Skegness Sand Racing

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Skegness Sand Racin

Success/it’ I Event at Lincolnshire Resort

ENTHUSIASTS journeyed from many parts to see the annual sand races at Skegness which were held on the 13th and 14th of last month, and some first class sport was seen.

The first day’s events were all scratch races, and the second day was devoted to handicap races, together with the finals of the Novice’s and, the 5-lap Scratch Races. The meeting was held on Skegness Foreshore, on a part of the beach covered at high tide, so that the layout of the course had to be made in the brief period between the retreat of the tide and the commencement of racing. In spite of this, the actual speedway was clearly marked, a competitor’s paddock staked out, and a fence erected to keep spectators off the course, a state of affairs which characterised the thoroughness of the Motor Racing Committee’s organisation

The exact length of the course was not given, but the 5-lap race was approximately six miles long. The track ran up and down a line of stakes parallel with the shore, so that the start was on the outside of the course, and the public were able to line the shore side, where the greatest speeds were attained. The course on Friday was in good trim except for a lane of water at the north end, but at the other end where cars had to pull up after speeding down the inside straight, the surface became a little loose. On the second day the organisers were helped by an unusually big tide, and the firm sand thus left, allowed the attainment of high speeds. The first day’s programme included some curious and famous cars, several of them being variations of the G.N. The ” Beljap Special,” propelled by a single cylinder J .A.P. engine, did not appear, but the H.F.B., with a 980 c.c. engine of the same make, held its own, especially on corners with more orthodox vehicles, and came in first in the 1100 c.c. one-lap race. In the next race, Davenport on the

” Spider” won his heat very comfortably, but retired with engine trouble in the final. The Aldington brothers too had come north, but H.J. was put out of the running by a fractured induction pipe joint. Thistlethwayte’s grey Mercedes and Rogers’ Bugatti were well matched in classes 6 and 8, but in spite of magnificent driving, the Merc’s speed on the straight could not compensate for the small car’s nippiness on the corners,

On Saturday, as has been said, the course was in perfect condition, and Rogers must have been travelling at nearly 110 m:p.h. down the straights. The handicapping in the other races was very close, and in several races cars arrived at the corners four or five abreast. Munday on the Vauxhall was able to account for two of the cups, while honours in the other events were well divided.

CLASS 1.-Sports Cars of Any Capacity (One Lap).-1, G. Daybell (Vauxhall), 1 min. 32 sees.; 2, E. F. Farley (Alvis), 1 min. 36 sees.; 3, W. L. Thompson (Triumph), 1 mitt. 38 2-5 secs.

CLASS IL-1,100 c.c. Racing or Sports Cars (One Lap).-1, H. F. Brayshaw (H.F.B. Special), 1 min. 30 4-5 sees.; 2, W. E. Harker (Austin), 1 min. 31 2-5 secs. ; 3, E. A. Millington (Amilcar), 1 min. 42 4-5 secs.

CLASS III.-Sports Cars up to 2,500 c.c. (One Lap).-1, H. F. Brayshaw (Alvis), 1 rain. 35 sees.; 2, I. S. Pollock (LeaFrancis),1 min. 38 1-5 secs. ; 3, E. F. Farley (Alvis), 1 min. 38 2-5 secs. CLASS IV.-Racing or Sports up to 2,500 c.c. (One Lap).-1, J. Field (Talbot Special), 1 min. 20 secs. ; 2, P. B. Rogers (Bugatti), 1 min. 20 4-5 secs. ; 3, B. H. Davenport (Spider), 1 min. 27 4-5 secs:

CLASS V.-Unlimited Sports Cars (One Lap).-1, G. Daybell (Vauxhall), 1 min. 30 4-5 secs, ; 2, E. F. Farley (Alvis), 1 min. 37 2-5 sees.; 3, IL F. Brayshaw (Alvis), 1 mm. 46 2-5 secs.

CLASS V I.-Racing or Sports Unlimited (One Lap).-1, P. B. Rogers (Bugatti), 1 min. 22 1-5 sees.; 2, T. Thistlethwayte (Mercedes-Benz), 1 min. 23 secs. ; 3, A. N. Spottiswoode (Bugatti), limin. 24 Sees.

CLASS VII.-Unlimited,Sports Cars (Four Laps).-1, I. S. Pollock (LeaFrancis), 5 ruins. 47 2-5 sees.; 2, E. F. Farley (Alvis), 6 ruins. 1 see.; 3, H. F. Brayshaw (Alvis), 6 ruins. 29 2-5 secs.

CLASS VIIL-Unlimited, Racing Cars Only (Five Laps).-1, P. B. Rogers (Bugatti), 6 mins. 12 secs. ; 2, T. Thistlethwayte (Mercedes-Benz), 6 ruins. 16 3-5 secs. ; 3, T. V. G. Selby (Bugatti), 6 mins. 39 2-5 secs.

CLASS IX.-Sports Cars up to 1,100 c.c. (One Lap).-1, S. A. Burnham (Salmson), 1 min. 32 3-5 secs. ; 2, E .Lester (M.G. Midget), 1 min. 34 1-5 secs. CLASS X.-Handicap for Sports Cars, (One Lap), -1, E. F. Farley (Alvis) handicap 7 secs., won. by 50 yards ; 2, G. Daybell (Vauxhall), scr. ; 3, H. F. Brayshaw (Alvis), 3 secs,

CLASS XI.-Handicap for Racing and Sports Cars (One Lap).-1, P. B. Rogers (Bugatti), handicap 2 secs., won by 15 yds. ; 2, H. F. Brayshaw (H.F.B. special), 4 sees.; 3, T. V. G. Selby .(Bugatti), 6 secs.

CLASS XII.-Open Handicap (One Lap). -1, R. J. Munday (Vauxhall), handicap 15 secs., won by 50 yds. ; 2, T. V. G. Selby (Bugatti), 6 sees.; 3, I. S. Pollock (Lea-Francis), 15 secs.

CLASS XIV.-Handicap for Sports Cars (Four Laps).-1, R. J. Munday (Vauxhall), hadicap 7 sees., won by 1; yds. ; 2, S. A. Burnham (Salmson), 35 secs ; 3, W. H. Burton (Alvis), 27 secs.

CLASS XV.-Handicap for Racing Cars Only (Five Laps).-1, C. Brackenbury (Bugatti), handicap 46 secs., won by 40 yds.; 2, P. B. Rogers (Bugatti), owed 10 secs. ; 3, T. V. G. Selby (Bugatti), 22 secs.