THE STANELY CUP CONTEST AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE

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THE STANLEY CUP CONTEST AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE

VERY ENJOYABLE MEETING RUN BY FRAZER-NASH AND B.M.W. AND VINTAGE S.C. CLUBS.

£JOHN MORRIS INVERTS THE BIG BENZ. WITHOUT a doubt the Crystal Palace short-circuit, which the Frazer-Nash & B.M.W. Club, in conjunction with the Vintage S.C.C., used for the Stanley Cup Contest on April 15th, is highly suited to this sort of Meeting. Not only is the course a very good One for amateurs to try their skill over and on which to demonstrate the qualities of their cars, but very friendly gatherings are possible in the grass grown Paddock—wherein were to be seen a record number of marshals. Although lots of people left the course, the only really dangerous spot is Stadium Dip, where a tail slide on the adverse camber is .apt to result in contact with the earth bank which guards the considerable drop

beyOnd. Here the only bad accident occurred, when the unfortunate John Morris, having spun the 22-litre Benz round at the Link and skilfully kept it on the road, was caught out at the Dip and slid sideways into the bank, the big four-seater rolling right over and smashing axle, wheels, bonnet, scuttle and steering wheel. John looked to be badly crushed, but he bore up bravely and walked to the ambulance with bad head injuries, after receiving first aid on the spot. Of course, several papers used the crash scene, from a meeting which they would otherwise have scorned. Morris has been most unlucky with the Benz, but we hope he will not lose heart—the machinery did not appear to have suffered. In the Paddock there were signs of real vintage enthusiasm. Bolster toweti ” Mary ” behind a sports Morris Cowley. Bill de Selincourt had Orlebar’s new Austin, with Alta head, Solex downdraught carburetter and three-branch ” Brooklands ” exhaust system, and Truett completed repairs to a broken half

shaft on his S.S. in record time. An ancient Overland lorry appeared on the course, Nash was concerned about new pistons in the Lorraine, and Shakespeare produced a new Edwardian in his 14.3 ii. p. Enfield-Alldays tourer.

Tony Curtis gave us a commentary that was a lesson on how such things should be done—someone who is somebody in racing should always be chosen to mouth at the mike.

In the first 4 lap handicap Batson, on Clarke’s Frazer-Nash (with new Dubotmet independent suspension) beat Smith’s B.M.W. and Johnson’s B.M.W. led Mallett’s B.M.W. and Hudson’s B.M.W. on initial get-away, and H. J. Aldington beat Pane. After a lap Barson led from Crozier’s Frazer-Nash and Smith’s, whose” B.M.W.’s horn was ” shorting.” Greig’s Frazer-Nash fell sick and on lap 3 Leslie Johnson came up to :3rd place. but in the end Hudson finished third behind Barson and Crozier. In the next race Van Essen’s Bugatti would not start and Laing’s Type 44 Bugatti tourer was slow off the line. Ellis led throughout with a blown ” Hyper” Lea-Francis, and Hampton’s 1922 Mercedes-Benz just pipped Peck’s imposing 3-litre Austro-Daimler for third] place. The next 4 lap handicap saw exciting happenings, for on the first round, Barson, on scratch with the victorious Frazer-Nash, smote the bank wildly before Stadium Dip and damaged the new suspension before poor Clark had had a drive, and then Morris rolled the Benz over. Through it all L. C. McKenzie drove a beautiful race in the 4!2-litre Bentley in which he incorporated some of his own ideas last year, now with a light two-seater, blue-hued body. He won easily from Fotheringham Parker’s old Lambda Lancia, which was fairly flung round the Dip and N. Green’s

smart 3-litre Bentley. Spooner tan a 2-litre Lagonda fabric tourer, and Carson’s Amilcar carried a delightful ” pipsqueak ” bulb-horn on its brake lever. Another 4 lap handicap followed, Lady Mary Grosvenor’s Riley accelerating away

from Antell’s Wolseley and Radley’s

Smith’s B.M.W., likewise leaving Hampton’s Mercedes-Benz, while Johnson’s 328 B.M.W. beat Dyke-Acland’s M.G. Lady ( ;rosvenor led lap one from Sandercombe’s Singer and Hampton, but by lap 2 Hampton was second and Johnson third and finally Johnson won at nearly 50 m.p.h. from Lady Grosvenor, with Turner’s Riley—Gerard’s blown car –third, very close behind. Smith ran out of road at Stadium Curve on the last lap. Initial acceleration was in many instances most instructive, and in the next race Windsor-Richard’s 30/98 Vauxhall beat Symons’s blown T-type M.G., Truett’s S.S. beat Mrs. Thomas’s 328 B.M.W., and Aldington vanquished Pane. On lap one Shakespeare’s Type 55 Bugatti passed Roberts’s S.S. on the inside at Stadium Dip, where Goldman spun his S.S. round but continued. The old 30/98 stayed ahead for a long while, but was finally passed by Roy Cutler’s Frazer-Nash, while Aldington retired, giving Farm third, place on his new B.M.W. Goldman’s S.S., we noticed, formerly called ” Britain First,” now

