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).
Newspaper report on the Ards Circuit T.T. car race, detailing multiple crashes and a 17-second victory.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90a\2\ Scan096 | |
| Date | 2nd September 1934 guessed | |
| Sunday Dispatch CAR BURNS Thrills, 6-HOURS DUEL WON BY-17 SECONDS BONNET-TO-BONNET BATTLE From Our Own Correspondent BELFAST, Saturday. MORE than half a million spectators gathered in stands and on roadsides around the great Ards Circuit watching the T.T. race to-day saw: One car leave the road at nearly 100 m.p.h. and overturn down a bank, pinning the driver beneath; Another burst into flames at terrific speed; A third swerve and lurch and broadside into a ditch and overturn when its steering snapped. All records for the course were broken in all three classes despite the fact that entries this year were confined to standard cars, with windscreen, mudguards, and hood fitted. This shows that the standard British car of to-day is better than the racing car of only a short while ago. The 478-miles-race was won by young C. T. P. Dodson (M.G. Magnette)—by 17sec. only from E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} R.{Sir Henry Royce} Hall (Bentley). T. Fotheringham (Aston Martin) was third. PINNED IN RIVER During the afternoon Viscount Craigavon, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, wishing to see the race in close-up, went round the course in a racing car at speeds often exceeding 90 m.p.h. At 11 a.m. the first cars started. The first accident occurred during the first lap. The Riley driven by H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} B. Prestwich leaped into a ditch at Quarry Corner. It careened over, dived down a bank, and overturned, pinning its driver underneath. His mechanic was hurled into a river. Police and spectators ran forward and sufficiently lifted the car for Prestwich to crawl out. He was taken to hospital. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} R.{Sir Henry Royce} Hall, in his Rolls-Bentley mystery car, led from the start. He hurtled round the circuit at enormous and increasing speeds. A WOMAN WAVES And every time he passed his pit a slight feminine figure in overalls and holding a stop-watch waved him a greeting and a signal. It was his wife time-keeping for him. Hall was travelling at times at more than 120 m.p.h. over Ulster roads. Then he had to retire to his pit, change all four wheels and fill up with petrol. It took only 2½ minutes, but it lost him the lead. Brian Lewis and Hall provided the crowd with one of the greatest thrills the race has ever produced. Lewis took the lead in front of the stands. The pair raced bonnet to bonnet along the straight to the stands. Dodson led Hall by 1min. 20sec. when the 34th lap was begun. Lewis was called into the pits. The question was whether Hall could catch up with Dodson in the two laps. He failed—by 17sec. There was a commercial triumph in this race. Essolube motor oil was used by the Aston-Martins, which were the winning team. And this oil had in the past nine weeks had six great international victories following 29 out of 30 Grands Prix last season. | ||