The B.A.R.C. Whitsun meeting

June 11th

In spite of lesser and more important fixtures in other parts of the country, a reasonably large crowd watched the Whitsun racing at Goodwood.

Leading race on the card was the 21-lap Whitsun Trophy from a Le Mans start, which Blumer’s 2-litre Cooper-Monaco led throughout, winning by 20.8 sec., at 90.98 m.p.h. from Keens in the latest sports Lotus 23 with Ford engine having a mysterious capacity of 1,098 c.c., Spender’s 1.2-litre Lotus-Climax was 3rd, these very fast small sports cars outclassing Sutcliffe’s Jaguar D.

In the G.T. category Stoop’s Porsche Carrera formed a sandwich between the Marcos coupes of Jones and Minoprio, the former’s Climax-engined car winning at 83 m.p.h. Boothby, wrestling with his Jaguar D’s steering wheel, and Yeates in an Aston Martin DB3S that looked like an old Cooper-Bristol, went very slowly, Coundley damaged his Lister-Jaguar by motoring it through the large part of the chicane, and Graham’s Lotus shed a wheel. Foster appeared in one of the new M.G. Midget alloy coupes, very low, very smart, if a bit too A-40-ish at the back, prepared with the T.T. in mind by Abingdon at the suggestion of R. W. Jacobs. Addicott’s Lotus-Buick retired with overheating.

The 10-lap Pre-war Racing Car Scratch Race was greatly to the liking of the onlookers, although many of the 20 starters ran raggedly. Schellenberg in the 8-litre Barnato-Hassan was terrific, holding 3rd place until he took to the grass out of Woodcote, tailsliding from the chicane under power, to come in 4th although the Bentley engine wasn’t on all six. Chapman’s i.f.s. R2A E.R.A. won easily by 22:2 sec., at 82.86 m.p.h. from Lindsay’s E.R.A. “Remus” but Syd Day would have caught Chapman had he not power spun out of the chicane on lap eight. Bowman’s ex-Lord Selsdon Lago-Talbot was a steady 3rd. Day did a lap at 85.04 m.p.h. Bergel’s 2.3 Bugatti spun, partially blocking the chicane exit; the crowd loved it when he leapt out, swung the starting handle, and tail-slid round and on with the race.

Woodroffe’s 3.8 Jaguar won the 10-lap Saloon Car Race by 36.4 sec., at 81.85 m.p.h. from Sparrow’s 3.8, after Dodd’s Jaguar had retired sans oil pressure. Byrne’s Mercedes-Benz 220SE won its class and finished 3rd overall, an excellent performance for such a large car. It held off the Cooper-Minis, which not all big saloons can do. Three VX4/90 Vauxhalls duelled with two Sunbeam Rapiers, but one retired and the other Lutonians were vanquished by Cuff-Miller’s aged Sunbeam. The Saab was nowhere.

The token winner of the F.J. race, Dibley’s Lola, was penalised 60 sec., for a too-prompt start, so Francis (Lotus-Ford) was given 1st place, at 92.29 m.p.h., from Hicks’ Caravelle-Ford and Breakall’s Lotus-Ford. Gubbey’s Ausper was slow, the new E.T.A. likewise, but it looks nice. The Marque Scratch Race attracted coupes, hard-tops, open cars with aero-screens and full-width screens, and Burnard’s A.C.-Bristol with cellophane screen-to-seat fairing a la Le Mans. Lawrence led very comfortably but was excluded as an aero-screen isn’t allowed (how complicated motor racing has become!) and Entwhistle’s TVR that held 2nd place, drawing away from Bank’s A.C. Bristol until the larger car retired, was docked 60 sec., for getting four wheels on the grass (how complicated, etc.!!), so from a poor 3rd Jones (Morgan) found himself a winner, at 80.44 m.p.h.

Keens’ neat Lotus 23 steamed away from Naylor’s Elva-B.M.C. on lap 5, but a spin had penalised him (how complicated, etc. !!), so Naylor got the laurels, averaging 84.94 m.p.h. The Lotus placemen, Adlington and Porter drove well, as did Lord Clydesdale, who came through on lap 9 to win the 10-lap Handicap in his Lola-Climax, at 85.42 m.p.h.—good show by a new driver. White’s Turner had led for 8 laps, but Derisley’s Elite and Nicholson’s Lola got him in the run-in.—W. B.

Results :

Whitson Trophy Race: J Blumer (1960cc Cooper-Monaco) 90.98 m.p.h.

Pre-war Racing Car Race: G Chapman (1,488-cc E.R.A) 82.86 m.p.h

Saloon-Car Race: P. J. Woodroffe (3,781-cc Jaguar) 81.85 m.p.h

F.J. Scratch Race: K. Francis (1,098-cc Lotus Ford) 92.29 m.p.h

Marque Sports Car Scratch Race: W. H. Jones (1,091-cc Morgan) 80.44 m.p.h

Sports Car Scratch Race: G. Naylor (992-c.c. Elva B.M.C) 84.94 m.p.h

The Whitson Handicap: Lord Clydesdale (1,098-c.c. Lola-Climax) 85.42 m.p.h