The Story of Sitges

Browse pages
Current page

1

Current page

2

Current page

3

Current page

4

Current page

5

Current page

6

Current page

7

Current page

8

Current page

9

Current page

10

Current page

11

Current page

12

Current page

13

Current page

14

Current page

15

Current page

16

Current page

17

Current page

18

Current page

19

Current page

20

Current page

21

Current page

22

Current page

23

Current page

24

Current page

25

Current page

26

Current page

27

Current page

28

Current page

29

Current page

30

Current page

31

Current page

32

Current page

33

Current page

34

Current page

35

Current page

36

Current page

37

Current page

38

Current page

39

Current page

40

Current page

41

Current page

42

Current page

43

Current page

44

Current page

45

Current page

46

Current page

47

Current page

48

Current page

49

Current page

50

Current page

51

Current page

52

Current page

53

Current page

54

Current page

55

Current page

56

Current page

57

Current page

58

Current page

59

Current page

60

Current page

61

Current page

62

Current page

63

Current page

64

Current page

65

Current page

66

Current page

67

Current page

68

Current page

69

Current page

70

Current page

71

Current page

72

Current page

73

Current page

74

Current page

75

Current page

76

Current page

77

Current page

78

Current page

79

Current page

80

Current page

81

Current page

82

Current page

83

Current page

84

Current page

85

Current page

86

Current page

87

Current page

88

Current page

89

Current page

90

Current page

91

Current page

92

Current page

93

Current page

94

Current page

95

Current page

96

Current page

97

Current page

98

Current page

99

Current page

100

Current page

101

Current page

102

Current page

103

Current page

104

Current page

105

Current page

106

Current page

107

Current page

108

Current page

109

Current page

110

Current page

111

Current page

112

Current page

113

Current page

114

Current page

115

Current page

116

Current page

117

Current page

118

Current page

119

Current page

120

Current page

121

Current page

122

Current page

123

Current page

124

Current page

125

Current page

126

Current page

127

Current page

128

Current page

129

Current page

130

Current page

131

Current page

132

Current page

133

Current page

134

Current page

135

Current page

136

Current page

137

Current page

138

Current page

139

Current page

140

Current page

141

Current page

142

Current page

143

Current page

144

Current page

145

Current page

146

Current page

147

Current page

148

Our picture of count Zborowski in his miller on the banking at Sitges has resulted in a request for more information about this Spanish track. There is not much to tell.

It is clear why the so-called autodrome was built where it was, on the fashionable Spanish coast making it attractive to summer visitors, although it was some 40 miles from Barcelona. The success of Brooklands probably entered into it, for Montlhery was still being built when the Sitges track was opened in 1923. The promoters advertised the venture as “the most emotional speedway in the world”.

I have a book of gravure picture postcards issued to advertise it, many of the photos taken during construction. The lap distance was a mere 1.5 miles and the steep bankings were of an awkward section, making getting off and on them difficult for fast cars. The opening meeting on October 28 1923 was be for 2-litre GP cars. They were lucky to get Albert Divo and Dario Resta in two victorious 1923 GP Sunbeams, only because the STD concern feared greatly the two supercharged Fiats entered for the JCC of his job and would not blame a driver in acceptable circumstances for a crash involving him, Davis went so far as to say: “…each time we have raced in the loM there has been unusual unpleasantness. One cannot help feeling very doubtful as to the wisdom of racing there at all”.

This comment caused a furore, and The Autocar hastened to explain that SCHD was not casting aspersions on the Manx populace, only on those bringing the manslaughter charge. Davis did not return to the subject. But an anonymous loM correspondent was allowed a full page in which to give a reverse judgement. Don appealed, but was turned down. As the MG was being driven fast in racing trim on a public road, what else could the Judiciary do? Spectators have been injured or killed during races, but they are aware of being present at a dangerous sport.

For instance, two Talbots collided during the 1930 JCC Double-12 race and one was catapulted over the 4ft 6in high railings into the public enclosure, killing a spectator and injuring another, Christopher Hall. The Jury estimated 200-Mile Race at Brooklands, so sent these top drivers, plus two 1.1/2-litre Talbots, as far away as possible!

It had been a long time since Sitges had seen motor racing; in 1909 and 1910 Jules Goux had come from France to win the Catalan Cup event for Peugeot, but these were voiturette affairs over a 226-mile road circuit The 1923 track race was over 248.1/2 miles. Only four 2-litre entries had been received, two of the famous 1923 Sunbeams, a Diatto and the Count’s Miller, plus his 1.1/2-litre Aston Martin. As support for the far-distant track was so poor, the 1.1/2-litre cars joined in. A fine battle between Divo and Zborowslti ensued, the Sunbeam winning by 50sec from the straighteight Miller, at 96.91mph.

A later voiturette race was won by Resta in the Talbot, team-mate Divo second, Zborowski’s AM third. Still later in the year, Robert Benoist won a cyclecar contest for Salmson. That seems about the extent of this unhappy venture. Years later, in the1950’s I think, Jenks discovered it, almost intact apart from grass-infested bankings, the grandstand still standing. One wondered whether it might make a country club for motor-minded folk, even to demonstrations of vintage cars on the course. Indeed, I believe that such interest has been stirred quite recently. his injuries at £988. The claim passed from the JCC to the BARC, the Track owners; Hall lost but appealed. The appeal was lost too, the Jury, having absolved the drivers of the Talbots, being directed by the Judge that the paying spectator knew he was at a risky event and if the organisers had taken proper precautions to avoid forseeable accidents, negligence did not apply, whether the accident was caused by a cricket ball going into the Pavilion at Lords, an aeroplane at Hendon falling on someone, or, as had happened before, a member of the theatre audience being injured by bullets fired during a stage play.

At a horse-race an animal might swerve into the onlookers, at a football or hockey match a ball or player might hit people standing by the touch-line. But if those present could be assumed to have been aware of the risks, and reasonable precautions had been taken to protect them, there was no case to answer. So Hall lost his appeal.

Davis had quoted the case of TASO Mathieson, whose Bugatti used an escape road during the 1933 IoM Mannin Moar race, hit a shop, and seriously injured a lady who was in the escape area. A charge was brought against TASO, but, said Sammy, when Basil Eyston hit a cart in Ireland and a boy lost his life, no such action was taken, although it was on a public road.

What Davis had overlooked was that Eyston’s Bugatti was road-legal, which may have helped his case. Also that so keen were the race organisers they had issued temporary number plates for cars without any, and even local driving licences. The Mathieson case had deeper legal implications; an escape road would need to be covered by the Act enabling public ways to be closed for racing, a mere notice saying it was closed being insufficient, although I do not know if there was an oversight in this instance. But for certain Don’s case was different, as he was driving an illegal car on roads definitely in public use.

Don eventually went to prison for four months. Upon his release sympathetic friends gave him a dinner, but his racing career was over.