Brighton Speed Trials
Encyclopedia
The Brighton Speed Trials, in full The Brighton National Speed Trials, is commonly held to be the oldest running motor race. The first race was held July 19–22, 1905 after Sir Harry Preston persuaded Brighton town council to tarmac the surface of the road adjacent to the beach between the Palace Pier and Black Rock in order to hold motor racing events. This stretch was renamed Madeira Drive in 1909 and the event is still held there, normally on the second Saturday of September each year. In 1936 Motor Sport described the event as: "undoubtedly the most important speed-trials on the British Calendar."
The event is currently run as a quarter mile sprint for both cars and motorcycles, held under the auspices of the Motor Sports Association
. The event is organised by the Brighton and Hove Motor Club
, with the Sprint Section of the Vintage Motorcycle Club in charge of the Motorcycles. Entrants run individually, although in earlier days vehicles would race side by side. This practice was stopped following a number of accidents. The course length has varied over the years, generally becoming shorter to keep terminal speeds manageable as cars have got faster. The speed trials form a unique event, where vintage and exotic classics meet the latest in street and racing cars. Public access is allowed to the paddock and startline 'funnel' allowing visitors to get much closer to the action than at most events.
Class 1 - Roadgoing and modified production cars up to 1400cc
Class 2 - Roadgoing and modified production cars over 1400cc and up to 2000cc
Class 3 - Roadgoing and modified production cars over 2000cc and up to 3500cc
Class 4 - Roadgoing and modified production cars over 3500cc
Class 5 - Clubmans
Class 6 - Sports Libre cars up to 1300cc
Class 7 - Sports Libre cars over 1300cc and up to 1600cc
Class 8 - Sports Libre cars over 1600cc
Class 9 - Racing cars up to 500cc
Class 10 - Racing cars over 500cc and up to 1100cc
Class 11 - Racing cars over 1100cc and up to 1600cc
Class 12 - Racing cars over 1600cc and up to 2000cc
Class 13 - Racing and Sports cars constructed on or before Dec 31 1959
The first Brighton Speed Trial was held in 1905, but because of the cost and opposition from ratepayers, it was not held again until 1923.
A police ban of racing on public roads caused the second interruption to the Brighton Speed Trials. Subsequently it was pointed out that Madeira Drive was a private road owned by the council, and so exempt from the ban.
The Speed Trials were not run during World War II. The 1939 event was scheduled for September 23.
The fuel crisis led to the cancellation of this year's event. Autocar reported in 1970: "Last year this traditional event did not take place because the condition of the road surface was thought unsuitable for the more powerful sprint cars."
Key: R = Course Record; S/C = Supercharged; T/C = Turbocharged.
1993, John Gray, SPA Judd
V10, standing start 1/4 mile 8.90s
Bike
2009, Roger Simmons, Suzuki Hayabusa Turbo, standing start 1/4 mile 8.73s
Key: R = Course Record; S/C = Supercharged.
, in an editorial in Hot Rod Magazine in August, 1958. Parks had nominated Calvin Rice to travel from the U.S.A. to England with the Hot Rod Magazine Special for the speed trials. In the event the trip was aborted, but the seeds had been sown.
In 1961 Sydney Allard
built the Allard dragster in the UK and its first competitive appearance was at the Brighton Speed Trials on September 2, 1961. There was talk of a new track record over the kilometre from the Allard dragster with excitement reaching fever pitch. This only led to a huge disappointment when the fuel line ruptured on the line, completing the course on four cylinders in a time of 37.91 secs. The car continued to misfire on the second attempt. Hot Rod Magazine reported: "During warmup it backfired and blew off one set of blower pipes and never got going." This was a blow from which the reputation of the car never fully recovered. Bill Boddy
, editor of Motor Sport, called it a fiasco, saying the mechanical problems had also occurred in testing at Boreham. The Autocar described the Allard dragster as a "gallant failure."
