Article 590- 12 May 2011

In the Footsteps of St. Finbarre (Part 256)

Making a Cork Motor Derby, 1938

“Practice was at 6am…It was a really remarkable sight as thousands of men, women and children streamed on to the course in the light of the waning moon. Cigarettes glowed here and there, and motor-car headlights picked out the Carrigrohane Straight in bold relief against the blueness of the morning. Buses from all outlying suburbs of the city brought more thousands to swell the brave throng, which scorned such things as a very definite suspicion of frost in the air in its quest for speed and thrills” (Reporter, Cork Examiner, 21 April 1938, p.6).

The motor race of 1937 passed with great acclaim and it was not long before the Irish Motor Racing Club (under the organisation of Harold C. Brown) in association with the Cork and District Motor Club set out once more to further enhance Cork’s reputation as an Irish focal point of motor car racing. The Cork Examiner provides much detail as to how the next event came into being as does Wilfred Fitzsimmon’s book on Cork Motor Races, where he draws from the archives of the Royal Irish Automobile Club and the Irish Motor News for 1938

In January 1938, the announcement was made that the next meeting would comprise three races, a 200 mile race to be run under the new Grand Prix international formula, to be known as the Cork Grand Prix (with a prize of £1,000), a Formula Free race of 75 miles for cars not exceeding 1 ½ litres to be titled the Cork International Light Car Race (with a prize of £250) and a fifty mile handicap to be confined to racing and sportscars from Britain and Ireland and to be known as the Cork National Motor Handicap (with a prize of £100). Joseph McGrath, Managing Director of the Irish Hospitals Trust, was to present the entire prize fund together with a substantial contribution towards the organisation of the event. The starting money for the Grand Prix was higher that the going rate for Grand Prix meetings in Europe at that time.

From 1933 to 1938, the Grand Prix was run to the Formula Libre standard, meaning that there were no weight or engine restrictions. However in 1938, new requirements were enforced. A participating car without a supercharger had to have a minimum engine capacity of 1000cc and a maximum capacity of 4500cc for cars. The minimum engine capacity for cars with a supercharger was 666cc and a maximum capacity of 3000cc. There was a minimum weight of 400kg to 850 kg but this was on a sliding scale depending on the engine capacity. There was a free choice of fuel. The weight excluded fuel, engine oil and water.

The Cork 1937 organising team visited the racing departments of Auto Union, Mercedes Benz, Alfa Romeo, Maseratti, ERA, Délahaye and Bugatti. They were met with enthusiasm for the idea but the various departments flagged the problem of cars not being built and ready on time especially in light of the new Grand Prix formula.

Entries for the Cork Motor Races on 22 and 23 April 1938 amounted to a total of 47 cars. Twelve countries were represented amongst the entrants. For the principal race, the Cork Grand Prix, 15 entries were received including eight Italian Alfa-Romeos, two Italian Maseratis, while the entry list was completed by five French Delahayes. The Light Car Race attracted 19 entries with six British ERAs (English Racing Automobile) and nine Italian Maseratis. The handicap, which was confined to British and Irish drivers, attracted 13 entries, three from Great Britain, three from Northern Ireland and the remainder from Ireland. The ERA entry was down due to the new Grand Prix ERA not being ready. The same applied to the German Mercedes Benz and Auto Union.

The Ford Motor Company loaned a complete bay of their Cork plant for the use of the competitors to keep and work on their cars, in addition to giving equipment and facilities as required. The Irish radio authorities made special arrangements for the broadcasting of the running commentary on the event, which was relayed to many outside stations including England and perhaps further afield. There were also press facilities, which enabled representatives of home and outside newspapers to flash the result of the big race to the waiting public. Technical experts from almost every motor manufacturing company in Europe were present during the race period and before hand for the two days of practice.

The first morning’s practice for the Cork Motor Race brought 20 drivers to the course before dawn on Wednesday, 20 April 1938. It also brought 20,000 spectators, who took their places on the stand and at vantage points around the track by moonlight. Those of the spectators who came in search of thrills had many as the high powered cars sped down the Carrigrohane Straight at speeds of between 100mph and 140m.p.h. The main interest was focussed on the two French cars on the Straight Road, where one driver René Dreyfus gave some tremendous bursts of speed reaching 140m.p.h. as he passed the pits. There was also a large crowd present to watch the arrival of further drivers and their cars on the M.V. Innishfallen on Penrose Quay.

