Nick Pellett leads from Philip Bewley (Tim Morris). Caroline Sibley piloting her 1900 De Dion Bouton (Tim Morris).
suitably refreshed, we were on the starting grid for 2.00pm. The first Brooklands race of the modern era was The One Mile Scratch Race for the Finishing Straight Cup, sponsored, quite naturally, by the Museum. As in 1897, there were two eliminating heats, this time with the top five racers in each going forward to the final. This was the first test for the timing team who, in the absence of transponders (now that’s an idea!), used smart phones to record each entrant. All the trikes had to turn their engines off on the start line and pedal away as the Union Flag dropped. Start-line pushers were permitted where requested. But they had to leap quickly out of the way as 10 thundering trikes took up the challenge and headed en masse for ‘Banking Corner’, open- ing up the throttles as they sped down ‘Test Hill Straight’ towards ‘Paddock Bend’ before entering ‘Clubhouse Straight’ and crossing the start/finish line for the first time. With plenty of overtaking, and with confidence being clearly in evidence in many riders as they weaved through the field, it was clear that the whole meeting was going to be very competitive. As the hand-bell was rung for the last lap, it was neck-and-neck at the front. Putting more distance between the front runners, it was Nick Canfor (number four) who had won the opening race on his 1898 De Dion Bouton, and that machine had, by an extraordinary coin- cidence, competed at Brooklands in the last Old Crocks Race in August 1939 – this was a very his- toric thing to have happened. Second was Robert Lusk’s machine, ridden by John Rhodes; third was Roy Tubby.
Following a short interval, with the machines checked over, it was back on Track with two heats for the second race, The Two Mile Handicap for the Sheen House Cup, as an echo of the original
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circuit at Richmond Park. This race was kindly sponsored by Jonathan Wood Restorations, a De Dion Bouton UK Club supporter. Following conclusion of the two six-lap heats, the final’s grid was set in reverse order, with the slowest at the front and fastest at the back. A bit like the British Touring Car Championship, without the cars, and the touring! It was quite clear by now that many riders had got the bit between their teeth and almost from the off, as the Union Flag was waved, the fastest ones at the back started to make their way through the grid. Being a two-miler, this was to be 12 laps, so there was plenty of time to make up ground. Differing styles were beginning to emerge, with most now leaning into the corners
John Rhodes ahead of Stephen Brett (Tim Morris).
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