THE B.A.R.C. WHITSUN MEETING.

THE B.A.R.C. WHITSUN MEETING.

THE B.A.R.C. Meeting held on Whit Monday proved

a great success, the good weather and representative entries attracting good crowds. Among the spectators we noticed several of the participants in the M.C.C. London-Edinburgh run, who had made a quick return journey in order to be present at the races—this being considered the correct thing to do on this occasion.

. As usual, Mr. J. G. P. Thomas was the star turn of the afternoon, and delighted the crowds by travelling at close on 130 miles per hour, incidentally demonstrating that the course was moderately safe at this very high speed.

The meeting was rendered quite historical by Major Coe’s crash at over ioo miles per hour, from which he and his passenger had a miraculous escape. In the opinion of some onlookers, the trouble was largely due to the habit of some drivers in hugging, the top slopes of the banking, when conditions appear to demand positions much lower down ; but the real reason for the accident is very difficult to elucidate.

The first six races were over a distance of five and three-quarter miles, except the Austin Seven Scratch Race, which was a lap and a half in length. The latter proved a most interesting event, as A. A. Gray, having drawn well away from the rest of the field during the first lap, looked a certain winner. To everyone’s surprise, however, Samuelson and Spencer both put on speed on entering the Byfleet banking, and passed Gray, Samuelson winning at a speed of 72 m.p.h.

The Whitsun Private Competitors’ Handicap.

Dr. Benjafield scored his first win of the afternoon, in the Whitsun Private Competitors’ Handicap, his Salmson led throughout and finished first with an average speed of 79.5 m.p.h. H. Aldridge, on a twoseater Alvis, kept close behind Dr. Benjafield for part of the distance, but could not make up the speed, and finished second with R. Malcolm’s A.B.C. third. Considering the starters for this race included Kidston (Bugatti) and Howey (Leyland), the Salmson did very well to run in first, though, of course, together with the Alvis, it had a good start of I min. 22 sec,

The 75 m.p.h. Short Handicap.

In the 33rd 75 m.p.h. Short Handicap, a newcomer, in the shape of Cushman’s Crossley, gained a signal victory at 81.8 m.p.h., starting only 15 seconds in front of Lanfranchi’s Alfa Romeo, which followed the Salmson, driven by Dunfee, into third place. In this race, the little jappic made a great effort, but even with its long start could hardly be expected to gain a place. This miniature racer is proving a very consistent performer, and we should not be surprised to see another on the track before long, when it may find a rival from its own family.

The Brooklands Gold Vase.

This event was remarkable for some very excellent, and some very doubtful, driving. Both Kidston and Thomas showed real skill in threading through some of the ” traffic ” which congested the part of the track which may be described as the Leyland preserves. Thomas also created a sensation by uprooting a shrub, as one of his wheels passed over the top of the banking, during an attempt to pass Howey. Just as Rampon was about to cross the finishing line, Major Coe’s Vauxhall struck the parapet with a rear wheel, skidded round several times, and finally somersaulted into the grass. Happily, both of the occupants were thrown clear of the car at the first impact, which probably saved their lives. Rampon thus secured the victory with his huge Fiat, at 96.75 m.p.h., with Kidston and Thomas second and third respectively.

The 90 m.p.h. Short Handicap.

In this race Harvey, Rampon and Cushtnan suffered from re-handicaps, which altered the complexion of the contest. Harvey was unfortunate in shedding a front tyre from his front-driven-supercharged Alvis, when it was travelling well, and thus put him out of the race. Cusb,man took the lead with his Crossley, but in the final lap Scriven took the lead from the Alfa-Romeo and the Crossley, the ancient but surprisingly swift Austin thus adding one more to its long list of successes at a speed of 87.75 m.p.h,

The Brooklands Founders’ Gold Cup.

Thomas made a strong effort to win this race, and started with Howey’s Leyland, le Champion’s IsottaMaybach, R. B. Howey’s Ballot, Kidston’s Bugatti and Barclay’s Vauxhall. Barclay led for one circuit, but soon after Kidston forced the Bugatti to the front, when Thomas, with his customary skill and daring, swept past Barclay and Kidston to win at a speed of //8 m.p.h. from Scratch.

The Thirty-Third 75 m.p.h. Long Handicap.

At the start the field of ten was led by Bradshaw on an Austro-Daimler, followed by Jackson (Alvis), Whale (Calthorpe) and Campbell (Itala). Near the end of the

second lap the Alvis went to the front, and the AustroDaimler retired at this point.

Owing to an error in counting his laps, Jackson proceeded to do an extra turn when he should have run into the finishing straight, his mistake being repeated by Dunfee (Salmson), thus leaving a quite unexpected victory to Dr. Benj afield, who was lying well to the rear. Cushman’s Crossley and Campbell’s Itala ran in second and third. The winner’s speed was 82.25 m.p.h.

The Forty-Second 100 m.p.h. Long Handicap.

Only five cars lined up for the start of this race, J. S. Spencer turning up on a very ancient 11,440 c.c. Napier. After a very slow and apparantly laborious start this car failed to complete the course, and at the end of the first circuit Dr. Benjafield’s Bentley was leading from Barclay’s Vauxhall and Barnato’s Bugatti. When passing the fork in great style on the second round, Barclay took the lead, which he held to the finish,

in spite of the efforts of Thomas, who owed 9 seconds. The speed!of Barclay’s T.T. Vauxhall averaged out at 100.25 m.p.h.

The Nineteenth 90 m.p.h. Long Handicap.

In this event we saw another win for the “Razor Blade” Aston-Martin, piloted by J. C. Douglas. Once again Harvey’s luck was out as he lost another tyre, which appears to be one of the little habits of the front driven Alvis at present. Densham, on a Bugatti, had to be content with following the ” Razor Blade” at a very respectful distance for the second place, and Barclay (Vauxhall) was third. Douglas won at an average speed of 85.74 m.p.h.

The Twenty-Eighth Lightning Long Handicap.

In the last event of the day only three cars went to the post, and the race was a kind of family affair, Thomas, Howey and Gedge turning out with a LeylandThomas, a Ballot and a Lanchester respectively. During the second lap Thomas once again broke the lap record with an average speed of 129.36 m.p.h., and won easily at 119.4 m.p.h.

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