At Brighton on September 15, 1962 the Allard dragster clocked two runs at 22.30 and 22.04 seconds. A respectable performance but no outright win or record. Motor Sport reported: "It appears that before the end of the Brighton kilometre the Allard dragster had burst the pipe between supercharger and engine, a common problem with such an installation and the reason why the Americans bolt their blowers on the engine, eliminating a long induction pipe."
Sydney Allard was joined on September 14, 1963, by Dante Duce in Dean Moon
's Mooneyes gas dragster and Mickey Thompson
with his Ford-powered Harvey Aluminum Special for some match-race style action. It was not to be. The American cars were not really suited to the kilometre, and there were no clocks for a quarter mile distance. They had no brakes at the front and parachute brakes at the rear, no rear suspension, and advertising on the bodywork. All of this was enough to give the scrutineers (technical inspectors) fits. The cars did demonstrations only, reduced to burnouts and wheelstands, but left a lasting impression on the crowd. The Allard dragster put two rods through the block on Madeira Drive that day. The Worden dragster of Tony Densham and Harry Worrall, a budget effort powered by a Shorrock-supercharged 1,500 c.c. Ford engine, was entered in the 1,101 to 1,500 c.c. racing car class, and, although not geared for the kilometre, finished second to Patsy Burt
, in a time of 27.86 sec. Densham would later set the British land speed record
at Elvington in the Ford-powered Commuter dragster.
The canny Duce returned in 1964 with the Moonbeam modified sports car, which at least looked like a traditional European sporty car, but with a drag race and Bonneville heritage. The car as raced in Brighton was fitted with a 375-cubic inch supercharged Chevrolet V8 engine and a Devin
bodyshell, and was originally built in 1959. Dante Duce also borrowed an A.C. Shelby Cobra
, chassis number CSX2345, from John Wyer
, and entered it in the GT class, car number 110 at Brighton.
Duce cleaned up that day winning overall in the Moonbeam in a time of 21.95 sec, and first in Sports and GT cars over 2,500 c.c., in the Cobra roadster in 24.35 sec.
Soon Brighton started holding dragster demonstrations over the quarter mile. In 1972 Clive Skilton produced an 8.18 sec run in his rear-engined Chrysler dragster. In 1973 Dennis Priddle ran a smoky 7.69 sec quarter mile in his front-motored Chrysler dragster, which remains the quickest quarter yet seen on Brighton seafront. Motor Sport reported: "The sheer bravery and courage of the West Country lad as the Dragster accelerated along the bumpy, cambered road, brought forth the most incredible spontaneous round of applause heard at a motoring event for many years."
The dragsters were getting too quick for Brighton and there were concerns about how to deal with fires involving exotic fuels. They faded from the scene with only occasional wins by drag-race type vehicles, such as Shaun Saunders (2000) and Paul Marston (2001, 2002).
The event is currently run as a quarter mile sprint for both cars and motorcycles, held under the auspices of the Motor Sports Association
Motor Sports Association
The Motor Sports Association , is the official governing body of motorsport in the United Kingdom.-Responsibilities:...
. The event is organised by the Brighton and Hove Motor Club
Brighton and Hove Motor Club
The Brighton and Hove Motor Club is best known as organiser of the Brighton Speed Trials.- History :The club's origins go back to the early 1920's when it was known as the Brighton and Hove Motor Cycle and Light Car Club. The earliest known reference to the Brighton and Hove Motor Club dates from...
, with the Sprint Section of the Vintage Motorcycle Club in charge of the Motorcycles. Entrants run individually, although in earlier days vehicles would race side by side. This practice was stopped following a number of accidents. The course length has varied over the years, generally becoming shorter to keep terminal speeds manageable as cars have got faster. The speed trials form a unique event, where vintage and exotic classics meet the latest in street and racing cars. Public access is allowed to the paddock and startline 'funnel' allowing visitors to get much closer to the action than at most events.
