RECORDS AT POOLE

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RECORDS AT POOLE

LARGE CROWD SEES C. E. C. MARTIN (E.R.A.) MAKE FASTEST TIME

ADDED importance attached to the Poole Speed Trials this year through several well known fixtures having dropped out of the list, and further through the fact that the event had been granted an open permit. The Poole Speed Trials were first held in 1936, and an even better entry than before was received this year. Despite strong opposition, Charles Martin, with his E.R.A., secured the record for the 680-yard course with a splendid time of 22.20 secs., beating the figure of 22.82 secs. set up by G. R. Hartwell with his M.G. in 1936. New records were also set up in every one of the racing classes, and in many of the sports and super-sports divisions

as well. The sports-car record was broken by R. M. Strang, driving his Hudson Century, with a time of 25.47 secs., but the record for super-sports cars, 24.86 secs. by the Spikins-Hudson last year, remained unchallenged.

The proceeds of the event, held in Poole Park by permission of the Corporation, went to the Cornelia Hospital, Poole, and a large crowd gathered, enjoying glorious sunshine throughout the day. So strong was the sunlight that at first the ray apparatus by which the finish times were recorded needed some adjustment. The timing apparatus was that of Brigadier Loughborough, and was contained in five massive cabinets full of delicate mechanism. Each time was recorded by the chronometer on a separate sheet of cardboard, the human element being thus entirely eliminated.

In the morning the sports classes were run off, and the first record to be broken was by J. G. Clarke with his Frazer-Nash, in the 1,500 c.c. class, knocking nearly a second and a half off last year’s best, and actually beating the record for unlimited sports-cars. When the big cars appeared Strang with his smart blue Hudson Century showed terrific speed, and actually cannoned off the bank at one of the bends near the finish on his first run. His second run established the sports-car record at 25.47 secs., and though J. G. Fry and H. Pelmore, with two-seater 41-litre Bentleys, ran one another close and provided some excitement on the final curves, neither could approach Strang’s time.

Supercharged PB.-type M.G.s dominated the smaller classes of the supersports cars, till M. W. B. May made a fine effort with his veteran Double-Twelve 2-litre Alvis, actually beating N. Lewis’s Monza-type supercharged Alfa-Romeo. Best time counted in all classes entered, and thus Strang did not have another chance to attack the super-sports record. His ” sports ” time was narrowly beaten by K. W. Bear’s ” four-nine” Bugatti.

A great battle was expected among the racing-cars for the course record. It was unfortunate that H. L. Hadley’s works Austin was a non-starter, but A. N. I. Maclachlan upheld the Austin reputation nobly. A startling performance was that of D. H. C. Fry’s ” Preikaiserwagen.” This specially built sprint car has the engine amidships in the frame, behind the driver, with a streamlined petrol tank mounted above it, to give a gravity feed.

It has done well in many speed events this year, and at Poole, though its twincylinder Blackburne engine is only 1,100 c.c., actually made best unsupercharged time, beating G. B. C. Sumner’s 10i-litre Delage, which, as usual, was really too big for the course. Sunnier made several fine runs in spite of this.

Last year’s record holder, G. R. Hartwell, with the 1,287 c.c. M.G. Special once owned by B. R. Hall, seemed likely to fight it out with Charles Martin after the first runs. Hartwell set up 23.12 secs, and Martin 23.37 secs. Martin, however, who had only just arrived in time by yacht from Cowes, had never driven up the course before, and was expected to go faster on his second attempt. He certainly did. Holding the green E.R.A. through the tricky curves at the finish quite steadily but at tremendous speed, he set up a new record of 22.20 secs. Hartwell was troubled by violent

misfiring on his next run, and a new contender sprang into the limelight, R. J. W. Appleton with his Special. The Appleton Special not only made second fastest time, but captured the “noise record,” previously held by the Sumner-J.A.P. The Sumner-J.A.P. was quieter this year owing to slightly longer exhaust pipes.

A. Baron’s 3.3-litre Bugatti was much admired, and seemed very fast on the course, but his 23.41 secs. was just beaten by Geoffrey Taylor’s Alta, which took 23.20 secs. Third runs were allowed for the racingcars, and also for the twelve best sportscars, as the organisation had been so good that there was time in hand. These runs did not count for class placings or awards, but the times would stand if any new records were established. This was not the ease, as Martin was slightly slower than before, and Hartwell’s car again burst into misfiring when it was going well. Geoffrey Taylor, however, with the Alta, managed to join those who had broken last year’s record with a final rim in 22.73 secs. In these final runs Pelmore at last got the better of Pry, in the duel between the two Bentleys,

and Miss Dorothy Turner’s M.G. was actually faster than Mrs. Darbishire’s Bugatti, for the women driver’s prize.

