CYCLING AND MOTORING NOTES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 149, 16 August 1911, Page 8

CYCLING AND MOTORING NOTES.

A passenger motor ear service is now running across Tasmania from Launceston to Hobart, a distance of about 120 miles . As the fares compare favourably with the railway rates and the time taken by tbo motor is just about the same, the service has caught on, for the advantages and pleasure of a motor drive along this picturesque route arc much to be preferred to sitting cooped up in a nose railway carriage. Tire trip is negotiated in about six hours, ncluding a stop on route for lunch. Arrangements will soon bo taken in hand for a reliability motor cycle contest, between Sydney and Melbourne (575 miles) on somewhat similar lines to the event, held from Melbourne to Sydney last Christmas. On that occasion only two Victorians started out with a field of twenty contestants, but. it is anticipated that from a dozen to fifteen Victorian motor cyclists will compete in the forthcoming contest after the success of Messrs Jenkins and Tyler in the last event. The reliability contest will be handled jointly by the Motor Cycle Clubs of New South Wales and Victoria. The probabilities are that an endeavour will bo made to organise a motor cycle race meeting on the remodellol track on the Friendly Societies’ Ground, and thus give visiting motor cyclists an opportunity of racing on the new track, which will easily be the fastest in Australasia. Motor cyclists in Lumps, America and Australia are awaiting with interest the meeting of the two motor cycle champions, J. do Rosier (U.S.A.) and C. R. Collier (Eng.) in a special match on Rrooklands track. They were to have met in a series of three races, five, ten, and twenty-five miles, for a purse of £l3O at Rrooklands on 15th July, so that particulars should bo to hand by the next English mail. Collier’s mount was to be a 7 h.p. twin-cylinder “Matchless,” whilst Rosier would use a 7 h.p. twin-cylinder “Indian”—a machine upon which he holds practically every world’s track record, from one mile to the hour. On performances the American would probably be favourite.

Motorists will be interested to learn that the French firm, Messrs Do Dion —one of the oldest and best known motor manufacturers in the world—intend marketing two models of 8cylinder cars in 1932—a 21 h.p. and a 35 h.p. The cylinders will lie ranged in two rows of four, “Y” shaped. Such a drastic change by such a conservative firm is surprising, and some satisfactory results i must have been achieved by their experimental models to warrant such a sweeping departure from their standard models. The French and English motor journals are unanimous in describing the French light car race over the Boulogne circuit as a magnificent sporting event, and absolutely the finest yet held in automobile history. Last, week wo gave the bare result of this contest, but further interesting particulars are now available. The power of the competing cars was restricted by cubic capacity of the engines, an equivalent of about 15 h.p. being permitted. Thirty cars started and thirteen completed the full course of 387 miles, and of these, four cars were British made. The race was held round a circuit of about 32 f miles, which had to be negotiated twelve times. , Many of the world’s most famous drivers took part in the race, including Hemery, Gabriel, Wagner, Du ray, and last year’s winner, Zuccarelli; and it says much for their driving that the event was carried through without serious hurt to anyone. The strenuous nature of the race can be gauged from the fact that for the last 180 miles of the contest there were only two or three minutes separating the first four drivers, and at the finish Bablot, on a .Delargo, was,only 71 seconds in front of the second man, Boillet, who in turn was only 25 seconds ahead of Thomas, who finished third, while the fourth man was less than a minute behind. ( No wonder the event was regarded as a sporting success, for such a close finish over 387 miles is ‘indeed remarkable, and only serves to demonstrate to what a degree of perfection the small powered car has been brought. The 'average pace of the winner was over 54 miles an hour, very little behind the speed maintained by the huge monsters ranging from 80 h.p. to 120h.p. that took part in the big European road race five and six years back. An interesting feature of the race was that the first four cars to finish were fitted with Englishmado lludge-Whitworth detachable wheels, which the French racing authorities only a few years back debarred on account of being deemed unsafe. T. Ellegaard, the well-known Danish crack, won the professional world’s sprint championship, which was recently decided in Home, and tints equalled L. Meredith’s remarkable series of successes, for this is the sixtli occasion upon which Ellegaard lias carried off this classic event. Ellegaard raced in Australia with fair success a few years back, and despite his now being a f,;ir age appears to retain his brilliancy on the track. The Tasmanian Dunlop tost race will lie held on Saturday, September 23rd. The event will this year bo held in the opposite direction to the usual course, for the race will start at Launceston and finish at Hobart, a distance of about 120 miles. The rider establishing fastest time will officially represent 'Tasmania in the forthcoming Warrnambool-M el bourne road race. The event is being hold under the. rules of the Tasmanian League of "Wheelmen. From London to ’Turin (Northern Italy), a distance of 7(57 miles, was recently negotiated in a motor ear in the gross time of 23 hours 50 min-

