Page 20 Advertisements Column 2

Southland Times, Issue 21264, 10 December 1930, Page 20

Brookltaid’s Fastest Race AUSTIN BABY SHOWS HEELS TO ■ INTERNATIOML HELD RACE WON AT RECORD SPEED Details of the “Flying Five Hundred.” 122,9 Miles per Hour. 1. —AUSTIN (Britain), The Earl of March and S. C. H. Davis. 6hrs Omin 13sec. 2. —Bentley (Britain), J. D. Benjafield and E. R. Hall 6hrs 7mins 34secs. 3. —Sunbeam (Britain), H. W. Purdy and L. Cushman. 6hrs 17mins 23secs. 4. —Talbot (Britain), The Earl of Howe and B. E. Lewis. 6hrs 18mins 42 secs. 5. —Amilcar (France), R. P. Twist and R. C. Porter. 6hrs 20mins 4secs. Such was the result of the British Raeinsr Drivers’ 500- ,n il° Handicap, held at Brooklands on Saturday, October 4. The event is the fastest race staged on the famous track. Thirty-seven ears from the most famous racing makers in the world started. But such was the terrific pace only nine finished. In a thrilling duel between big and small ears, the Austin 7 maintained the lead and won by a matter of minutes. Davis's (Austin) skilful driving averted disaster when a rear wheel (shed by Dunfree’s Sunbeam) flashed across his track. In spite of desperate weather, the “500” was judged, “just about as good a race as there has ever been on the track.” Towards the finish Benjafield (Bentley) pushed his lap speed to the astonishing figure of 122.97 m.p.h., and held a consistent lap speed of 120 m.p.h. Instantly the Austin 7 increased to 87 m.p.h. and it was a fine sight to watch the giant Bentley and the tiny little orange Austin (travelling faster than a tai' of this class has ever done in such a race), while the drivers watched each other's every move and change of tactics. Fast as the Bentley went, and it averaged the highest speed ever recorded in a race, magnificently as Benjafield drove it, the small Austin held its place (now doing nearly 90 m.p.h.) to cross the line a triumphant winner. Undoubtedly the little victor and its driver earned their laurels, for, apart from the matter of handicap, their average speed was higher than that of the existing record by a very big margin. x y-.' -‘I A RU&jflffli X.'G. WwMM. . " Y ft- .. BwMwfli /•I 4'-x ' M-WrWSkl An impression (vide Autocar, October 10), of the remarkable incident when a Sunbeam shed one of its wheels, narrowly missing S. C. H. Davis’s winning Austin. HH 1 5\T 1 A JL 1 Austin producing marvellously for its tiny Tragedy Narrowly Averted. . done? But somehow the Baby produced LONDON, Saturday. g»»————an n Austin Career Almost Terminated. the extra revs, required, lapping now at n , r,,i i,, . very ncarlv ninety. The small car held its np , ?' | .„ rr :fi P ap, n „, lf ie Then with dramatic suddenness its career p| acc p crO ssed the line a winner, the fincrumped up under th ternfic demands was almost terminated. The thing happened ish fl filtered, and the flame-coloured made upon theni There is no reproach C thus: Cleve Dunfree had already come in to Austin, piloted bv Pressman and Peer, and in this, for man} engineers claim that refasten the steering column steady bracket handled with «uch consummate skill looked materials cannot possibly stand the fatigue o f the Sunbeam He had onlv iu-t left han “ leU ul,h .• uch consuni e . , , i , -t- n- „ <>i xWIW . . unucaui. hl uju oni.’ l ju.i ni< Inore pugnacious and formidable than it engendered by such a terr fic b ruelhn A 1 ; igaln p. )pn one rear axle driving shaft had been when it started six hours thirteen competitor* felt the strain of the terrific | s / V : . ] broke. The car crashed down on its brakes, vp,™,],. h P f nrP iinhl. Actual class battles x\crc obscured • I and the rinlit hand rear* wheel with a foot v * c i o“ « /* *lj *i /u «I :n <.An t k.d Thn V I aHU lc *> . , lu J O , \ cl 1* ' d , Nine of the 3/ cans starting finished the by (he thrills of the main combat. Ihe ‘ ' .or two of its shaft hurtled off into the r whole centre of interest continued in Ihe s centre of the