Keeping awake!

Arising from our article on Champion Racing Drivers, a reader, Barry Peters of Bere Regis, has sent us nice little cameo relating to the great pioneer British racing driver, Charles Jarrott. He tells us that Jarrott lived in Bournemouth in the early 1930s, drove an elderly Sunbeam two-seater, and took a great interest in the newlyformed West Hants & Dorset CC. In fact, Jarrott was present al the start of one of that Club’s early Night Trials, commencing from the Pier Approach. Mr Peters, who was competing, asked Jarrott how he could ensure staying awake during the night and was told that the great man chewed raw coffee-beans during his epic inter-city races. Several of the young drivers tried his recipe ater Jarrott presented Mr Peters with an autographed copy of his book “Ten Years of Motors and Motor Racing” written in 1906, which remains one of the best books of its kind.  – W.B.