HILL-CLIMB FOR CARS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21421, 20 February 1933, Page 11

HILL-CLIMB FOR CARS

COMPETITORS LEAVE TRACK DRIVERS' LUCKY ESCAPES CONTESTS NEAR HELENSVILLE The drivers of several fast motor-cars' provided excitement for a small number of spectators at the hill-climb organised by the New Zealand Motor-Racing Drivers' Association near Hele'nsville on Saturday afternoon. Although several cars left the road, and one or two were damaged, none of the drivers was hurt. The appearance of R. Dexter's Brooklands Riley climbing the steep grade with the radiator and bonnet partly hidden by a bush firmly wedged between one shockabsorber and the chassis caused general surprise. Some distance from the finishing line, as Defxter was accelerating in second gear, the car left the road, ploughed its way through a thick clump of tea-tree, and bounced back on to the track. Although the incident had cost him several seconds, the driver regaine'd control and continued his climb, eventually making the second fastest time of the day. Dexter also slid off the road in an earlier event, and although onel rear wheel was buckled, the car pulled out of the ditch into which it had slid and won its class. In spite of its two abrupt cross-country excursions the Riley showed no signs of damage apart from the buckled wheel. Oar Falls on Side The Alta Austin, driven by W. H. Ryan, did not escape so lightly when it left the road on the) top hairpin bend. The car approached the corner too fast and slid across the clay surface, the front wheels dropping down" a ditch and then bouncing out again. The car eventually came to rest on its side, and it was found that two wheels had been buckled and the chassis damaged. A. R. E. Messenger, driving his Grand Prix type Sunbeam, also went into the ditch on the top corner when he accelerated violently. The drivet was handicapped by the fact that he was still suffering from the effects of a recent injury to one wrist. Skilful handling of fast cars by some of the most prominent local racing drivers was an outstanding feature of the events. Although the entries were comparatively few, competition was keen between-half a dozen drivers of the fastest machines and times generally were' good. The hill, which is particularly difficult to surmount at speed on account of a number of acute bends and several steep pinches, is about a mile and a-half long. The surface is of clay, and had been graded immediately prior to the contests, so that it was in good order. The fastest time of the day was made by C. Edwards, who brought his Bugatti up the steep incline in 2m 2 3-ss. His performance was particularly good, as his car is equipped only with two-wheel brakes, and is notoriously difficult to hold on such a track. A. Dexter finished his second run in 2m ss, while G. Smith was third, bringing his Roosevelt to the top in 2m 6 l-ss. Details of Results Following are details of the results:— Stock Models under 850 c.c. capacity.— R. Seabrook (747 c.c. Austin), 1; J. Sellars (747 c.c. Austin), 2; H. Long (847 c.c. Morris Minor), 3. Seabrook beat Sellars by the narrow margin of 4-ss, both driving in good style. Time, 2m 525. Stdck Models under 1500 c.c. capacity.— R. Seabrook (Austin), receives 30s, 1; G. Smith (Ford), ecr, 2; H. Robinson (1087 c.c. Riley), receives 10s, 3. The winner, Seabrook, made a substantial improvement on his fust run, and without his handicap was faeter than the Riley. Time. 2m 455. Open Event for Sports Cars.—R. Dexter (1087 c.c. Riley). 1; G. Smith (Roosevelt), 2; C. Edwards (1496 c.c. Bugatti), 3. There was little to choose between the placed men, Dexter being only 3-5s faster iJian Smith, who defeated Edwards by a similar margin. Time, 2m 6 3-ss. Championship Event for Sports Cars.—C. Edwards (Bugatti), 1; R. Dexter (Riley), 2: G. Smith (Roosevelt), 3. The winner was considerably faster than on the occasion of his first run. and won the championship from Dexrter by 2 2-ss, although he did not approach the record of lm 57 l-5s set by G. Smith last year in the Riley used by Dexter on Saturday.