GRAND PRIX.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 178, 31 July 1933, Page 11

GRAND PRIX.

OBAKEI MOTOR RACES. AN "OLD CROCK" CRASHES. Thousands lined the roads of the Orakci Hills on Saturday afternoon to watch the tirst road races for motor cars held in New Zealand. They produced plenty of thrills for the crowds which gathered on the bends and at the finishing post. The gymkhana was held to swell the -Prosperity Week" funds and will go to help the campaign of the Transport Queen, Miss Adele llogan. About £ 170 was collected. Before the races were started a tour of the course was made by all the cars competing, with the Transport Queen in the lead. , „_ .me big race of the day was the 'Prosperity Grand Prix" of six laps, for which six cars faced the starter, liaison's Singer was out in front for half the distance, when it was passed by Grierson in a Baby Austin. In the last lap Dexter, in nis Kiley, showed great ability in handling Ills machine and shot inside the Singer on a corner. Just before reaching the corner he got into a bad slide and hit the kerb. He buckled a back wheel but did not know it and raced down the straight In pursuit of the Austin "flat out." In a thrilling linish the Kiley crossed the line less than half a length ahead of the Baby Austin. The fastest lap was done by the Riley in 1.53.

The Adele Stakes, of three laps, was won by ti. A. Mathison in his Miller Special, his speed on the straights giving him the final advantage. Much amusement was caused hy the parade of "old crocks." which raced along at fully o0 miles an hour. Eight ears, all pre-war models, lined up for the race, and, after seeing them, one realised why in the early days of motoring their chug-chuEginß startled 'every bit of horse flesh for miles around. Some of the drivers dressed for the part with high hats and frock coat? The "old crocks" provided the big thrill of tHe day. One of them got into a slide on a hill and collided with another, and n Talbot driven bv J. Mac Donald, crashed and was smashed. Mac-Donald escaped with a bad shaking, but his companion had his hand badly cut. \t the end of the day Captain Hewitt flew over the hills and dropped from his plane hundreds of cards. The first to retrieve a card and get it initialled by mi official was entitled to a free ride in the plane. The small boys were in their element and dozens swarmed over the countryside in pursuit of the tickets, which were carried far away by the wind.

Acceleration and Braking Test. —Class A: R. M. Grierson (Bab* Austin! I. time 16.78. Class 15: S. N. Sparks (Riley) 1. time 10.47. . „,_,_» Prosperity Grand IWx.—Tt. A. Dexter ( Kiley) 10s. 1 ; K. M. Grierson (Bnby Austin). 30st 2; W Hillson (Singer). 555, 3. Time, 11.58 2-5. Motor Cvcle Chamnionship.—B. Bray (Rude) 1, L. Terrv (Velocette) 2. A. McLaren (Xew Imperial) •"•• Time. C.17 1-5. \deie Strikes. —O. A. Mathieson (Miller Special), lfis. 1 : A. T>cnison fSincer). P>os, '2: It. AT. Grierson (Baby Austin), 10s, 3. Time. 0.0 4-5. " "Old Crocks'" Knee. —G. W. T,ong (1010 Daimler), scr. 1 : W. R. Richardson (1013 Princess), 20s. 2: K Bedford (1011 Hupmobile), scr. 3. Time. <5.3 4-5.