responds to the name” Britain.” Whereas Windsor-Richards hugged Stadium Curve,. Culler cornered wider, white Gerard seemed to set baulked in some astounding bunching at Stadium Dip. Next we saw L. C. McKenzie drive a_ model race and again win convincingly and quickly with his 4i-litre Bentley,. in spite of a rehandicap of 8 secs.—a rather neat demonstration of his real understanding of a Bentley’s ” innards.’ Richards’s trials Rover Ten was a surprisingly good second, with Parker’s very stable Lambda-Lancia third. Radley’s M.G. was in trouble, Greig passed inside Peck at the Dip on the final lap, and Darque’s B.M.W. finished last. Leslie Johnson’s familiar :328 B.M.W. won the next 8 lap handicap very nicely, wearing down the big lead built up by

Thwaites with his limit T-type M.G. Johnnie looked much more wind-swept than he does after making best performance in a classic trial, driving as usual in a lounge suit and bare-headedcontrast to the garb worn by certain drivers of oh-so-slow ears and some non-competitors in the Paddock. Shaw’s blown M.G. was second and Thwaites.

third. The winning B.M.W. averaged 52.28 m.p.h. In the following, long handicap Ald.y beat Pane on get away and attempted a dead-heat at the end, but was judged to have won by -e–„ of a second. Symons’s blown T-type M.G. from limit was third.

Truett found his S.S. gyrating at Stadium Dip, where Stone’s 01-litre Bentley had exciting moments. Another 8 lap handicap followed,. Rogers’ M.G. pipping Laing’s fourseater on acceleration, while the LambdaLancia left Sidney’s A.C. engined

and Bochaton, with the well-used McEvoy, led Greig and Crozier on Nashes. Windsor-Richards forcefully stopped his 30/98from taking a short cut at the Dip on lap one, and Green’s 3-litre Bentley,. steaming somewhat, looked like winning,.

until passed on lap 7, first by Parkir’s Lancia, cornered as never before and appearing to have a binding hub and then by Crozier’s Frazer-Nash, which ultimately won. Laing’s Bugatti seemed to like the Dip, but in general the tyre scream was intense and on lap 4 Darque spun his B.M.W. round at Stadium Curve. Greig just got third place.

An involved and rather startling Relay Race was the next event, won by the United Hospitals team. Cutler’s FrazerNash was started by foot-action on the handle. Caine the 4 lap Veteran’s Handicap and very intense it was. The LorraineDietrich was a little difficult to start and was beaten by Heal’s Fiat on getaway. Clutton was soon out in front on the Sixty Itala, cornering by sheer brute strength, rear tyres smoking and a wheel first locked under the brakes and then revolved backwards on the dry 1 These three cars seemed very evenly matched, but the Itala had 12 secs. start, and it won at 43.7 m.p.h., lapping at some 49 m.p.h. Heal’s Fiat was second and Nash third, both cornering with the inner wheels lifting, Nash rather wide

at Stadium Curve. The ’07 7.2-litre Renault “Agatha—That Scarlet Lady” went splendidly and the Enfield-Alldays did a most sedate, high-speed tour. This event again showed up the Edwardians very favourably indeed and the crowd just loved it. In the 8 lap scratch race which followed, Robarts locked a front wheel at Stadium Dip and almost hit the bank. He recovered well, but ” Aldy,” Pane, Cutler and Turner got ahead of him. Pane caught Aldington on lap 3 atd stayed in front to win the fastest race of the day by 1.9 secs., at 58.07 m.p.h. Pane is absolute master of that B.M.W. and we noticed that he looked casually over his right shoulder while sliding the Dip, coming back to the Paddock when the race was over. Turner was third with the blown Riley and Stone’s big

Bentley was lapped. Speeds, by the way, were announced with commendable promptitude. In the next scratch.. race Johnson got an initial lead from Moffat’s S.S. and Whincop’s G.P. Bugatti. The lastnamed, and Hampton’s Mere. had musical clutch-housings, Richards cornered his Rover faster and faster, and Moffat was

trying hard. Johnson held his lead, winning his third race that day, and Moffat’s 31-litre S.S. 100 was second, but on lap 7 Mrs. Thomas got past Whincop, to take third place with her husband’s black B.M.W. Johnson slid the Dip joyfully on his final lap.

Finally, the 15 lap Racing Car Handicap, when all eyes were on John Bolster. “Mary,” if that is still the child’s name seemed to lack anchors, but otherwise went like an eight-cylinder bomb. Hurst, aided by Bellevue, won on the M.G. Magnette from Ma.cArth.ur’s M.G. Magnette—also Bellevue nursed—and Winterbottom’s 1,100 c.c. Alta, after Woodall’s Morgan-like Chatterbox had faded from the picture. Altogether a most excellent meeting, for which the Aldington brothers and Harry Bowler, in particular, are deserving of high praise. The Crystal Palace certainly rather overshadows Donington for this class of meeting— although United Hospitals will hold a club meeting at the older venue on May 20th, to which the Vintage S.C.C. is invited.

