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 Times' newspaper, page 2, detailing a motor racing event.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90a\2\ Scan092 | |
| Date | 2nd September 1934 guessed | |
| TIMES (2) course, when he held an easy lead, he stopped and changed all four wheels as a precautionary measure, besides filling up with petrol in only 2½ minutes. Hall's Four Records He rushed off amidst the frenzied applause of the crowd, for already he had broken the lap record in the large class no fewer than four times, and had already come to within 20 seconds of the fastest lap record of 83.20 m.p.h., established by the late Sir Henry Birkin on a super-charged Alfa Romeo in 1932. The race started promptly at 11 a.m., after the crowd had stood respectfully to greet the arrival of the Governor of Northern Ireland and members of his suite. The weather was splendid, the sun shining faintly through a thin layer of cloud, and what must have been a record crowd thronged the fields bordering on the course. Crowded Course All told, 40 cars started in the race, despite a terrible state at a point of the course known as the Moate, Hall immediately established a substantial lead over the Lagondas. As the cars came roaring past the grand stand at the end of their first lap a dense cloud of dust arose, giving the race the appearance of one of the classic pre-war road races. Fortunately the dust was soon dispersed. At the end of the first half-hour the first six on handicap were Hall (Bentley) at 77.87 m.p.h.; W. L. Handley (M.G. Magnette), 73.51 m.p.h.; G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} T. Eyston (M.G. Magnette), 73.40 m.p.h.; C. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} P. Dodson (M.G. Magnette), 73.35 m.p.h.; the Hon. Brian Lewis (Lagonda), 76.90 m.p.h., and J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} S. Hindmarsh (Lagonda), 76.78 m.p.h. By noon, however, after one hour's running, while Hall still led at 78.89 m.p.h., T. Fotheringham's Aston Martin had appeared in second place at 74.60 m.p.h.; Lewis was third, and Hindmarsh and Eyston were equal fourth at 12.30 p.m. Leaders Change Over The Bentley and Aston Martin held their places, followed by Lewis's Lagonda and two of Eyton's M.G. Magnette team. At the end of the first two hours the leaders had altered considerably, for, while Hall led at 80.44 m.p.h., Dodson's Magnette lay second at 74.69 m.p.h. Lewis was third at 78.31 m.p.h., followed by Fotheringham and L. P. Driscoll on their Aston Martins respectively at 74.50 and 74.60 m.p.h. Then began a complete "general post," as one after another the drivers stopped to change and refill their fuel tanks, some very smart work being witnessed, so that at 1.30 p.m. Dobson led on the M.G. at 74.98 m.p.h. Lewis was second at 78.31 m.p.h., followed by the two Aston Martins, Hindmarsh's Lagonda and Hall's Bentley, the latter having lost its superiority when the driver stopped to change wheels. Superb Driving Nevertheless, it was obvious that Hall, if all went well, would regain his position when his rivals stopped in their turn. So fast and so skilfully did Hall drive his Bentley, that from being sixth at 2 p.m. he led the whole race at 2.30 p.m., his average speed, including his pit stop, being 78.35 m.p.h. Dodson was now second at 74.25 m.p.h., and Brian Lewis on the Lagonda was third on handicap at 77.68 m.p.h., as Handley had retired after 17 laps. G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} T. Eyston's team of M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} Magnettes was now out of it, and only the Lagonda, Aston Martin, Riley, and Frazer Nash teams remained in the running for the team' prize. Thrills and Spills Needless to say, on such a difficult circuit thrills came thick and fast. Fortunately, nobody was seriously injured, although one car leapt a hedge and landed upside down in a river. This was A.{Mr Adams} Freeman's Riley, which shot off the road at Quarry Corner. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} R.{Sir Henry Royce} Hodge's Singer crashed into the ditch at Ballystockart, owing, it is reported, to the failure of the steering gear, after putting up the fastest lap in his class at 71.37 m.p.h., while N. A.{Mr Adams} Berry (Frazer Nash) broadsided in front of four other cars entering the Market Square at Newtownards, but by skilful driving an accident was avoided. More Records Broken Hall continued to break class records with his Bentley. Presently he did a lap on this winding, hilly and difficult course at an average speed of 81.0 m.p.h. In the smaller classes, too, records were going by the board. Penn Hughes, in an Aston Martin, covered a circuit at 77.44 m.p.h.; Von Der Becke, in a Riley "nine," lapped at 71.89 m.p.h., while C. J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} P. Dodson, M.G. Magnette, did a lap at 76.36 m.p.h. Very impressive were the Ford V-8's, which, when getting away from the start, gave the Lagondas something to think about, until they got into their stride. With the exception of one which retired, it was stated with ignition trouble, they ran steadily and well. By three o'clock the leader had covered about 200 miles. Hall's Bentley led at 78.82 m.p.h., Dodson's M.G. Magnette was second at 74.36 m.p.h., the two Lagondas of Lewis and Hindmarsh came next at 77.65 m.p.h. and 77.46 m.p.h. respectively, closely followed by the Aston Martins of Fotheringham and Driscoll at 74.12 and 73.97 m.p.h. The Aston Martin team was the first to complete 24 laps. The wonderful non-skid surface of the course had one disadvantage in the dry weather, it played havoc with the tyres. It had been anticipated that as no supercharged cars were running tyre wear this year would be less, but on most of the cars it was found necessary to change the tyres twice during the race. Ding-Dong Fight When he had completed 25 laps Hall again stopped for two and a-half minutes to change his tyres and refuel, so that Dodson's M.G. once again took the lead. The ding-dong fight between the Lagondas and Aston Martin's continued, and at 3.30 p.m., while Dodson led, Hall was second, followed by Fotheringham's Aston Martin. A desperate struggle now began between the Hon. Brian Lewis and E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} R.{Sir Henry Royce} Hall. The red Lagonda suddenly appeared behind the green Bentley just as the latter was about to pass the grand stand. Lewis overtook Hall, the cars rocking side by side at over 100 m.p.h. down the curving road. Up the hill and down the wicked twisting Bradshaw Brae the two big cars raced wheel to wheel. The Lagonda appeared to have the superior speed on the straight, or else Hall was driving with amazing coolness and refusing to be led into overrevving his engine. At Comber, Lewis still led, but on the dangerous winding road beyond Hall got past. At Dundonald hairpin the Bentley was in front, but as the two cars approached the grand stand again the Lagonda rolled into the lead once more. | ||