HILL-CLIMB FOR CARS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21166, 26 April 1932, Page 7

HILL-CLIMB FOR CARS.

EVENTS AT HELENSVILL^

SPEED ON STEEP- CIRCUIT. THRILLING WORK BY DRIVERS. . '- Fast cars handled by experienced drivers provided thrilling sport at the hill-climb organised by tho Auckland Automobile Association on a difficult, winding circuit near Ilclensvillo on Saturday afternoon. Light rain which fell in tho morning was not sufficient to mako tho clay surface slippery, the track being in particularly good condition for fast work. Tho distanco was nearly a mile and ahalf, tho finishing point being approximately 480 ft. abovo the start. From the line, competing cars were faced with a steep, straight section of about 80 yards, with a gentle left-hand turn at tho top, leading to a straight but narrow section of road on a slight down grade. The straight was followed by a bewildering succession of sharp corners, culminating in a wicked hairpin bend which proved the undoing of more than ono driver. Those who rounded tho hairpin without cither missing tho change-down and stopping, or over-skidding into tho bank, were faced with no moro difficulties, as another short straight lod to the finishing post. Most Successful Driver. Tho most successful driver was Mr. Gcorgo Smith, at the wheel of Mr. H. J. Butcher's scarlet Brooklands Riley. Driving tho littlo car with remarkable skill, ho shot away from tho start and climbed tho first hill amid a shower of stones and rubble thrown by the spinning rear wheels. Half-way up ho mado a smart snap chango into second, going over tho top with tho motor screaming and tho revolution indicator near tho 6000 mark. On tho down-hill section tho Riley reached nearly 70 miles- an hour in third gear, and went into the first bend in a long slide, which was checked as the nose came round to point up tho hill. Low gear was necessary on the steepest pinch, but tho speed did not full below 35 miles au hour, the driver approaching tho last corner in second. i\ stab at tho brakes swung tho tail, and the littlo red car came out of the hairpin at high speed, with the front wheels locked hard over to correct a skid that would have brought disaster had it been allowed to develop. Tho Riley won tho open sports event in ltn 57 l-ss, tho fastest time, of the day. It also made tho fastest time, 2m 3-ss, in tho championship for the Texaco Cup presented by Mr. A. J. Roycroft, tho results of which are not yet available, having to be worked out on formula. Two Crashes Occur.

Tiiel'o were two crashes during the afternoon, neither being of serious nature. Tho Bugatti driven by Mr. T. Cooper slid off tho road and into a bank, throwing tho driver from his scat. He was unhurt, but tho front axle of the catwas bent and ono wheel buckled. In the same event, tho Triumph driven by Mr. G. Rusden hit the bank in a skid, one front wheel collapsing under tho impact. Tho car climbed a low bank, narrowly missing a press photographer, and finally came to rest at a precarious anglo. Several other cars got ono wheel down Iho ditch on the last hairpin, mostly as a result of going into tho corner so fast that they could not get round. Miss M. Mayzo (Ford), J. F. Johnston (M. G. Midget coupe) and P. Seabrook (supercharged Austin Seven) were among those who lost time on tho final corner.

Following aro details of tho results: — Touring Cars, up to 850 c.c.—L. C. Driver (832 c.c. Triumph), 1; J. 1 1 . Johnston (847 c.c. Jr. G. Midget), 2; P. B. Whito (852 c.p. Triumph), 3. There were seven competitors, Driver handling his little four-seater well to win by the narrow margin of Is from Johnston, whose Midget went down a ditch at one stage. Time, 2ra 48 2-ss. Open Sports Event.—G. Smith (1087 c.c. Brooklands Riley), 1; P. Seabrook _ (747 c.c. supercharged Austin), 2; G. Smith (3258 c.c. Ford), 3. Tho Riley won easily, Mr. Smith returning to tho foot of the hill to make a second ascent with his Ford, in which lie took third place. Time, lm 57 l-ss. Touring Cars, up to 1100 c.c.—R. A. Dexter, jun. (1087 c.c. Riley), 1; V. C. Bedford (972 c.c. Singer), 2; J. R. Coath (1087 c.c. Riley), 3. There were only three competitors, but tho times were fairly close. Time, lm 38 2-ss. Open Championship, for Texwo Cup, formula results to be decided Inter.—G. Smith (Riley), fastest time, 2m 3-ss; P. Seabrook (Austin), 2m 6s; P. C. Lewis (2916 c.c. Vauxhall), 2m 16 3-ss.