Reports of Recent Events, June 1946

N.L.E.C.C. Closed Touring Trial
This was won by G. P. Taylor’s PB M.G. Midget, which lost 10 marks. Fifteen started, and Rivers-Fletcher (Alvis), Edgar (Alvis), Snelling (Riley), Bacon (M.G.), Hartridge (Rover) and Sanderson (M.G.) took “Premiers.”

Vintage S.C.C. Of Australia’s Easter Sprint
Held on an airstrip 30 miles from Sydney, 29 cars competed, and 700 souls spectated, the club benefiting by £60, equal to a year’s taking from subscriptions and entry fees. F.t.d. was a tie between Najar (TB M.G.) and Duckett (R-type Anzani-engined Bugatti), who took 18.5 sec. for the s.s. 1/4-mile. Other victors: 750-c.c, Lyell (Austin “Special”), 23.4 sec.; 1,100-c.c., Jeffrey (T.T. M.G. Magnette), 19.3 sec.; 2-litre, MacKinnon (A.C. Six-engined Frazer-Nash), 20.7 sec.; unlimited, Buick-Special, 18.7 sec. Fastest vintage car: Crouch (blower Bentley), 19.5 sec. Other good times: Ford V8-engined Riley “Gamecock,” 19.5 sec.; Durham (Ford “Special “), 19.9 sec.; Dent (“30/98” Vauxhall), 20.9 sec.; Pritchett (“30/98” Vauxhall), 21.9 sec.; and Cook (“30/98” Vauxhall), 22.4 sec. Knock-out winner: King (Ford V8-Riley).

Circuit Of Ireland Trial
A. J. Bell’s Riley Twelve took the Premier Award, the class winners being this Riley, McDowell’s Riley saloon, and Pentland’s Citroen saloon. Team prize: Gallagher, Johnston (Alfa-Romeos) and Montgomery (M.G.). Ladies’ Award: Miss Brice (Singer). Castlereagh Trophy: J. Richmond (H.R.G.).

Jersey M.C. And L.C.C. Easter Sand Races
Seven thousand folks attended. The 5-lap race was lost by C. G. Benett’s 3.7-litre Benett-Special, hy “half-a-wheel” to Le Gallais’s 4-litre Hybrid. Benett reversed things in the 10-lap race, winning by 1/4-mile from Le Gallais, with a 3-litre Sunbeam third.

West Of England M.G. Novices’ Trial
Results: – Hands Trophy: J. Perry (1 1/2-litre Fiat saloon). Bartlett Trophy: Mrs. Melhuish (Singer). Runners-up: Brunyee (Austin Seven), Bullivant (Riley). First-class awards: Murton (H.R.G.), Harrison (Austin Seven), Ellis (Standard).

The Naish Hill-Climb
Due to deterioration of surface, this once-famous Bristol M.C. and L.C.C. hill had to become (temporarily, we believe, and hope) a social venue on May 4th. However, sports and touring cars were timed up the course, with the following results: 1st, L. Parker (Allard V12), 54.9 sees.; 2nd, A. W. Morrish (s/c P M.G.) 58.4 secs.; 3rd, J. Fry (ex-Macdermid Lancia Aprilia Special) 58.4 secs.; 4th, J. Appleton (Allard) 58.7 secs. Social events followed. The Macdermid Special was the afternoon’s attraction, naturally. It has the Aprilia engine just ahead of the rear axle and two seats forward in an abbreviated cockpit over the front axle. The radiator is amidships, using ducted cooling, and the gearbox is Bowden-actuated. Fry was not in the least bothered by the forward driving position, but found the light weight insufficient to work the Lancia front suspension.

Darlington And District M.C. Consistency Trial
A 33-mile course in Swaledale attracted a good field. Dr. Kiszely (Humber 20) made best car performance, in his first event; 2nd, J. Richmond (H.R.G.), 3rd,H. Gray (M.G.).

E.C.C. Of G.B. Easter Trial
Winners: Saloon cars: F. G. Taylor (Hillman Aero Minx); sports cars: G. R. Holt (P-M.G.).