Timetable of events
Times are approximate.| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 0900-1130 | Practice |
| 1130–1300 | Morning timed runs |
| 1300–1400 | Interval |
| 1400-1800 | Afternoon timed runs |
| 1800–1900 | Top six runoffs for cars and bikes |
| 1900 | Results declared and award presentation |
Classes of cars
Handicap - Roadgoing cars of any typeClass 1 - Roadgoing and modified production cars up to 1400cc
Class 2 - Roadgoing and modified production cars over 1400cc and up to 2000cc
Class 3 - Roadgoing and modified production cars over 2000cc and up to 3500cc
Class 4 - Roadgoing and modified production cars over 3500cc
Class 5 - Clubmans
Class 6 - Sports Libre cars up to 1300cc
Class 7 - Sports Libre cars over 1300cc and up to 1600cc
Class 8 - Sports Libre cars over 1600cc
Class 9 - Racing cars up to 500cc
Class 10 - Racing cars over 500cc and up to 1100cc
Class 11 - Racing cars over 1100cc and up to 1600cc
Class 12 - Racing cars over 1600cc and up to 2000cc
Class 13 - Racing and Sports cars constructed on or before Dec 31 1959
Interruptions
An event run over such a long period of time was bound to be impacted by events in history, both major and minor.- 1905-1922
The first Brighton Speed Trial was held in 1905, but because of the cost and opposition from ratepayers, it was not held again until 1923.
- 1925-1931
A police ban of racing on public roads caused the second interruption to the Brighton Speed Trials. Subsequently it was pointed out that Madeira Drive was a private road owned by the council, and so exempt from the ban.
- 1939-1945
The Speed Trials were not run during World War II. The 1939 event was scheduled for September 23.
- 1969
The fuel crisis led to the cancellation of this year's event. Autocar reported in 1970: "Last year this traditional event did not take place because the condition of the road surface was thought unsuitable for the more powerful sprint cars."
Brighton Speed Trials people
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- Prince Bira
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Fastest time of the day
These are the fastest car times recorded on the day for each year.| Year | Driver | Vehicle | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flying Start Kilometre | ||||
| 1905 | Clifford Earp Clifford Earp Walter Thomas Clifford Earp was a pioneer racing motorist.He was born in 1879, in Lambeth, Surrey, England. His parents were Arthur Clifford Earp, a sculptor, and Emily Wood. He attended Ardingly school, Sussex.. His surname was often spelled Clifford-Earp... |
Napier Napier & Son D. Napier & Son Limited was a British engine and pre-Great War automobile manufacturer and one of the most important aircraft engine manufacturers in the early to mid-20th century... 90 hp |
23s | July 19–22. |
| Standing Start 1/2 Mile | ||||
| 1923 | J.A. Joyce | AC AC Cars AC Cars Group Ltd. formerly known as Auto Carriers Ltd. is a British specialist automobile manufacturer and one of the oldest independent car marques founded in Britain... |
July 14. | |
| 1924 | Standing Start 1/4 Mile | |||
| G.N. Norris | Morgan Morgan Motor Company The Morgan Motor Company is a British motor car manufacturer. The company was founded in 1910 by Harry Frederick Stanley Morgan, generally known as "HFS" and was run by him until he died, aged 77, in 1959. Peter Morgan, son of H.F.S., ran the company until a few years before his death in 2003... |
16.4s | May 25. | |
| Standing Start 1/2 Mile | ||||
| J.A. Joyce | AC AC Cars AC Cars Group Ltd. formerly known as Auto Carriers Ltd. is a British specialist automobile manufacturer and one of the oldest independent car marques founded in Britain... |
28s | Sept 6. | |
| Standing Start 1/2 Mile | ||||
| 1932 | Sir Malcolm Campbell Malcolm Campbell Sir Malcolm Campbell was an English racing motorist and motoring journalist. He gained the world speed record on land and on water at various times during the 1920s and 1930s using vehicles called Blue Bird... |
