Letters, March 1948

Sir,
I would like to congratulate Motor Sport upon the interesting report in your January issue of the Club Conference recently held at the R.A.C. It does, however, contain one or two comments which are not quite accurate. For instance, the statement is made that the R.A.C. did not consider Gransden suitable for racing. The fact is exactly the reverse, and two permits have been issued.

It is also stated or inferred that I have poured cold water on, and given lukewarm support to, the Dundrod Circuit proposition in Northern Ireland. The facts are the exact reverse. I have indeed offered to go over to Northern Ireland to see the Members of the Government of Northern Ireland to explain why it is that this circuit could be one of the finest, fastest and safest circuits in this or any other country, if the proposition could receive official approval.

In the case of Scarborough Moors, no one would welcome a circuit there more than I should, but nothing is gained by disregarding practical considerations and difficulties in the case of this or any other propositions.

I am, Yours, etc.,

Howe, Chairman, competitions Committee. Pall Mall, S.W.1.

[We are extremely sorry if, in our report of the R.A.C. Meeting of the Clubs, we appeared at variance with Earl Howe, for, as we emphasised last month, no one is doing more than His Lordship to obtain a fair deal for the Sport. When we said we could net understand why the R.A.C. considered Gransden unusable for racing, we meant as a permanent site when offered as such. Naturally, we were aware that two permits were issued to the C.U.A.C. to hold races there— these meetings were, in our opinion, the finest in England during the 1941 and 1947 seasons. All the more reason, surely, not to refuse any site offered as a race track by the Air Ministry, no matter what apparent difficulties might need to be overcome to render it suitable for racing. What we want is a track of some kind, somewhere, and Gransden,we should have thought, would have been better than most, although we believe it is no longer available for this purpose. We made no mention of the Dundrod circuit in our report, but, since receiving Earl Howe’s letter, we are delighted to learn that negotiations are proceeding smoothly and that this new circuit outside Belfast may be in use by 1949. Earl Howe has inspected this circuit and no one appreciates this help, and his many other contributions towards a satisfactory future for motor-racing, more than we do,—Ed.]