track. Davis carried St. Chris- t/ w :h k p observed that the Bentlev pelage, lie Riley the Grand Inx feun- : - M Saint must have been watching over him ca „ acit y niore lhan fivc ( j mes that of tho beam and the Bcntlejs. W when at 90 m.p.h. he was compelled to winn i ng Austin. It is good to observe that , 'WwWlw’t. X«l negotiate the Austin Seven in some bur- the first four are all British. As the race proceeded the sun broke 11 "" acr °batics in order to miss the huge through, drying the track. This was ex- , • bounding wheel off the Sunbeam. Davis’s Iremelv welcome relief for the drivers after ; • .i, >, Austin missed the flying obstacle bv what -rur daot im nun IMF the morning’s unpleasantness. Once as a ''seemed inches. IHE RACt IN OUfLINL ' group of fast machines swept by some- Vn LENGTH OF RACE—SOO miles, body's helmet flew off, to be hit again and Baby Austin’s Triumphant "Last Ounce.” THE COURSE — Brooklands again by the racing • machines until only - J Track. the pulp remained. Car crews became tin- L- ■ Consistently showing improvement on TlTLE—British Racina Drivers’ recognisably black, cars lost the crispness ** XL the handicap, the Austin then set itself q. l Handicao of their exhaust and showed obvious signs -x,..,. Xsfe grimly to hold its position, for although the of the stress of a long, fast race. More and f / t /<• * mortality had been high, the giant Bentlev STARTED—37 cars, representing more it became a question of fighting off h, % wßli was making its one last effort to win. Then : makers of England, France, Italy, serious mechanical trouble in the hope of ensued the extraordinary duel between Davis Belgium. finDhing. Prewman and Peer-S. C. H. Davis Benjafield. Up went the Bentley speed | TIME-6 hours, 0 minutes, 13 | to <i rocord lor flic r<ice. It looked seconds Meantime the Austin continued to hold (left), and the Earl of March, who as though the Bentley might do it. But the | orrnonc r E off its pursuers, and with never a change piloted the Austin Seven to a remark- car continued to harass the magnific- g RECORDS—Fastest race staged | in the engine note went bv averaging well , „ ~ , , ent Bentley performance. The Austin pits = on Brooklands by both big and g over 80 m.p.h, and apparently in perfect Victory on the Brook ands Track gaw |jj e (] an g er They signalled Davis for g small cars. fettle. in Britain’s fastest speed event. more speed. How optimistic. Was not the i;iii S i llll || ll , l , Bl;ll mm,,, miiiiiiißniiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiuiiiiiiiJ When deciding on a Light Car remember the Austin 7 achievements and ali that they imply. Could more convincing proof of the basic Davis’s Austin is basically the same car The new Austin Seven now available is NEW AUSTIN SEVENS FROM £196, correctness of Austin Seven design and as you can buy. Austin does not build rac- s fdi th e same mechanical masterpiece, with build be found? It is well to remember that ing cars, but only adapts standard models j m p rovemen ts in body, beauty, comfort, and Prices range from £196 f.0.b., main porta, the patented features that made the Aust- for competitive work. Ihe design, materials, .. . ’ . . .. , . , , . in Seven the pioneer light car are found and workmanship are identical in every refinement. It now seats four- adults com- P ay £ o o deposit and drive your car away, only in the Austin. It is for these features Austin sold. fortably. But Austin economy-running Tie balance will be spread in 12, 18, or 24 that America, France and Germany pay When deciding on a light car remember costs are ,ess than trarn fares — ancl Austin mont i l i y p a y men t 3, royalty rights to use them. This shows their the Austin Seven achievements and all performance are still its proud heritage and essential nature in light car construction. that they imply. fundamental distinction, When may we demonstrate? F. 1. VICKEBY, LTD. SOUTHLAND AGENTS: DEE and LEET STREETS, INVERCARGILL. 1