Sunbeam Tiger Sunbeam Tiger (1925) The Sunbeam Tiger was a racing car of the 1920s, built by Sunbeam of Wolverhampton. It was the last car to be competitive both as a land speed record holder, and as a circuit-racing car.- Design and engine :... S/C |
23.6s R | Sept 17, very fine. "Pathe News Clip", |
| 1933 | Whitney Straight Whitney Straight Air Commodore Whitney Willard Straight CBE, MC, DFC was a Grand Prix motor racing driver, aviator, businessman, and a member of the prominent Whitney family of the United States.... |
Maserati Maserati Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993... |
24.2s | Sept 16, very wet. |
| 1934 | R. O. Shuttleworth | Bugatti Bugatti Automobiles E. Bugatti was a French car manufacturer founded in 1909 in Molsheim, Alsace, as a manufacturer of high-performance automobiles by Italian-born Ettore Bugatti.... Type 51 S/C |
23.8s | Sept 15, fine. |
| 1935 | R. O. Shuttleworth | Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars... P3 Tipo B S/C |
22.68s R | Sept 14, fine. |
| 1936 | S. E. Cummings | Vauxhall Vauxhall Motors Vauxhall Motors is a British automotive company owned by General Motors and headquartered in Luton. It was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine manufacturer, began manufacturing cars in 1903 and was acquired by GM in 1925. It has been the second-largest selling car brand in the UK for... -Villiers Amherst Villiers Amherst Villiers was an English automotive, aeronautical and astronautic engineer and portrait painter.He designed a land speed record-breaking car for Malcolm Campbell, and developed the supercharged "Blower Bentley", driven by Henry Birkin and by James Bond.-Early life:Charles Amherst Villiers... S/C |
22.90s | Sept 26, wet. |
| 1937 | Geoffrey Taylor | Alta | 22.84s | Sept 25, wet. |
| 1938 | Geoffrey Taylor | Alta 1960 c.c. S/C | 22.45s R | July 2. |
| Standing Start Kilometre | ||||
| 1946 | Raymond Mays Raymond Mays Thomas Raymond Mays CBE was an auto racing driver and entrepreneur from Bourne, Lincolnshire, England.He attended Oundle School, where he met Amherst Villiers, leaving at the end of 1917. After army service in the Grenadier Guards in France, he attended Christ's College, Cambridge... |
ERA R4D ERA R4D ERA R4D, built by English Racing Automobiles, is the last development of this classic voiturette racing car, the only D-Type ever built. Originating as R4B in 1935, the car was rebuilt as a C-Type by modifying the front end of the chassis frame to accommodate independent Porsche-type torsion bar... |
24.47s R | Sept 7, fine. |
| 1947 | Raymond Mays Raymond Mays Thomas Raymond Mays CBE was an auto racing driver and entrepreneur from Bourne, Lincolnshire, England.He attended Oundle School, where he met Amherst Villiers, leaving at the end of 1917. After army service in the Grenadier Guards in France, he attended Christ's College, Cambridge... |
ERA R4D | 24.27s R | Sept 1, fine. |
| 1948 | Raymond Mays Raymond Mays Thomas Raymond Mays CBE was an auto racing driver and entrepreneur from Bourne, Lincolnshire, England.He attended Oundle School, where he met Amherst Villiers, leaving at the end of 1917. After army service in the Grenadier Guards in France, he attended Christ's College, Cambridge... |
ERA R4D | 23.86s R | Sept 4, fair, no motorcycles. |
| 1949 | Archie Butterworth Archie Butterworth Archibald James Butterworth, born 19th June 1912, County Waterford, Ireland-died 12th February 2005. He was an inventor and racing motorist who, in 1948, designed and constructed the A.J.B. Special, a four-wheel-drive 'formula one' racing car. He was a two-time winner of the Brighton Speed Trials... |
A.J.B. | 24.91s | Sept 3, very fine. |
| 1950 | Raymond Mays Raymond Mays Thomas Raymond Mays CBE was an auto racing driver and entrepreneur from Bourne, Lincolnshire, England.He attended Oundle School, where he met Amherst Villiers, leaving at the end of 1917. After army service in the Grenadier Guards in France, he attended Christ's College, Cambridge... |
ERA R4D | 24.40s | Sept 2, fine. |
| 1951 | Archie Butterworth | A.J.B. | 26.63s | Sept 1, dry morning, wet afternoon. |
