BROOKLANDS TRACK

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 206, 25 August 1932, Page 8

BROOKLANDS TRACK

ONE THOUSAND MILES RACE AUSTRALIAN GIRL’S TRIUMPH Motoring history was made by Miss Joan Richmond (Australia), who, teaming with Mrs T. IT. Wisdom (England) won the 1000 miles international motor-car race on the Brooklands track (England) at an average speed of 84.41 m.p.h. The feat of Miss Richmond and her codriver is unparalleled and is easily the most outstanding motor drive in competition ever recorded by the fair sex. Not since 1902, when another Australian, in S. F. Edge, who later became a leading light in the British automobile industry and sporting world, won the classic Gordon Bennett Cup from Paris to Vienna, and in 1907 drove a six cylinder car 1581 miles 1310 yards on Brooklands in 24 hours, has an Australian been to the fore in the leading international motoring event: It is indeed re- | markable that the honour should fall j to a young lady at her first attempt [ at speed racing at Brooklands. i To win a strenuous contest such as this British 1000 miles event from the finest drivers of Europe, is no light task. Apart from the physical effort entailed in lapping the banked circuit 400 times in the region of 90 m.p.h., there was the mental strain of not only endeavouring to keep in front of cars in their own class (1100 c.c.) but of the thundering past and lapping of the big racing cars as they hurtled by at speeds over a hundred miles per hour. Miss Richmond and Airs Wilson were handicapped on a basis of averaging 80 miles per hour. They bettered that speed by nearly 44 miles per hour for close on 12 hours driven in two stages. Their times, including all stops at pits for fuel, and change of driver, was 11 hours 50 minutes 48 seconds. It was this extra effort that held off the highpowered cars, and although the little Riley won by two laps, equivalent to 33 minutes, the pace these two women maintained hour after hour resulted in many of the bigger and fastest cars wilting, through being set such a hot pace that they could not concede the start allotted. The terrific nature of the race will be realised from the fact that such knights of the track as Sir Malcolm Campbell, Earl Howe and Sir Henry Birkin, although lapping regularly at 10 2 miles per hour, could not overi haul the fair leaders. MISS lOAN RICHMOND Miss Joan Richmond, who is a Melbourne girl, has been motoring almost since her school days. For seven or eight years she has indulged in all forms of , motoring sport and adventure, including taking part in the 1931 200i miles Victorian Grand Prix, in which i she averaged 57 miles per hour, and ' finished second in her class. Last 1 August she comprised one of a party > who drove three light cars across ! Australia, India, Arabia, Palestine, ’ and thence via the Continent to England. On the way she competed in | the great international Monte Carlo rally, winning a plaque for her performance. The achievement of Miss Richmond and Mrs Wisdom is indeed a remarkable one, and, as before mentioned, is unparalleled in the history of motoring. Second place was filled by a car which averaged 95.43 miles per hour, while a midget car was third with 75.5 miles per hour. Apart from the great achievement of the drivers of the winner, the performance recorded by this little Britisher is astounding. For a small four-cylinder engine, under 1100 capacity, to propel a car at an average speed of nearly 844 miles per hour for 1000 miles is indeed evidence of remarkable endurance and efficiency, and is a further tribute to the wonderful capabilities of the British light car.