To be continued…

Captions:

590a.Dudley Colley, winner of the National Handicap Race, in his 1,4966cc Frazer-Nash, Cork, April 1938 (source: W. Fitzsimmons)

590b. Grand Stand and Pits nearing completion, Carrogrohane Straight Road, Cork, April 1938 (Source: W. Fitzsimmons)

Kieran’s Our City, Our Town Article,

Cork Independent,  5 May 2011 

In the Footsteps of St. Finbarre (Part 255)

Of Time and Motion, Cork 1937

 “Though the entry is smaller than last year’s entry of 27…The score of the drivers entered are quite “cracks” in their own particular spheres…thus the Cork event will have the fastest cars of each class doing duty tomorrow fortnight” (Journalist remarks, Cork Examiner, 7 May 1937, p.10).

With preparations in place, only 20 of the 22 drivers made it to the 1937 Cork International Motor Car Race. The first practice was held on Thursday, 20 May 1937, in which 16 drivers took part in. Many thousands of spectators assembled at 6am to watch the practice, which was completed in sunshine. Very fast speeds were returned. The previous year’s winner Reggie Tongue set the pace with an average of 86.62 m.p.h. Unfortunately, one of the drivers entered for the race, Charles Meryvn White crashed and sustained serious head injuries. His car was one of the largest entered in the race, a 2,700 cc Bugatti, and was looked upon as a sturdy challenger for the main event.

The crash occurred only a few yards from the point at which in 1936 Charles turned a double somersault of his car. He then had a miraculous escape from death, sustaining only slight concussion, and was able to drive to the pits. This time round in 1937, approaching the steep down gradient to Inchigaggin Bridge on the back stretch, and about a half a mile before the Gravel Pit Quarry, his car crashed at 60 m.p.h. He skidded for sixty yards before hitting the left-hand ditch. The car jumped into the air and Charles was thrown out right across the road onto the footpath. The car plunged after him, but came to a stop at the kerbstone. Dr Ryan of Blarney and Dr Green of Collin Barracks, Marshals and St. John’s Ambulance dashed to his aid. His head was injured badly and within ten minutes he was conveyed to the Mercy Hospital. He died four days later in hospital on 24 May.

Despite Martin’s presence in hospital, the practice run was completed and all 16 drivers made the requirement to reach two-thirds of the actual speed needed to be in the race across three laps. At the second practice run on the Friday, the day before the race, Belfast representative C.G. Neill’s Bugatti went out of control at Mill Cross and struck the fence with great force. There were no serious results to the driver, but the car was badly damaged. With such accidents, precautions for the big race were heightened. At all the dangerous bends members of the Brigade were stationed with special appliances in case of accidents. Those included ceiling hooks at the end, by means of which, a competitor could be pulled out of a blazing car from a safe distance. In case of a driver being pinned under a car, long iron bars were provided, by means of which the car could be levered off the driver, therefore making way for the use of the ceiling hooks. The St. John’s Ambulance Brigade were stationed around the course, ten doctors, 28 nurses, 54 ambulance men and equipment, and five ambulances. The brigade was under the supervision of Dr. A.J. O’Sullivan and Supt. A.L. Downes. In addition, several hundred civic guards and close on 1,700 marshals were also on the course.

Saturday 22 May arrived with the big race starting at 3.30pm. The total distance was 201 miles and a lap of the Cork circuit, which encompassed the Carrigrohane Straight Road and the Model Farm Road in a circle, was 6 miles and 154 yards. The race was filmed and a summary piece can be seen on British Pathé (www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=7822). There are various shots of the race start and stages in the race. In the actual race fourteen driver participated. An intense downpour of rain commenced after the race had been in progress for three-quarters of an hour. That made the day unpleasant for spectators and drivers alike. The drivers’ ordeal was nerve wracking, particularly on the back stretch, where the surface became dangerous. This had the effect of reducing speeds especially after the first six laps had promised a great struggle between two drivers. These six laps were fought for by Charles Martin and B. Bira but this was brought to an end, when Bira crashed on the back stretch beyond Inchigaggin Bridge and badly wrecked his car. Fortunately he escaped totally uninjured. A.P. McArthur of Sligo, also had a bad skid at Inchigaggin Hill, when his car struck a bank and swung blocking two oncoming cars which, however, just squeezed out of danger.

Of the fourteen starters five finished within the time limit. Charlie Martin set up a new lap record of 92.08 m.p.h. in the sixth lap, but then the rain commenced. The last half dozen laps also produced high speeds when the roads were dry again. The enormous crowd congregated principally on the two and a half mile Straight Road where high speeds were set up. The winner was H.B. Prestwich, of Cheshire, who averaged 76.33 m.p.h. in his 1,087cc MG Magnette, Anthony Powys-Lybbe, the previous year’s second, filled a similar role again, and Charlie Edward Capel Martin, was third.

To be continued…

Captions:

589a. Victoria Cross, Cork International Motor Car Race, 22 May 1937 (source: still from British Pathé, http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=7822)

589b. H.B. Prestwich, winner of Cork International Motor Car Race, 22 May 1937 (source: still from British Pathé)