| 1952 | Ted Lloyd-Jones | Triangle Flying Saucer 21-litre | 23.91s | Sept 6, fine. |
| 1953 | Ted Lloyd-Jones | Triangle Flying Saucer 21-litre | 24.55s | Sept 5. |
| 1954 | Ken Wharton Ken Wharton Kenneth Wharton was a British racing driver from England. He began competing in the new National 500cc Formula in his own special, later acquiring a Cooper. Ken participated in 15 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 18 May 1952 and scored a total of 3 championship points... |
ERA R4D | 23.63s R | Sept 4, wet morning, dry afternoon. |
| 1955 | Ken Wharton Ken Wharton Kenneth Wharton was a British racing driver from England. He began competing in the new National 500cc Formula in his own special, later acquiring a Cooper. Ken participated in 15 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 18 May 1952 and scored a total of 3 championship points... |
ERA R4D | 23.99s | Sept 3, fine and dry. |
| 1956 | Ken Wharton Ken Wharton Kenneth Wharton was a British racing driver from England. He began competing in the new National 500cc Formula in his own special, later acquiring a Cooper. Ken participated in 15 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 18 May 1952 and scored a total of 3 championship points... |
ERA R4D | 23.34s R | Sept 1. |
| 1957 | Bill Sadler | Sadler Special-Chevrolet | 25.44s | Sept 7, dry morning, wet afternoon. |
| 1958 | Jim Berry | ERA Special | 25.01s | Sept 6, fine. |
| 1959 | Arthur Owen Arthur Owen Arthur Owen was a British racing driver from England. He participated in one Formula One World Championship Grand Prix, the 1960 Italian Grand Prix, driving a privately-entered 2.2 litre Cooper. He crashed on the first lap of the race at the South Corner, due to brake failure... |
Cooper Cooper Car Company The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1946 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles' small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England in 1946... -Climax 2-litre |
23.50s | Sept 5, fine. |
| 1960 | Jim Berry | Cooper Cooper Car Company The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1946 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles' small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England in 1946... -ERA S/C |
23.21s R | Sept 3, windy, wet morning, dry afternoon. |
| 1961 | Gordon Parker | HK Jaguar Special S/C | 24.63s | Sept 2, fine. |
| 1962 | Chris Summers | Cooper Cooper Car Company The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1946 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles' small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England in 1946... F2-Chevrolet |
21.69s R | Sept 15, sunny. |
| 1963 | Ken Wilson | BRM | 23.10s | Sept 14, sunny. |
| 1964 | Dante Duce | Moonbeam-Chevrolet S/C | 21.95s | Sept 12. |
| 1965 | Chris Summers | Lotus Team Lotus Team Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport series including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar and sports car racing... 24-Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918... |
21.56s R | Sept 11, intermittent showers. |
| 1966 | Chris Summers | Lotus Team Lotus Team Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport series including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar and sports car racing... 24-Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918... |
20.70s R | Sept 17, sunny. |
| 1967 | John Woolfe | AC Cobra AC Cobra The AC Cobra, also known colloquially as the Shelby Cobra in North America, is an Anglo-American sports car that was produced during the 1960s.-History and development:... 7-litre |
22.51s | Sept 16, dry, calm, overcast. |
| 1968 | Patsy Burt Patsy Burt Patricia Mary "Patsy" Burt was a British motor racing driver.During a long and varied career, Patsy Burt won many British national-level competitions, and was the first female driver ever to win both the Brighton Speed Trials and the RAC National Sprint Championship... |
McLaren M3A-Oldsmobile | 20.21s R | Sept 14, wet morning. |
| 1969 | No event | |||
