MOTORS AT MURIWAI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18950, 23 February 1925, Page 11

MOTORS AT MURIWAI.

races on the BEACH.__ f SUNBEAM WINS DOUBLE. MOTOR CUP AND SPEED RECORD. OVER 100 MILES AN HOUR. Motor racing at Muriwai has a charm entirely its own. Although the men who race and the hundreds of experts who foregather have mechanics in their blood and are of exactly the same typo that predominates on motor courses tho world over, tho Muriwai event, has fin atmosphere that, gives it an almost, uniqne distinction. The setting alone is sufficient to give it distinct character and widen its appeal. There is tho grandeur of the surf of which few people ever tire. There is fascination in the foam, and tha heart throb of the mighty ocean. Speed machines, through the ingenuity of man, may race their 80 or 100 miles an hour along the strand and give tense moments to spectators, but all the time, con* eiously or not, they are under the spell of the limitless; energy of the surges. 'Die music of the surf keeps hearts uplifted, even though every note of the diapason mav be drowr.ed by tho roaring of the speeding machines. There is the long shining track of sand in which the cars are mirrored, and there is the haze, half the haze of distance, half spindrift, into which tho cars quickly dash and disappear'. Not far beyond the breakers an island stands, its feet bathed constantly in foam. High cliffs, at the southern end, echo the crash of breakers, the promontory opening out into a valley, its lower portion already conquered by encroaching sand, but heavily bush-clad above. When the sun shines brightly, as it did on Saturday, the scene is well-nigh perfection. Holiday Spirit. The spirit, of the day is a pleasant blending of racing excitement and seaside langour. Tho presence of a considerable number of campers and people from the shacks and cottages prevents the function from being too formal. Youths in the diverse garments they affect, at. the seaside. with cloths of many colours tied round their heads, pirate fashion, and girls delightfully free from the exaction of city fashions, set ihe true note, and the day visitors take it up with exultation. Early ir. the morning the procession of cars, buses and motor-lorries commenced from the city. The rain that- fell during the night had not affected the clay road leading to the beach, unless to make the wheels pack it harder. Indeed, the clay track was taken wherever possible along the route, and the wheel tracks were literally black with tyre rubber. The traffic had been heavy for days before. All the competing cars had been tried out on the beach, and a largo number of people, drivers, owners and experts, had camps near the beach, or, at least, the shelter of a truck. The procession, of vehicles that ran down to the beach was of an amazingly varied character. There was everything, from tho high-powered monarchy of the road to the tiniest of home-made contraptions. Heavy waggons took the dust of agile "babies"; there was a caravan and things like torpedoes on wheels. There was an occasional horseman, ar.d a well-mounted ms.n, one observed. attracted mere eyes than the most resplendent car. Twenty yeajs ago the horse was king of the road. To-day a gathering of thousands at so rural a place fs Muriwai can produce hardly a dozen. If a buggy and pair had ventured into tho procession it would probably have produced a battery of cameras, and a tandem team in a gig would have caused a sensation. Incidentally, among so many motors it probably would have brought wbout an inquest, for the impatient motordriver who regards another's dust as a reflection upon him, was not absent. He was very ready to fake the bit. in his teeth when be' sighted a possible rival, just as used to happen in the days when horses were borues. Drivers and Their Cars. Rut memories of horses have no placa at motor races. It is a new .age that is already imposing its imprint upon men's faces. * A type of "speed face" could be discerned among tbe competitors. The whole expression proclaims nerve and the eyes have a steady piercing gaze. pis lines indicate intense concentration. Youths and men "f uncertain middle-life ages, drive like furies let loose. Young '.vomer, speed'like messengers of Minerva. It is a rousing thing to see and hear the cars, particularly the