The B.A.R.C. Crystal Palace Meeting

Hawthorn Wins International Trophy Race in Moss’ Maserati

The Crystal Palace was again the scene of motor-racing on July 30th, when the B.A.R.C. staged its so-called International Meeting at the rather bumpy London circuit. Hawthorn won the big event of the day, the International Trophy race, run in two heats and a final of 21 miles. He drove the Stirling Moss Maserati, as Stirling arrived from Germany too late to practise and so was not allowed to compete, holding off Harry Schell in the Vanwall and setting a new lap record of 78.93 m.p.h., which betters Parnell’s former figure with the Ferrari by 3.11 m.p.h.!

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International Trophy Race — Heat 1-10 Laps — F.1

Hawthorn led all the way in Moss’ Maserati, the car still wearing its Aintree grey. Salvadori, his Maserati manxed of tail as a result of a practice episode, and Gould in the other F. 1 Maserati held second and third places, well strung out, and Fairman, after closing up on Gould in Rob Walker’s new F.1 Connaught, fell back, but kept ahead of C. A. S. Brooks in Riseley-Pritchard’s F. II Connaught, winner of the 2-litre race. A radius-arm was suspect on the new Connaught, which probably caused Fairman to slow. An interesting car was Chase’s 2-litre Cooper-Bristol, rear-engined, with the 1,971-c.c. Bristol engine, and with a large rev.-counter on the left-hand side of the cockpit. It was driven by Keen but was slow, being passed by Hall’s Cooper-Bristol. The Equipe Devone Cooper-Bristol retired at half-distance.

International Trophy Race — Heat 2-10 Laps — F.1

Schell had been easily fastest in practice in the Vanwall Special and no doubt Tony Vandervell turned up expecting to see his car win. Nor was he disappointed in the heat, for after initial excitement because Paul Emery led lap one in the Alta-engined G.P. Emeryson, which had refused to start in time for Heat 1, Schell went by going into Ramp Bend, shaking his fist in Emery’s face. He then took the Vanwall Special out of sight of the rest of the field. J. A. Young in an F. II Connaught pressed Emery very hard, closing on braking to within half a length, so no doubt Emery was relieved when he retired on lap six, belching smoke. Brabham, in a wonderful flat-topped crash-hat and the 2,200-c.c. rear-engined G.P. Cooper which made its debut at Aintree, then took on M. F. Young in an F.1 Connaught, to pass on the last lap.

Gerard’s Cooper-Bristol had been left on the grid and Boulton bent his Connaught on the second lap, Kyffin’s Cooper-Bristol rather tamely winning the 2-litre section.

Senior 500-C.C. Race-10 Laps

This produced one of the finest duels ever seen, fought out between Jim Russell and Ivor Bueb in their Cooper-Nortons. They came to grips on lap four, after Russell had passed Taylor and Allison. A nose-to-nose battle developed, both cars absolutely level on the short straights. To add to the spectacle Allison closed right up two laps from the finish. As they swept down New Link to the finish the leading pair were level, then Russell poked ahead by the width of a tyre, the official verdict being .05 sec.!

The Bevis shed a wheel and spun off at Ramp Bend on lap five and Wicken retired after a fierce duel with Parker’s Kieft.

Junior 500-C.C. Race

In a close-packed start Jones (Kieft-Norton) rode up the wheel of another car, but continued unperturbed. Raby, in white crash-hat, chequered shirt and a Cooper-Norton, led all the way from Brown’s Martin Special, with Bridger’s Kieft third.