| Standing Start 1/4 Mile | ||||
| 1970 | Gerry Tyack | Brabham BT23 | 12.89s R | Sept 12. |
| Standing Start Kilometre | ||||
| 1971 | Johnty Williamson | Cooper Cooper Car Company The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1946 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles' small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England in 1946... T81B F1-1-67-Chrysler V8 7.2-litre |
21.05s | Sept 11. |
| 1972 | Johnty Williamson | McLaren M10B 5.0 litre | 22.42s | |
| 1973 | Bob Rose | McLaren-Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918... M14D |
20.53s | Sept 8. |
| 1974 | David Purley David Purley David Charles Purley, GM, was a British racing driver born in Bognor Regis, West Sussex. He participated in 11 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting at Monaco on 3 June 1973... |
Trojan Trojan (Racing team) Trojan was an automobile manufacturer and a Formula One constructor from the United Kingdom. The complete history can be found at The car producer Trojan Limited was founded by Leslie Hounsfield in 1914 in Purley Way, Croydon, South London and produced cars and especially delivery vans until... -Chevrolet T101 |
18.63s R | |
| 1975 | David Purley David Purley David Charles Purley, GM, was a British racing driver born in Bognor Regis, West Sussex. He participated in 11 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting at Monaco on 3 June 1973... |
Chevron Chevron Cars Ltd Chevron Cars Ltd. is a manufacturer of racing cars, founded by Derek Bennett in 1965. Following Bennett's death in 1978, the firm has remained active in various guises. The original company's designs and name continue to be utilized by Roger Andreason to build replacement parts and continuation... B30-Ford GA V6 3.4-litre |
19.70s | |
| 1976 | David Render | Lotus Team Lotus Team Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport series including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar and sports car racing... 76-DFV |
18.77s | |
| 1977 | Simon Riley | Brabham-DFV BT33 | 18.28s R | Sept 10. |
| 1978 | Dave Harris | McRae Graham McRae Graham McRae is a former racing driver from New Zealand.McRae's single outing in the Formula One World Championship was at the 1973 British Grand Prix on 14 July 1973, where he retired in the first lap... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918... GM1 |
17.48s R | Sept 9, joint fastest. |
| Terry Smith | Brabham-Repco Repco Repco is an Australian automotive engineering company. Its name is an abbreviation of Replacement Parts Company and it is best known for spare parts and motor accessories.... BT36 |
|||
| 1979 | Terry Smith | March March Engineering March Engineering was a Formula One constructor and manufacturer of customer racing cars from the United Kingdom. Although only moderately successful in Grand Prix competition, March racing cars enjoyed much better achievement in other categories of competition including Formula Two, Formula Three,... -Repco 761 |
18.82s | Sept 8. |
| Standing Start 1/2 Mile | ||||
| 1980 | Mark Williams | Hesketh Hesketh Hesketh Racing was a Formula One constructor from the United Kingdom, which competed from 1973 to 1978.-Formation:The eccentric Englishman Lord Hesketh met up with Anthony 'Bubbles' Horsley, and the pair entered various Formula Three events around Europe in 1972, with the mission objective simply... -DFV 308E |
15.49s R | Sept 13. |
| 1981 | Terry Smith | March-Repco 761 | 15.73s | Sept 12. |
| 1982 | Ken Ayers | March-DFV 79S | 15.53s | Sept 11. |
| 1983 | Ken Ayers | March-DFV 79S | 16.08s | Sept 10. |
| 1984 | Ken Ayers | Lyncar Lyncar Lyncar was a Formula One constructor from the United Kingdom. They participated in only 2 grands prix, the 1974 and 1975 British Grand Prix, entering a total of 2 cars.... -DFL MS84 |
15.63s | Sept 8. |
| 1985 | Ken Ayers | Lyncar-DFL MS84 | 15.64s | Sept 14. |
| 1986 | Roy Woodhouse | March-Rover Rover -Leyland companies:* Rover Company , a British motorcycle and car manufacturing company, absorbed into Leyland Motor Corporation in 1967* Austin Rover Group , a mass-market car manufacturing subsidiary of Leyland... 77/82 T/C |
