RACING FATALITIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21596, 14 September 1933, Page 14

RACING FATALITIES

FAMOUS DRIVERS KILLED LOSS TO CONTINENTAL SPORT Motor-racing enthusiasts throughout the world will have learned with regret of the deaths of three famous drivers, Campari, Borzacchini and Czaykowski, as a result of crashes in the Italmn Grand Prix last week-end. 'By their deaths, Continental motor racing has suffered a great loss, and in Italy particularly, where Campari and Borzacchini/were almost national idols, they will be sincerely mourned. , One of the veterans of racing m Italy, Guiseppe Campari was famous as a' driver of Alfa-Romeos over ten years ago, being team-mate in many events to the unfortunate Ascari, who also lost his life in a race. He was a giant of a man, so bulky that he could barely squeeze himself into the slim, single-seater racing-cars which he drove to victory on so many occasions. Campari competed in most British and Continental road and track races of importance; his most recent victory being' In the French Grand Prix last June, which ho won with a straighteight Masorati at the record speed of 81.48 miles 4jour. In addition to his fame in motor racing, Campari was also a highly-qualified musician, being an operatic baritone of renown. B. / Borzacchini, another noted Italian racing man, had for some years been closely associated with the AlfaRomeo concern, and drove their cars •with remarkable skill. He displayed a discretion not usually shown by his •Serv team-mates, and was extremely popular with other competitors of all nationalities, iff the Monaco Grand | Prix held last April, he finished second ;in spite of trouble with his car, and he also led for a considerable distance in the difficult Mille Miglia, the Italian Thousand Miles Race, held in April !this year. :, The third victim of the Italian JGrand Prix, Count S. Czaykowski, was ; a Polish nobleman who became a ; Frenchman by naturalisation. He had taken a prominent part in Continental racing for some years, and astounded the motoring world by setting up a inew one-hour record last May on the 'Avus track, Berlin, which is not generally considered suitablb for such work. Driving a* "four-nine" Bugatti, Czaykowski covered 132.88 miles in the . hour, and was later presented with the I Golden Sporting Medal of the Automobile Club of Germany in recognition of ;,his achievement. He was second to ,Varzi in a big race at the Avus track ;in the same month, and in July he brought his big blue Bugatti to England and won the Empire Trophy at Brooklands. The Countess Czaykowski, ; who made it a practice to preside at , her husband's "pit" and time him each ; lap, was a horrified spectator of his ;fatal crash. • ; Motor-racing has lost many fine ex';ponents during the current season, in- ; eluding Sir Henry Birkin, Merz, a- ; iGerman ace, and de Viscaya. •

BRITISH BODIES FOR 1934 | ; ! " . • ' * The trend of design of British cars ifor 1934, which will be exhibited at ri'Dlympja in London next month, is outlined in. a recent issue of the Motor. ; ,'lt is stated that prices are likely to iibow an upward tendency, but that (equipment generally will be , more Slavish, so that 1934 models will compare favourably with current types in respect of value for money. The general ianany, improvements, but will follow V:he conventional plan. Thus, 'coachwork is not being redesigned on utreamlined principles, but nevertheless will display many features calculated to reduce air resistance, such as nmoother outlines and outswept rear panels devised to give a tail effect. The design of coachwork will also be influenced by changes which are being made to the chassis frame. There in a general move toward dropping this «t>mponent so as to permit of the provision of a low flat floor. This in turn onables the roof level to be lowered without sacrifice to headroom. For fiimilar* reasons there-will be an increase in the popularity of pneumatic 'upholstery, as this material enables a ,<»mfortable seat to be provided with cushiojns of much shallower proportions than is the case when coil springs are used. The general design of wings and running-boards will show improvements ' both in appearance and in utility. Wings with deep valances and sweeping lines are to be the rule, merging neatly into running boards which, except in the least costly cars, will be . curved to suit. The most important development in connection with coachwork equipment is undoubtedly found in the real move • toward providing adequate ventilation. This is decidedly overdue, as there are few saloon cars at'the present time which/can be driven in comfort with all the windows closed. During 1932 , and ,11933 great improvements were made in the direction of preventing v engine fumes from reaching the inj terior of the body, but now many more makers are about to provide some means for ensuring that a current of . air will ventilate the interior without ■ draughts.

SERIOUS SMASH PREVENTED ' : ' * A commercial traveller saved a Birmingham woman motorist from almost certain death recently when the car in which she was a helpless passenger careered down, a steep hill, with no one at the wheel. The car was within 6ffc. of a quarry at the bottom of the hill, when the traveller, who was in a shop near by, rushed across the road, jumped on to ,the running board, applied the brakes and steered the car to tafety. '