AUTOMOBILE RACE

Northern Advocate, 19 August 1929, Page 5

AUTOMOBILE RACE

ROYAL CLUB’S TROPHY,

Won by qarriciola,

• (Australian Press Association.) (Received 8.20 a.m.) LONDON, August 17. The result of the Royal Automobile Club’s international tourist trophy race at Belfast was: —'Carrieiola (MercedesBenz), 1; Zaupari (Alfa-Romeo), 2; Nash (Austin), 3. At least 1500,000 people witnessed ■the race, in which there were 65 competitors from six nations. A downpour of rain yesterday threatened to spoil the prospects, but the roads were in such a perfect state that in a few hours the surface was restored. Many of the spectators camped, all night at vantage points on the circuit of I3i miles. The distance was 410 miles, so that the competitors had to make 30 Japs of one of the most-difficult courses in the .world. There wore hair-pin corners in abundance, but also long straights on which the largo cars could go at full speed. The race is described as a. motor epic. Carrieiola, a laughing dare-devil in his monstrous Mercedes racer staggered the motoring world. The great joke of the race was the abate .taken by .Baby Austins, which Were given such handsome starts that the | racing experts of six nations had to ;.tisk their necks and their feputatiohs to catch them, • The eolirse was treacherous. Heavy rain had turned the deadly curves and haitpin bends l into death-traps. Carrieiola dashed ahead from the start like a thunderbolt. He drove like a madman, took risks and made the crowd sick with fear. Ho went ahead by laps in a few minutes, * Mrs Carrieiola cheered her husband and. timed him as accurately as the exports.

Near the end of the race one car ran into a breakdown gang- and one man t clied in hospital. Five others were seriously injured. I’here were many driving accidents, hut it whs amazing that nobody else was seriously hurt. Kidston,-in a Bentley, crashed, but he and his mechanic were not hurt, Higgins (Britain) dashed into , the Tow-n Hall at Newton Hards at a speed of 70 miles an hour, but escaped injury.

A groan went up when Kaye Don hud to retire owing to engine trouble. Rubin, .another English competitor, overturned, and his car had to bo .raised to extricate him. He shouted: “I am not hurt,” and then helped to clear the Another car caught fire, and before long 20-starters .had. retired owing to disastrous skids, but Carriciola datshed on as : though he,boro a charmed life. Caraprai pays a tribute to the winner’s, amazing skill and the manner in which the ginning car . stood up io the gruelling of the 400-mile course. The leading average speeds were: — Carriciola, 7,2.8 miles an hour; Camprai, 67.5; Nash ,59.6; Holbrook (who was fourth, also driving an Austin), 59.6.