RESULTS

Poole Trophy (fastest time) : C. E. C. Martin (1,496 c.c. E.R.A., S.).

Sherriff’s Cup (second fastest): It. J. W. Appleton (1,089 c.c. Appleton Special, S.).

Hambro Cup (fastest unsupercharged) : D. H. C. Fry (1,097 c.c. Freikaiserwagen).

Elliott Cup (fastest woman driver): Mrs. T. Darbishire (1,990 c.c. Bugatti, S.).

Bristowe Cup (fastest sports): R. M. Strang (4,168 c.c. Hudson Century).

Martin Cup (fastest super-sports) : K. W. Bear (4,900 c.c. Bugatti, S.).

Chamber of Trade Cup (fastest West Hants Member) 0. R. Hartwell (1,287 c.c. M.G. Special, S.).

Racing-Cars

1,100 c.c. : 1, D. H. C. Fry (1,097 c.c.

Frei haiserwagen), 23.53s.

1,500 c.c. Ws, 750 c.c. S. : 1, A. N. L. Maclachlan (747 e. e. Austin, S.), 24.48s.; 2, Miss D. Turner (747 LG., S.), 25.88s.; 3, E. G. Brettell (747 c.o. Austin, S.), 25.97s.

2,000 c.c. Us., 1,100 c.c. S. :1, R. J. W. Appleton (1,089 c.c. Appleton Special, S.), 22.858.; 2, A. N. L.

Maclachlan (747 c.c. Austin, S.), 24.48s.; 3, Miss D. Turner (747 e.e. M.G., S.), 25.88s.

4,000 c.c. U/s., 1,500 0.0. S. : I, C. E. C. Martin (1,496 c.c. E.R.A. S), 22,20s.; 2, R. J. W. Appleton (1,089 c.c. Appleton Special, S.), 22.858.; 3, G. R. Hartwell (1,287 c.c. M.G., S.), 23.12s.

Unlimited U/s., 3,000 c.c. S. : As previous class.

Unlimited IL’s. or S. : 1, R. J. W. Appleton (1,089 C.C. Appleton Special, S.), 22.85s.; 2, G. R. Hartwell (1,287 c.c. M.G., S.), 23.12s.; 3, G. Taylor (1,960 0.0. Alta, 8.), 23.20s.

Super-Sports Cars

860 0.0. : 1, H. Dunsterville (847 c.c. M.G., S.), 31.68s.

1,100 e.c. :1, E. C. Haesendonck (939 c.c. M.G., S.), 26.89s.; 2, E. J. Haesendonck (939 c.c. M.G., S.), 27.08s. ; 3, H. W. Burt (939 c.c. M.G., S.), 27.40s.

1,600 c.c. : As previous class.

8,000 0.0. :1, M. W. B. May (1,991 c.c. Alvis), 26.92 s. ; 2, N. Lewis (2,360 c.c. Alfa-Romeo, S.), 27.36s.; 3, II. W. Burt (939 c.c. M.G., S.), 27.40s.

Over 3.000 c.c. :1, K. W. tear (4,900 c.c. Bugatti, S.), 25.44s. ; 2, It. M. Strang (4,168 c.c. Hudson Century), 25.478.; 3„I. 0. Fry (4,400 c.c. Bentley), 26.03s.

Sports-Cars

1,100 0.0. : 1, R. A. Lainbowin (1,087 c.c. M.G.), 32.0 Es.

1,600 c.c. : 1, J. 0. Clarke (1,406 c.c. Frazer-Nash), 25.98s. ; 2, W. P. Uglow (1,497 e.e. H.R.0.), 27.668.; 3, C. Mann (1,496 c.c. Aston-Martin), 28.31s.

8,000 c.c. • 1,3.0. Clarke (1,496 c.c. Frazer-Nash), 25.98s. ; 2, *L. G. Johnson (1,911 c.c. Frazer-Nash13.M.W.) 27.078.; 3, c. Mann (1,496 c.c. Aston-Martin) 28.318.

Over 3,000 c.c. : 1, R. M. Strang (4,168 c.c. Hudson Century), 25.47s. • 2, 3. 0. Fry (4.400 c.c. Bentley), 26.038. ; 3, H. Pelmore (4,500 c.c. Bentley), 26.26s.