S.S. Fastest At Bo’ness
The first post-strife speed hill-climb at Bo’ness – the Scottish Prescott – took place on May 11th. F.t.d. went to N. Bean’s Jaguar, in 40.0 secs., but Clarkson managed 40.8 secs. on a run in which the Alexander-Special hit the bank, and Thorne, with the same V8-engined car, finally clocked 40.1 secs. The record-holding Riley single-seater was not very fast. Interesting runs included a Salmson-engined Frazer-Nash, the ex-Nuvolari T.T. M.G. Magnette, and the smaller Alexander-Special, which was a bored-out 1,088-c.c. Ford Eight 2-seater with chain-driven Zoller supercharger. Thorne’s class-winning M.G. was a T-type with triple-belt-driven Marshall blower. Results:
Class 1. Up To 750 c.c. Unblown: No starters.
Class 2. Up To 1,100 c.c. Unblown: J. V. Howden, 1,089-c.c. Riley, 42.2 secs.; .T. Brown, 1,089-c.c. Riley, 42.4 secs.; J. F. Cunningham, 1,089-c.c. Riley, 42.6 secs.
Class 3. Up To 1,500 c.c. Unblown And 1,100 c.c. Blown; I. B. Page, 1,287c.c. M.G., 41.8 secs.; Harry Soutar, 1,088-c.c. Alexander-Special, 44.2 secs.; I. McLardy, 1,352-c.c. Lancia, 45.6 secs.
Class 4. Up To 3,000 c.c. Unblown And Up To 1,500 c.c. Blown: K. M. Thorne, 1,292-c.c. M.G., 41.7 secs.; J. Spence, 1,292-c.c. M.G., 41.7 secs.; P. Grant, 2,664-c.c. Jaguar 100, 42.1 secs.; M. Goodall, 1,911-c.c. Frazer-Nash-B M W., 44.0 secs.
Class 5. Over 3,000 c.c. Unblown And Up To 3,000 c.c. Blown: N. A. Bean, 3,485-c.c. Jaguar 100, 40.0 secs.; .J. L. Frazer, 3,622-c.c. Allard, 41.5 secs. ; G. F. Simpson, 3,622-c.c. Ford, 48.3 secs.
Class 6. Over. 3,000 c,c, Blown: W. R. L. Thorne, 3,622-c.c. Alexander-Special, 40.1 secs.; R. K. N. Clarkson, 3,622-c.c. Alexander-Special, 40.3 sees.; J. G. R. Watson, 3,622-c.c. Watson-Special, 42.0 secs.
Fastest Time Of The Day: N. A. Bean, 3,485-c.c. Jaguar 100, 40.0 secs.
Fastest Family Saloon: I. McLardy, 1,352-c.c. Lancia Aprilia, 45.6 sees.

M.M.E.C. And Sunbac Speed Trial
This event was held on an enterprising course at the Austin aerodrome. Again, many interesting cars ran, notably the blown J4 M.G.-engined, Austin Seven chassis Wharton-Special, the Hudson engined Skinner-Special, an M.G. with blown Austin Ten engine, a Talbot-engined Salmson, etc. The “special” builders have clearly been busy. Fastest time of the first runs was made by Parker’s Allard, but Gerard really got the E.R.A. going in the second half, to set f.t.d. at 28.2 secs. Results: –
Fastest Time Of The Day: F. R. Gerard, E.R.A., 28.2 secs.
Fastest Special Or Racing Car: F. R. Gerard, E.R.A., 28.2 secs.
Fastest Special Subject To Handicap: E. Lloyd Jones, Skinner-Special, 30.4 secs.
Fastest Open Car: L. Parker, Allard, 30.6 secs.
Fastest Open Car Subject To Handicap: F. R. Gerard, Riley, 32.6 secs.
Fastestet Closed Car: J. L. Brain, Vauxhall, 41.4 secs.; E. Highway, Triumph, 41.4 secs.
Fastest Closed Car Subject To Handicap: F. D. Woodhall, Aston-Martin, 42.4 secs.

Marseilles G.P.
Maserati scored another victory in a post-war Grand Prix when Sommer’s 1 1/2-litre won the Marseilles G.P. over the Prado circuit. He won by a lap, after a drive lasting 1 hr. 20 min. 37.7 secs., averaging 59.23 m.p.h. for the 35 lap (approx. 80 m.) race. Sommer also set the fastest lap at 62.4 m.p.h. (2 min. 9.5 secs.). Plate’s Maserati was 2nd, followed by Grignard’s unblown 3 1/2-litre Delahaye, Ruggieri’s Maserati, De Graffenried’s Maserati and Pozzi’s Delahaye.

The Lawrence Cup Trial
In heavy weather the first post-war Lawrence Cup Trial of the N.W.L.M.C. was organised by the Hutchisons on Bagshot Heath. A number of special tests and many of the old favourites in the way of hills were featured. Results are not yet available as we write this “Stop Press” report. Sydney Allard’s Allard was not running well, but nevertheless performed outstandingly. Red Roads had to be taken both straight up and via a very difficult “S”-turn 2/3rds of the way up. General impressions: Appleton, pipe in mouth, had a nice run up in the Allard, and Mallock’s Austin Seven made a splendid straight-up attempt, failing at the very top. Oscar Moore’s 328 B.M.W., smoking considerably, failed early, as did Biggs (Riley) and Birkett (Austin), amongst many others, including Denyer (Lea-Francis). Braid wuffled his Ford V8 Special up the straight climb. Uglow’s H.R.G. and Leslie Johnson’s 328 B.M.W. climbed fast, the latter with Tommy Doman as his passenger, but Johnson was bothered by gearbox trouble on other sections. Price had very tough luck when his Price-Special V8 took the “S” only to spit and stop thereafter. Parker’s Allard and Appleton’s sister car failed early on the “S” ascent, but Potter got up clean. Best’s blown M.G. made light work of the straight climb in spite of an occasional misfire, and Terry’s Terryford, steaming contentedly, was hectic but successful through the “S.” Delingpole’s H.R.G. failed at the very top.