GRUELLING RACE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 November 1938, Page 7

GRUELLING RACE

PRINCE BIRA WINS £250 PRIZE. VICTORY AT BROOKLANDS. After a duel at more than 80 m.p.h. Prince Birabongse, of Siam (B. Bira), roared past Raymond Mays in the last lap of the British Racing Drivers' Club’s 192 miles road race at Brooklands on September 17 to win victory and the £250 prize. Smoke was pouring from the cockpit of May’s car, a two-litre E.R.A., as he led the field on the last lap at 85 m.p.h., and he had to slacken speed. Gearbox trouble was the cause. From the Campbell Road circuit the 21 starters flashed round a corner on the steep banked part of the old track, and roared round the Byfleet banking to join the new road circuit again on the railway straight. Round this course of just over three miles they had to speed 60 times. Bira at once took the lead on handicap, closely followed by Mays, and throughout the race the lead was held alternately by these two drivers, Louis Gerard, the French ace, who won the T.T. a fortnight previously, had to retire with engine trouble. The pace was gruelling, and retirements were frequent. For mile after mile only two seconds separated Mays and Bira, until, shortly after half distance, Mays took the lead. He averaged over 85 m.p.h. A. Cudden-Fletcher, driving an M.G.. was racing up the straight in third place at this stage when a ear pulled away from the pits. Cudden-Fletcher jammed on his brakes,to avoid a collision and got into wild skid, making straight for the pits, but by brilliant driving he corrected the skid and carried on. Bira took the lead again, although he spun completely round at the end of the straight and lost valuable seconds but within the next few minutes Mays regained first place on handicap by a few seconds. He continued to increase this lead until the last few seconds ol the race.