Manning contacted the trees at New Link on lap two in his Erskine-J.A.P. and later Williams spun off in his Emeryson-Norton

Sports-Car Race Up to 2 Litres Non-s/c.-10 Laps

Colin Chapman in his famous aerodynamic Lotus-M.G. showed the Cooper-Climax chaps where they got off, gaining a convincing lead in the early stages and winning at 71.79 m.p.h., smoke showing from the M.G. engine on the over-ran. Behind, Bueb led Sopwith, in the Cooper-Climax cars, until Sopwith took a chance and passed Bueb on the inside going into Ramp Corner. That bit of dicey driving took place on lap six, whereupon Bueb sat on Tommy’s tail and on the ninth lap he in his turn thrust through on the inside at the same place, causing Sopwith to swerve slightly. Behind, Michael Anthony couldn’t catch these 1,100-c.c. Coopers. in his noisy Lotus-Bristol but held off Russell’s Cooper-Climax, which had caught and passed Tony Crook’s Cooper-Bristol, after which Salvadori in the Cooper-Maserati took on, and caught, Crook. Next up was Jopp (Lotus), who overtook Brandon’s Halseylec outside on Ramp Bend.

Sports-Car Race — Unlimited Non-s/c. — l0 Laps

Salvadori in a works Le Mans DB3S Aston Martin had the speed of everyone, but Archie Scott-Brown almost kept him in sight in the familiar Lister-Bristol. Michael Anthony hold third place in the Lotus-Bristol until his engine failed going into Ramp Bend on lap four, so that he waved on Scott-Russell’s sister aerodynamic car, which had been pressing hard.

The race otherwise lacked interest. Prasom in Bira’s TojeiroJaguar lasted only two laps, Flint’s remarkable E-type E.R.A. sports car with Jaguar engine four, while the runners were further depleted when Halford’s H.W.M.-Jaguar fell out after seven laps.

Towards the end Crook challenged Blond’s XK120C Jaguar for fourth place but to no avail.

International Trophy Race — Final-15 Laps — F.1

The start was the best part of the race, for when Moss dropped the Union Jack he saw Hawthorn in his formerly unlucky Maserati forge away from Gould and Schell, Salvadori being pushed onto the grass by Gould as they took Ramp Bend in a bunch. That order held for lap one, as Hawthorn came snaking down the New Link, but Salvadori had his revenge, passing Gould on the inside into Ramp!

Kyffin’s Cooper-Bristol was left on the grid, or rather had to be pushed off.

The order Hawthorn, Schell, Salvadori, Gould, lasted until lap ten, when Gould retired waving a sorry fist. For a while the Emeryson kept ahead of Brooks’ Connaught but after Brooks had all but rammed the Emeryson’s tail on lap five at Ramp he got by on the outside at this bend the next time round, to steam away. Similarly, M. F. Young got well clear once his 2 ½-litre Connaught passed Hall’s Cooper-Bristol. The Vanwall Special never looked like catching Hawthorn, being always 1 – 1½ seconds behind on the straights. Indeed, the race was a fast procession, Hawthorn finishing 1.4 seconds ahead of the British car, with a new lap record of 78.93 m.p.h. to his credit. He was loudly applauded when making his lap of honour seated on a Sunbeam Alpine.

The Club Trophy Race – 10 Laps — F.1

Intended for the cars from Heats 1 and 2 of the International Trophy Race which were not accommodated in the Final of a possible 12 runners only four came to the start. Gerard had got his Cooper-Bristol going and beat Keen’s rear-engined car of this make, Webb’s Turner, emitting a smell of “boot-polish” fuel, beating Tony Crook’s Cooper-Bristol to third place.

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The commentary really did reach an all-time low, unless you regarded McDonald Hobley’s muddled vapourings as a comic turn. If commentators are too lazy to lay-on some “gen” about the competing cars before the meeting commences there is surely no need to draw attention to this by hazarding wild guesses about the cars — on July 30th the E.R.A.-Jaguar was the subject of discussion for minutes on end, Hobby admitting to no knowledge of it and Tilling saying that by its straight side-members he felt sure it had next to no E.R.A. about it, but he would look at it more closely as it cornered, after which nothing more was said on the subject! In fact, this is an E-type E.R.A. with Jaguar engine, as a glance at it in the Paddock made obvious. Curtain!