specially-modelled racers, dash off down the glistening beach. Opened up. their roar resembles that of a flight of aeroplanes. Soon they are .out of j sight, but their droning still comes down | the breeze. On Saturday the spectators who are able to obtain the best possible view from a .sandhill behind the judge's box. saw much more of the racing than at previous meetings. The laps in the fifty-mile* races were made shorter, seven turns beiha • required. As there were practically" 'no "neck and neck" struggles, the turnings provided major interest. Here drivers' skill was fully tested, as also was the ability of a car to quickly pick up speed again. Some speedy ears lost valuable seconds in not responding quickly after the slowing down a* tbe turn;. Tn tho flip fvoni-s tho competitors woro fjiven a rolling start, which was spectacular The starrer on a ear at the side moved to the rnnrk keeping the ra. e.rs iri line and at the fall o| his iiand 'i'ty shot (iway, and wi!*..i:i .'i o'W had be .iruri to string out. (hi no occasion did there appear to be any risk *>t (oUisinn. There was a touch of conieoy iu th° sight <if such n midget as the Baby Austin flying awnv in the company of comparative giaiits. and giving not ;i few (he fumes of its exhaust. It suggested a sjallant f,terrier joining gaily with a pack of hound.-. Sterling Performances. The fiftv-rnili- light r;<r ''up vent U> Mr. A. Trving's Buggali. French '-nr that awakened everyone"' int-re-i by the perfection of it:, running. Ihe time was 41 mi* Ipse, an avrriig" -of 72.1 miles an hour, including the seven turns. Its fastest straight run \vf.s the rate of f}s miles nu lion:. The New Zealand Motor t'up was won i;v V,. I'. Hamilton, another s*niiti Canterbury 'owner, in his Sunbeam, a Oram! Prix acing model 12 years old. ' It was a ' -sterling perform ! since, the time being 37mtn Sf> 3-sseo, an average of a tout 45sc- per mile. Owing to the state of the rising tide the Australian five-mile speed bcoch record could not be run until yesterday, the winner again being Mr. Hamilton's Sunbeam, which established a fine record in a speed of 100.27 miles an hour. The. Sunbeam was fortunate iu being able to compete in the speed test, as the steering gear was damaged in a collision on the road after the races on Saturdav. The races were run to time, the organisation of the officials of the Auckland Automobile Association being sound in j every detail. The last event, on Saturday was finished in time to allow most of the visitors to be on their homeward way I by four o'clock. There was no conges* I (ton on the road, and none of tho delays which marred the conclusion of last year's j meeting. \ Many people remained at Muiiwai for the night, some 80 tents being pitched. The heavy rain that fell during the night turned tbe. road into a quagmire, and the cars and buses that left early in the morning had serious difficulty in getting out. A number stuck on the hill and

one had a narrow escape from serious accident. at a point where a filling has been made. Fortunately the Automobile Association had erected.fences on either side and the car in question was held by a post from a nasty glissade and possibly a drop over tho bank. It responded to the reverse gear, and regained tho road without assistance. Motor-cyclists were in constant trouble, and a. number capsized. Those who waited until noon and later did not experience any trouble. The roarl dried rapidlv, and by the afternoon was in first-class condition. Following are tho results:TOURING CAR HANDICAP. 5 miles (one turn). C. Paine (Buick), 40s .. I C. G. Goodman (Chandler), -tOs .. ~ 2 F. Balliu (Standard), Ira 20a .. 3 Also Started.'—M. Spiers (Stilts), scr; B. Fidder (Chandler), 8s; H. Butcher (Studnbaker). 325; H. Cropp (Chevrolet), Jm 8a; F. Ballin (Standard), ,1m '2os. The scratch man was late at the post, mid lost all chance of the race. The field disappeared in a bunch, hut the limit men were left behind after the turn, Paine winning by 50 yards,.with the third man three tiroes that distance behind Coodman. Time. 5m 255. NEW ZEALAND LIGHT CAR CUP, 50 miles (7 turns). A. Irving: (Burjratti) 1 H. Holliday (Rugby) ~2 R. Dexter (Rollin) .. .. 3 Also started.