From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Race report from 'The Motor' magazine about the 1935 R.A.C. Tourist Trophy Race held at Ards Circuit, Belfast.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90a\1\ Scan059 | |
| Date | 10th September 1935 | |
| The Motor September 10, 1935. 230 R.A.C. Tourist Trophy Race ARDS CIRCUIT, BELFAST Dixon Wins His Finest Race 1½-LITRE RILEY BEATS HALL'S 3½-LITRE BENTLEY BY 1 MIN. 13 SECS. AT 76.90 M.P.H. LORD HOWE (BUGATTI), THIRD. GRIM STRUGGLE FOR FIRST PLACE. 50 PER CENT. RETIREMENTS DRIVING the race of his life, Freddie Dixon piloted his privately prepared 1½-litre four-cylinder Riley into first place in the Tourist Trophy race on the 13-mile Ards Circuit, Belfast, last Saturday, at 76.90 m.p.h. for the 476 miles of the course. He beat E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} R.{Sir Henry Royce} Hall's 3½-litre Bentley by 1 min. 13 secs. Hall exerted every effort to catch him during the latter half, but Dixon virtually had the race in his pocket for the last six laps. Lord Howe (Bugatti) fell back half way through the race and then made a magnificent recovery to finish third, at 79.72 m.p.h. C. Brackenbury and S. Penn-Hughes (Aston-Martins) drove head to tail throughout and finished 1 sec. apart. Aston-Martins won the team prize. The race was characterized by high speed, lap records in practically every class, and the circuit by Hon. B. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Lewis (Bugatti) at the astounding speed, for an unsupercharged car, of 82.51 m.p.h. Dixon's fastest lap was 79.44 m.p.h. There were several crashes, none attended with serious personal injuries. Dixon led the race from first to last. The Bugattis menaced him in the early stages, then Hindmarsh (Lagonda) robbed him of first place for a space but, with Dodson (Lagonda), he was slowed by tyre changes. Hall ran second for the last three hours of the six-hour race. Cyril Paul (Riley) clung to third place, until after half-distance, and was then displaced, first by Lord Howe and then by two Aston-Martins. Of 35 starters, 13 finished within the time limit, three were flagged in at the end, four crashed, and 15 cracked up, most of which were out by half-distance. Special mention should be made of the three F.W.D. Adlers, McCalla's Marendaz Special, and the little Balilla Fiats, which all stirred the appreciative crowds to great enthusiasm. [Image Caption Bottom Left] Aston-Martins win the team prize. One of the most impressive marathon displays in the race was made by these cars which ran closely grouped throughout the race. Brackenbury and Penn-Hughes (Nos. 16 and 17) finished fourth and fifth a second apart. T. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Rose Richards (No. 18) was third man in the team and finished 11th. September 10, 1935. 231 THE TRIUMPHANT TRIO The Motor The Full Results 1. F.{Mr Friese} W. DIXON (1½-LITRE RILEY), 6 hrs. 3 mins. 32 secs., 76.90 m.p.h. 2. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} R.{Sir Henry Royce} HALL (3½-LITRE BENTLEY), 6 hrs. 4 mins. 45 secs., 76.57 m.p.h. 3. LORD HOWE (3.3-LITRE BUGATTI), 6 hrs. 7 mins. 57 secs., 75.72 m.p.h. 4. C. BRACKENBURY (1½-LITRE ASTON-MARTIN), 6 hrs. 8 mins. 54 secs., 75.78 m.p.h. 5. S. PENN-HUGHES (1½-LITRE ASTON-MARTIN), 6 hrs. 8 mins. 55 secs., 75.78 m.p.h. 6. C. PAUL (1½-LITRE RILEY), 6 hrs. 11 mins. 38 secs., 75.35 m.p.h. 7. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} S. Hindmarsh (4½-litre Lagonda), 6 hrs. 11 mins. 50 secs., 78.87 m.p.h. 8. C. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} P. Dodson (4½-litre Lagonda), 6 hrs. 11 mins. 50 secs., 78.80 m.p.h. 9. A.{Mr Adams} W. K.{Mr Kilner} Von der Becke (1½-litre Riley), 6 hrs. 14 mins. 5 secs., 74.71 m.p.h. 10. R.{Sir Henry Royce} J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} B. Seaman (1,287 c.c. M.G. Magnette), 6 hrs. 18 mins. 12 secs., 73.68 m.p.h. 11. T. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Rose Richards (1½-litre Aston-Martin), 6 hrs. 22 mins. 20 secs., 75.11 m.p.h. 12. W. R.{Sir Henry Royce} Baird (1,287 c.c. M.G. Magnette), 6 hrs. 25 mins. 45 secs., 72.31 m.p.h. 13. K.{Mr Kilner} D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} Evans (1,287 c.c. M.G. Magnette), 6 hrs. 30 mins. 45 secs., 69.60 m.p.h. Team Prize. Aston-Martin, No. 16, C. Brackenbury, C. Penn-Hughes and T. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Rose Richards. (No other team finished the course intact.) [Image Captions Right] (Top, Right) First three home. From left to right: Lord Howe (Bugatti) third, Freddie Dixon (Riley), winner and E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} R.{Sir Henry Royce} Hall (Bentley), who drove a gallant race but failed to catch Dixon. (Above) Flagging in Dixon. (Right) Once again Eddie Hall finished second in the T.T. with the same 3½-litre Bentley. He drove a splendid race, made only one pit stop, and averaged the highest speed of the race–79.36 m.p.h. His car handled beautifully and ran as sturdily at the finish as at the start. He refused to be drawn into a dog fight in the early stages and pressed Dixon very closely at the end, finishing 1 min. 13 sec. behind him in second place. Here he is photographed at Dundonald. c11 | ||