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).
Magazine article from 'The Motor' reporting on various motor racing events and practice sessions.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 90a\1\ Scan058 | |
| Date | 10th September 1935 | |
| September 10, 1935. 229 The Motor On ROAD and TRACK — contd. Phoenix Park Car Races Next Saturday THIRTY-SIX cars have been handicapped for the Irish Motor Racing Club's 200-miles race, which takes place in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, on Saturday next. Originally there were about 40 entries, but some either withdrew or had not completed their entries when the final closing date arrived. The field is the biggest that there ever has been for a Free State road race and the event should be one of the fastest ever run in the British Isles, apart from Brooklands races. Austin Dobson, who last year broke Earl Howe's lap record with a circuit at 94.7 m.p.h., should improve his figures on Saturday, when he will drive Brian Lewis's old Maserati, a car that is expected to be considerably faster than the Ferrari Alfa which he drove in 1934. G.{Mr Griffiths - Chief Accountant / Mr Gnapp} F.{Mr Friese} A.{Mr Adams} Manby-Colegrave, who broke the "junior" lap record at 88.7 m.p.h., again has entered his M.G. Magnette, but he will find himself in much better-class company than he met last year. New records are inevitable in the "baby" class with three R-type Midgets and C. Goodacre's super-charged Austin in the list. Stanley Woods's Brooklands single - seater Austin is rather a mysterious quantity, as it did not complete a lap at Limerick and consequently left the handicappers very little data. For the first time in the Free State there will be a mass start. The handicap consists entirely of credit laps, it being the view of the handicappers that with a lap of approximately four miles in a race of 200 miles minutes and fractions of minutes can scarcely be taken into consideration, particularly where cars and not their drivers are being dealt with. Bangor Concours d'Elegance ON Wednesday afternoon, September 4, the Ulster Automobile Club staged a successful Concours d'Elégance at Bangor, within a few miles of the T.T. course, and 46 cars were presented for judging. Mrs. S Hanna, of Belfast (S.S.), was awarded the championship trophy (Sharman D.{John DeLooze - Company Secretary} Neill Cup) for the best aggregate irrespective of class. RESULTS Class Winners.— £50 Open Cars: 1. W. Weir (Hillman Aero Minx); £450 Open: 1, S. Johnson (S.S.). Over £450 Open: 1, J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} Robb (Talbot). £250 Closed Cars: 1, Agnew (Citroen). £450 Closed: Mrs. S. Hanna (S.S.). £400 Closed: Mrs. R.{Sir Henry Royce} M.{Mr Moon / Mr Moore} M'Mullen (Lagonda). Over £400 Closed: W. Boyd (Lagonda). Veterans Rallying Again A TOTAL of 30 entries has been received for the next rally of the Veteran Car Club, to be held on Sunday, the finishing point being the Wheatsheaf Hotel. Virginia Water, Surrey. All cars competing are pre-1904 models. T.T. PRACTICE TOPICS THE first day's practice took place on a cool but bright morning, and besides the racing cars, several tourers were on the course in the hands of reserve drivers or those whose racing machines were being taken round by the spare drivers. Lord Howe (Bugatti) made the fastest lap in 10 mins. 16 secs. (79.83 m.p.h.), which compares very favourably to the 81.28 m.p.h., which is the fastest lap ever made by an unblown car (B. E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Lewis, Talbot, 1932). Eddie Hall (Bentley) did a lap at 79.31 m.p.h., and Dodson returned 77.32 m.p.h. with the Lagonda. Other good times were Dixon (Riley) 76.12 m.p.h. (best Riley); Brackenbury (best Aston-Martin), 74.73 m.p.h. (he did more motoring than anyone that morning); Seaman (best Magnette), 72.74 m.p.h.; and Black (best Singer), 67.65 m.p.h. Howe, Hall and Dixon were thus the only ones to beat their set handicap speeds. "B. Bira" touched a bank with his gleaming blue Aston-Martin. R.{Sir Henry Royce} Seaman (Magnette) slew a rabbit, and E.{Mr Elliott - Chief Engineer} Maclure (Riley) had a temporary conflagration on Bradshaw's Brae. Undoubtedly the star of the day was Freddie Dixon, and several lookers-on began to speculate on his chances in the race. The Second Day Out The chief incident on the second day of practice (Thursday) was Donkin's upset at Quarry Corner. Apparently the surface coming into the bend was a trifle slippery, and Donkin arrived rather fast. The Aston-Martin slewed across the road to the right bank, spun round and charged the left-hand side head on. The car mounted the pavement, ran up the bank and turned clean over on top of the driver. The driving mirror smashed and cut his face badly, but apart from bruises and shock, Donkin was not badly hurt. Indeed, his principal worry was whether the car was too badly damaged to run in the race. A first inspection indicated that he would be a non-starter, but an hour or so later it was seen the damage was confined to the front axle and sundry bendings in the body. A front axle was taken off Temple's staff car and clapped into the racer on Thursday afternoon, and the car was perfectly in order for Friday's scrutiny. At the close of the practice there was a nasty accident to Kenneth Evans. He was standing beside one of the Magnettes when the mechanic began to drive it away. The rear wheel knocked Evans down and ran over his leg, pinning him to the ground. When he was extricated he looked very shaken and sick with pain, but 10 mins. later he was smiling again and was able to walk. Fast Laps on Thursday The fastest practice lap on Thursday was Brian Lewis's 10 mins. 18 secs. (79.57 m.p.h.) in the Bugatti. The sensation was Handley's Riley lap at 10 mins. 20 secs. (79.31 m.p.h.). These were the fastest laps among the different marques:— Lagonda: Hindmarsh, 78.68 m.p.h. Bentley: Hall, 78.93 m.p.h. Alvis: Powys Lybbe, 74.38 m.p.h. Marendaz: McCalla, 71.89 m.p.h. Aston-Martin: Martin and Brackenbury, both 74.39 m.p.h. M.G.: Baird, 73.95 m.p.h. Adler: Manders, 64.71 m.p.h. Fiat: F.{Mr Friese} H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} J.{Mr Johnson W.M.} Davis, 65.13 m.p.h. Singer: S. C. H.{Arthur M. Hanbury - Head Complaints} Davis, 68.49 m.p.h. Thus the only makes to equal handicap speed were Handley's, Paul's, Von der Becke's and Maclure's Rileys, and Lewis's Bugatti. Charles Martin was one of several who had awkward moments at Quarry Corner. Lord Howe was delighted with the behaviour of his 3.3 Bugatti. His car had a body built of elektron, while Brian Lewis's sister car had a duralumin body. Both were painted Lord Howe blue, and very smart they looked. Latest-type De Ram shock-absorbers were a feature. Hall's Bentley went in for leather jackets for the front shockers. Rose-Richards broke a rocker on his A.M. Reserve drivers were not very happy. Parting instructions every time: "Don't go fast and don't upset the motor." No peace of mind. The Scuderia Evans (Magnettes) did not use their wireless pit control system that day. Best Irishism so far: On the way back from the course a large notice at the roadside over a monumental mason's yard read: "We make and engrave gravestones. Let us renovate yours." True. We saw it. Eyston's 10-mile Record THINGS look extremely promising for George Eyston's record campaign, for he has already collected the 10-miles record at 167.09 m.p.h., stood previously to the credit of Wizard Smith at 164.08 m.p.h. c9 | ||