When the point-totters had done their job it was found that the F.N and B.M.W. Club had won the Stanley Cup with 46 points, from the N.W. London M.C., which had 32 points, and the J.C.C. with 19 points. B.M.W. cars certainly motored convincingly all the afternoon ; and so did a marshal’s B.M.W. motor-bicycle. STANLEY CUP (Provisional)

1. Frazer-Nash and B.M.W. C.C., 46 points.

2. North-West London M.O., 32 points.

3. Junior Car Club, 19 points.

4, United Hospitals and University of London M.O., 18 points; 5, Chiltern C.C., 17 points 6, Kentish Border C.C., 15 points; 7, Vintage C.C., 10 points ; 8, Berkhamsted M.C., 8 points ; 9, SS. C.C., 6 points; 10, Cambridge U.A.C., no points. RACE RESULTS Frazer-Nash and B.M.W. C.C. Members’ Handicap

m.p.h.; Won by 5.3s. 2, G. M. Crozier (FraserNash); 3, G. Hudson (Frazer-Nash), 13.88. behind Crozier.

Vintage Sports C.C. Members’ First Handicap (four laps) : 1, W. H. Ellis (11-litre Lea-Francis 8), 44.96 m.p.h. Won by 3.2s. ; 2, C. W. P. Hampton (1/ Mercedes 8); 3, W. G. S. Peck (3.0 AustroDaimler), 2.6s. behind Hampton.

Vintage Sports C.C. Members’ Second Handicap (four laps) : 1, L. C. Mackenzie (41 Bentley), 46.97 m.p.h. Won by 14.1s. ; 2, J. Fotheringham Parker (21 Lancia-Lambda); 3, N. Green (3.0 Bentley), 2.58. behind Lancia.

First Short Handicap (four laps): 1, L. G. Johnson (Frazer-Nash-B.M.W.), 49.89 m.p.h. Won by 6.1 sees.; 2, Lady Mary Grosvenor (11 Riley) ; 3, B.. M. Turner (1,100 Riley 8), 0.7s. behind the Riley.

Second Short Handicap: 1, R. Cutler (FrazerNash), 48.64 m.p.h. Won by 6.1s. ; 2, C. WindsorRichards (30.98 Vauxhall); 3, A. F. P. Fane (FrazerNash-B.M.W.), 6.3s. behind the Vauxhall.

Third Short Handicap : 1, L. C. Mackenzie (4/ Bentley), 48.66 m.p.h. Won by 2.28.; 2, B,. E. Richards (Rover 10) ; 3, Fotheringharn Parker (Lancia), 3.6s. behind the Rover.

First Long Handicap (eight laps) : 1, L. 0. Johnson (Frazer-Nash-B.M.W.), 52.28 m.p.h. Won by 8.78. 2, H. B. Shaw (1,100 M.G., S.) ; 3. K. E. Thwaites (1,292 M.G.), 3.6s. behind Shaw.

Second Long Handicap : 1, H. J. Aldington (Frazer-Nash-B.M.W.), 51.94 m.p.h. Won by a tenth of a second. 2, A. F. P. Fane (Fraser-NashB.M.W.); 3, G. M. Symons (1,292 M.G., S.), la. behind Fane.

Third Long Handicap : 1, G. M. Crozier (FrazerNash), 47.56 m.p.h. Won by 6.18.; 2 J. Fotheringham Parker (Lancia); 3, D. Grieg (1,657 FrazerNash), 0.3s. behind the Lancia.

Team Relay Race (three Cars per team, three laps per car): 1, United Hospitals and University of London M.C. Team—Turner (Riley), Burson (FrazerNash), Gerard (Riley). 47.61 m.p.h. Won by 5a.; 2, Fraser-Nash and B.M.W. C.C. Team—Aldington, Faye (FN.-B.M.W.$) and Cutler (Frazer) ; 3, Chiltern C.C. Veteran Car Race (Handicap), three laps : 1, C. Chilton (12-litre Itala), 43.7 m.p.h. Won by 3.7s. ;

2, A. S. Heal (10-litre Fiat) ; 3, R. G. J. Nash (15-litre Lorraine-Dietrich), 0.6s. behind the Fiat.

First Long Scratch Race (eight laps) : 1, A. F. P. Fane (Frazer-Nash-B.M.W.), 53.67 m.p.h. Won by 1.9s.; 2, H. J. Aldington (Frazer-Nash-B.M.W.).

3, R.M. Turner (1,100 Riley S.), 8.78. behind Aidington.

Second Long Scratch Race : 1, L. (I. Johnson (Frazer-Nash-B.M.W.), 52.09 m.p.h. Won by 7s. ; 2, N. I). Moffat (3+ ss) ; 3, Mrs. E. M. Thomas (Frazer-Nash-B.M.W.), 17.8s. behind the SS.

Racing Car Handicap (15 laps): 1, A. H. B. Hurst (1,100 M.G.), 52.13 m.p.h. Won by 51.1s. ; 2, A. MacArthur (M.G. Magnette 1,100 8.); 3, E. Winterbottom (1,100 Alta S.), 4.18. behind the M.G.