MOTOR RACE TRAGEDY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21297, 26 September 1932, Page 9

MOTOR RACE TRAGEDY

BRITISH DRIVER KILLED CRASH AT' BROOKLANDS SKID AT TERRIFIC PACE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received September 25. 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 24 A tragic accident marred the British Racing Drivers' Club's 500 miles race at Brooklands to-day. The famous racing motorist, Clive Dunfee, driving Captain Woolf Barnato's huge green Bentley at a, speed of 120 miles an hour in the world's speediest long-dis-tance event, could not outstrip death.

Soon after Dunfce had relieved his brother Jack, winner of last year's race, at tho wheel, the car skidded and crashed over the edge* of the banked track in full view of members on the bridge. The driver and a portion of the wreckage were hurled athwart the track where following cars fortunately avoided Dunfee's body as it* rolled to the lower edge.

The Bentley crashed and turned a somersault through bushes and railings into a road 60 feet below. The driver was picked up dead. The other competitors continued the race, which resulted as follows: —Horton and Bertlett (M.G. Midget), 96.29 miles an hour, 1; Cyril Paul and J. Philips (Riley), 99.61 miles an hour, 2; Brian Lewis and John Cobb (Talbot), 111.6 miles an hour, 3. Won by 4 minutes 43 seconds, or seven miles, with two miles between second and third.

Count Czaykowski, in a Bugatti, Eyston, in a Midget, and Freddy Dixon, in a Riley, retired owing to mechanical mishaps. Sir Malcolm Campbell and Earl Howe were not placed.

Clive Dunfee was a prominent English racing driver, with many successes at Brooklands to hii, credit. Usually he handled big cars, and drove Captain Barnato's Speed Six Bentley with his brother Jack on- many occasions. This year's 500 miles race at Brooklands was the fourth of the series. Last year the winners were J. Dunfee and Cyril Paul, driving the same Speed Six Bentley in which Clive Dunfee met his death on Saturday. The car in question, a huge green two-seater, first became famous in 193(1, when iit won the Le Mons 24 hours race, in the hands of its owner, Captain Barnato. Last year it was tuned at the works and averaged 118.39 miles an hour in the qruelling 500 miles race at Brooklands.