iit.es. 'l'ho sclicdiilod time tor the fastest boat and fastest train lor this journey is 27 hours 30 minutes. The Hying mils of 31 seconds—equal to lit) miles an hour—recently recorded by Bordino on a 300 h.p. car at Salthnrn beach, England, will not be officially recognised by the European motoring authorities for according to the latest ruling a straightaway record will not be accepted unless the drive is made in both directions, and the mean time taken to equalise the effect of the wind, and this was not done. The huge monster used by Bordino has four cylinders, the bore and stroke being 190 and 250 millimetres respectively. The annual “Tourist Trophy” race, the greatest motor cycle road event held in the world, was decided under favourable weather conditions in the Isle of Man (off the coast of England) last month. The race was divided into two sections, “junior” and “senior,” the engines being limited to 2;} h.p. in the first and to 4 h.p. in the latter section. Both events were decided over the same circuit on different days, the “junior” being over four circuits or a total of 150 miles, and the “senior” five circuits, equal to 187} miles. The firstnamed drew 34 starters, and resulted in a win for .1. P. Evans from H. A. Collier. The winner rode a 2} h.p. twin-cylinder Humber, and negotiated the 150 miles in the remarkable time of -3 hours 37 minutes 7 seconds, equal to an average of 41 miles an hour. Evans was easily first with over 9 minutes to spare. Twenty-one riders finished the course. The big event, the “senior,” was expected to produce a great match between C. R. Collier, last year’s winner, and Jake dc Rosier, the American champion, but neither won, the event going to C. C. Godfrey (3-iJ- h.p. twin “Indian”), who covered 187} miles in 3 'hours 50 minutes 10 seconds, equal to an average speed of 47} miles an hour. C. R. Collier finished second only 63 seconds behind, whilst do Ros’er was placed twelfth IVHi of theso riders wore subsequently disqualified for noncompliance with . -me of il.e i bJos of contest as regards te tiding petrol tanks at points inner than the appointed depots. Out of 51 starters, 28 completed the course. 'I his event produced a terrific struggle. At the end of the third !ap 069} m b’s) Lie six leading positions were —l. C .11. Collier, 2hrs iOiuin fiSsea; 2, 0. C. Godfrey, 2hrs 21min A2sec; 3. J. de Rosier, 2hrs 21min 52sec; -I, C. 15. Franklin, 2lirs 23min 25sec; 5, A. J. Moorhousc, 2hrs 26min 45see; 6, !J. Lister Cooper, 2hrs 29min Bsec. 'i ho English crack now experienced a terrible hit of had luck, for he ran out of petrol and lost his position. At Hie end of the fourth lap (150 miles) the loading positions were; 1, C). C. Godfrey, 3hrs 9miu 12sce; 2, C. B. Franklin, 31irs llmin 13sec; 3, C. R. Collier, 3hrs llmin 19sec; 4, A. J. Moorhouse, 3lirs 16min l2soc; 5, H. A. Collier, 3hrs 16min 12sec; 6, Hugh Mason, 3hrs 19min 44sec. The final places were : 1 1, 0. C. Godfrey (3;,- h.p. “Indian”), 3hrs 56min lOscc: 2, C. R. Collier (4 h.p. “Matchless”), 3hrs 57min 13sec ( ; 3, C. B. Franklin (3-4 h.p. “Indian”), 3hrs 59min 52sec; 4, A. J. Mdbrhonse (3 if h.p. “Indian”) 4hrs smin 34sec; 5, H. A. Collier ( I h.p. “Matchless”), 4hrs 9min 42sec; G, Hugh Mason (4 h.p. “Matchless”), 4hrs lomin 35sec. As- Collier was disqualified for technical breach of rules, all the placed riders moved up one, so that the American-made “Indian” scored a veritable triumph; all the above riders used twin engines.