Hoton Sprint race meeting, 1951.
Return to the Motor Racing Programmes page.
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While there was a reasonable number of large-scale race meetings being held in the early 1950s, there were probably even more local car club events taking place up and down the country. The programme on this page dates to October 7th, 1951, and describes the entries for that year's Hoton Sprint Meeting, organised by the Loughborough College Motor Club.
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The cover features an illustration of a single-seat racing car storming along the sprint course. The exact location of the sprint course isn't mentioned anywhere in the programme unfortunately. A search online for the Hoton Sprint doesn't bring up any references to it. There seem to be precious few references from recent times to the Loughborough College Motor Club also, so maybe that organisation has disappeared from the map too. The introduction within the programme sheds a little light on the early years of this Motor Club:
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The Club was founded a number of years before the war and was revived as soon as possible afterwards. The running and management are entirely in the hands of the students of the College and it is a tribute to their enthusiasm and ability that recognition has been granted by both the RAC and the ACU. A number of meetings are held each year for cars and in addition there is a special section for motor cycles. During the Christmas and Spring terms talks are given by acknowledged experts in various branches of Motor Sport and development.
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The Club members are very catholic in their choice of vehicles - vintage, pre and post war cars being the object of their attention and affection; this gives a respect for the other man's motor creating a kindred spirit and leading to improved road sense and driving ability on everyday roads.
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The Club has a great future for not only is it well managed and nurtured in an environment of engineering tradition but in addition to appealing to the present generation of students it will retain the interest of those who have left College and still keep their motoring enthusiasm.
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C.G. Duce. (Club President).
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Entry List.
The following entrants, and cars, were entered within the seven classes that made up the 1951 sprint meeting. (S = supercharged, U/S = un-supercharged)
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Class 1. Open cars up to 1100cc U/S.
- J.H. King (1950 HRG)
- J. Baker-Courtenay (1934 MG PA)
- A.R. Welbourne (1933 MG)
- B.A. McDowell (1932 Morris MM 8)
- J.S. Hollings (1939 Morris Series E)
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Class 2. Open cars 1101-1500cc U/S and up to 1100cc S.
- A. Bemrose (1947 MG TC)
- J.D.H. Morris (1949 MG TC)
- W.E. Wykes (1951 Dellow)
- W.R.G. Elliot (1930 Wolseley Hornet)
- D. Howard (1950 Morgan 4/4)
- D.F. Ryder (1951 Cooper-MG)
- J.H. Leigh (1933 Frazer-Nash)
- A.C. Sears (1934 Frazer-Nash)
- R.C.C. Palmer (1935 Frazer-Nash)
- Dr. D.P. Harris (1934 Frazer-Nash)
- C.M. Sears (1934 Frazer-Nash)
- T.K. Shipside (1950 MG TD)
- P. Melville Smith (1937 Riley Sprite)
- G.Ch.L. Plucker (1948 MG TC)
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Class 3. Open cars from 1501 to 2500cc U/S and 1101-1500 S.
- G.P. Green (1950 Healey)
- J.G. Armstrong (1935 Frazer-Nash-BMW)
- G.W. Hudson (1935 Frazer-Nash)
- I.G. Williams (1948 Lea-Francis)
- O.F. Williams (1948 Lea-Francis)
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Class 4. Open cars over 2500cc U/S and over 1500cc S.
- G.P. Green (1948 Allard Tourer)
- J.L. MacVitie (1938 SS100)
- N. Hewitt (1950 Allard J2)
- G.D. Pick (1951 Bedford Special)
- E.P. Scragg (1950 Jaguar XK120)
- F.W. Howarth (1951 Jaguar XK120)
- Hon. E.G. Greenall (1928 Bugatti T35B)
- J. Berry (1931 Bugatti T55)
- D. Bagshaw (1934 Alvis Speed 20)
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Class 5. Closed cars up to 1300cc.
- D. Howard (1950 Morgan 4/4)
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Class 6. Closed cars over 1300cc.
- E.H. Ashton (1951 Ford Zephyr)
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Class 7. Racing cars of any capacity.
- P.J. Stubberfield (1926 Bugatti T35B)
- D.H. Philips (1949 Marwyn)
- D.F. Ryder (1950 Cooper-JAP)
- G.P. Green (1950 Healey)
- G.P. Green (1948 Allard)
- Hon. E.G. Greenall (1928 Bugatti T35B)
- J. Berry (1931 Bugatti T55)
- E. Lloyd-Jones (1950 Triangle Flying Saucer)
- C.S. Henderson (1931 Bugatti T51)
- H.A. Richards (1928 Brooklands-Riley)
- G.R. Baird (1946 Strang)
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So quite a variety of cars were entered. Several of the drivers' names will be familiar to anyone with an interest in post-war race meetings, as will some of the cars, such as the Triangle Flying Saucer, a regular entry in post-war hillclimbs and sprints. The Marwyn was a 500cc racing car, but the 1951 Bedford Special I've not heard of before. Does anyone know more about this car, or G.D. Pick the entrant? The programme advises that the car had a six cylinder, 3519cc engine, and it completed its run in 57.83 seconds, a tenth or so quicker than J. Berry's time in the Type 55 Bugatti.
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I'd be interested to hear from anyone who remembers competing, or spectating, at the Hoton Sprint meetings.
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