—H. Armitage (ArmstrongSiddley). J. Seabrook (Austin). L. Mantrham (Austin), I. Buchanan (Horstman). The rolling start adopted for the first time gave a very spectacular beginning for the 50 mile race for light cars, and all the competitors got well away on the drop of the i flag, the BugaUi. if anything, having the I advantage, which was. however, soot) lost to the Horstman. After some eight and a-lialf minutes two dots could be Been in the distance, which shortly revealed the Bugatti, closely followed by the Horstman. Tbe former stuck on the turn, and Buchanan took the lead. Fully a minute later the Rugby Rollin and Armstrong-Siddley appeared with 100 yards between each of them. Mangham on the Austin 7 was sticking to it pluckily but a long way behind, the other Austin having met with trouble. The next, turn was a surprise, for the Bugatti passed the indge'a box a clear two miles ahead of the Rugby, which wils leadius the Rollin by half a mile. The Horstman shortly pulled in, a shortage of benzine being reported. The position did not change in the next lap. the Bugatti winning by 3m 225, and 30s separating the other two placed men. Time. 41m 18s. LADIES' HANDICAP. 2} miles.. Miss E. Selby (Buick), Bs 1 Mrs. H. Butcher (Studebaker), ?s .. .. 2 Miss V. Love (Chandler), scr .. ..3 Also Started.—Mrs. Miller (Austin). 13s; Mrs. D. MeFarlane (Fiat), 225; Mrs. Sandford (Oldsmobile). 225. This race created quite an amount of interest. the three first competitors being fairly close at tho finiuh. Time, 2m 43 2-ss. NEW ZEALAND MOTOR CUP. 50 miles (7 turns), jC. W. F. Hamilton (Sunbeiwn) .. .. 1 Hope Bartleet (Vauxhall) 2 S, Andrews (Ford) 3 Also Started.—A. Irving (Bngatti), D, Bauchop (Itala), A. J. Bell (Stutz). A rolling start was again adopted, the Vauxhall, a Sydney car, gaining the advantage. Thfc order at the end of the first lap was: Sunbeam, and Vauxhall, 100 yards apart, Ford (Haydon), Ford (Andrews), close up. with the Bugatti following hard on their heels. The Stutz was well behind, and evidently out of the running. The Vauxhall gained on the turn, but • did not overtake the Sunbeam. The next time down the beach was eagerly awgited. when it was seen the Sunbeam had managed to retain its position, the others, except the Vauxhall, beginning to string out. It was thought by many that the Vauxhall was. simply waiting its time to dash ahead, and it was somewhat of a surprise when the Sunbeam appeared at the finish cn its own. being 3Ps ahead of the Vauxhall. Haydon's Ford had been passed by Andrews' sister machine, and was beaten to the p6st by 200 yards. The Bugatti was a quarter of a mile further behind. Time. S7m 36 3-sa. JUNIOR HANDICAP, 16 miles (3 turns). H. Armitage (Armstrong-Siddley), 30s. .. 1 J. Buchanan (Horstman), scr .. ..I Also Started.—F. Ballin's Standard. 2m 40s. Armita&e lead throughout.-although after tbe turn at the southern end of the beach the Horstman looked like being a winner. Bad luck, however . caused disaster, and a tyro blew_ off, making a slow pace necessary. Ballin's Standard did not arrive until after the next race. Time, 15m 28 2-ss. OPEN HANDICAP, 1G miles (3 turns). L. Bedford (Rugby). 2m 49s t A. Haydon (Ford). 39s 2 C. W. F. Hamilton (Sunbeam), scr .. 3 Also started,~-S. Andrews (Ford). H. Bartleet (Vauxhall), M. Stuart (Ford). R. Dexter (Rollin). L. Mangham (Austin), R. Wilson (Jewett,), H. Holliday (Rugby). S. Andrews and M. Stuart had trouble in starting, Andrews being pushed off by a willing crowd after the scratch man bad left. The order at the southern turn was: Rugby (Bedford). Rugby (Holliday). Jewett Ford. Austin, Vauxhall. Rollin. Sunbeam, with Andrews' Ford last. Bedford finally won by a quarter of a mile, never having been challenged. The Sunbeam was coming up at a great pace, but was just unable to secure second place. Time, 14m 14 2-ss. ACCELERATION TEST. 175 yards. G. Smith (Chandler) .. .. ... .. 1 C. Goodman (Chandler) 2 Smith jumped to the lead, maintaining bis placa by a third of a length. AUSTRALASIAN FTVE-MILE SPEED RECORD. C. W. F. Hamilton (Sunbeam). 2m 50 3-5* 1 Hope Bartleet's Vauxhall. 3m 19 3-.">s .. 2 These were the only starters, the Sunbeam's speed working out at 100.27 miles an hour. The Australasian record for the fivemile distance on, a straight track was established for the first time af Muriwai hist, year by Mr. S. Andrews' Ford, which recorded SO.i miles an hour. The speed attained by the Vauxhall in this year's test | wu.3 over 90 miles an hour.