 sec.

OVER 3,000-c.c.—1st: S. H. Allard (Allard), 63.30 sec.; 2nd: R. M. Bateman (Ford), 69.48 sec.; 3rd: E. N. R. Hewitt (Allard), 69.81 sec.

OVER 3,000-c.c. S/C – 1st:: R. D. Poore (Alfa-Romeo), 56.32 sec