18.71s | Sept 13. |
| 1987 | Clive Bracey | Vebra-Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918... |
15.29s R | Sept 12. |
| 1988 | Clive Bracey | Vebra-Chevrolet Chevrolet Chevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918... Mk II 7.6 litre |
14.98s R | Sept 10. |
| 1989 | Paul Edwards | Pilbeam Pilbeam Racing Designs Pilbeam Racing Designs is a British company which designs and constructs racing cars, based in the Lincolnshire town of Bourne. The company was founded in 1975 by Mike Pilbeam.-Early career:... -DFL MP58 |
14.97s R | Sept 9. |
| 1990 | Ken Ayers | Pilbeam Pilbeam Racing Designs Pilbeam Racing Designs is a British company which designs and constructs racing cars, based in the Lincolnshire town of Bourne. The company was founded in 1975 by Mike Pilbeam.-Early career:... -DFL MP58 |
15.32s | Sept 8. |
| 1991 | John Gray | Pilbeam Pilbeam Racing Designs Pilbeam Racing Designs is a British company which designs and constructs racing cars, based in the Lincolnshire town of Bourne. The company was founded in 1975 by Mike Pilbeam.-Early career:... -DFL MP58 |
14.48s R | Sept 14. |
| 1992 | John Gray | SPA Judd Judd (engine) Judd is a name brand of engines produced by Engine Developments Ltd., a company founded in 1971 by John Judd and Jack Brabham in Rugby, Warwickshire, England... V10 |
14.48s | Sept 12. |
| Standing Start 1/4 Mile | ||||
| 1993 | John Gray | SPA Judd Judd (engine) Judd is a name brand of engines produced by Engine Developments Ltd., a company founded in 1971 by John Judd and Jack Brabham in Rugby, Warwickshire, England... V10 |
8.90s R | Sept 11. |
| 1994 | Les Edmunds | BRD TS01-Rover 4.5 litre | 10.53s | |
| 1995 | Mike Lee | Lyncar 79B-BDG 2.0 litre | 10.61s | Sept 9. |
| 1996 | David Render | Pilbeam Pilbeam Racing Designs Pilbeam Racing Designs is a British company which designs and constructs racing cars, based in the Lincolnshire town of Bourne. The company was founded in 1975 by Mike Pilbeam.-Early career:... -Hart MP43 2.8 litre |
9.88s | |
| 1997 | Peter le Druillenec | Miller Exocet-Chevrolet 6.3 litre | 10.20s | |
| 1998 | Richard George | Pilbeam Pilbeam Racing Designs Pilbeam Racing Designs is a British company which designs and constructs racing cars, based in the Lincolnshire town of Bourne. The company was founded in 1975 by Mike Pilbeam.-Early career:... MP62 |
10.68s | |
| 1999 | Tony Bianchi | Pilbeam Pilbeam Racing Designs Pilbeam Racing Designs is a British company which designs and constructs racing cars, based in the Lincolnshire town of Bourne. The company was founded in 1975 by Mike Pilbeam.-Early career:... MP62 |
10.92s | |
| 2000 | Shaun Saunders | Datsun 240Z-Chevrolet | 10.25s | |
| 2001 | Paul Marston | Chrysler Chrysler Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925.... PT Cruiser |
10.41s | Sept 8. |
| 2002 | Paul Marston | Chrysler Chrysler Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925.... PT Cruiser |
10.17s | Sept 14. |
| 2003 | Philip Cooke | Force PC | 10.25s | |
| 2004 | James Tiller | Allard Allard The Allard Motor Company was an English car manufacturer founded in 1936 by Sydney Allard. The company, based in Putney, London. until 1945 and then in Clapham, London, produced approximately 1900 cars until its closure in 1966.... J2-Chevrolet |
10.20s | |
| 2005 | Mike Endean | Gould Gould Racing Gould Racing is a British motorsport company, specialising in racing car manufacture and engineering. The company is run by David Gould, and is based in Newbury, Berkshire, England.... Ford Puma T/C |
9.45s | |
| 2006 | James Tiller | Allard Allard The Allard Motor Company was an English car manufacturer founded in 1936 by Sydney Allard. The company, based in Putney, London. until 1945 and then in Clapham, London, produced approximately 1900 cars until its closure in 1966.... J2-Chevrolet |
10.28s | |
| 2007 | Chris Cannell | Force SR8 2600 c.c. | 10.33s | |
| 2008 | Mike Endean | Gould Ford Puma T/C | 9.95s | |
| 2009 | Mike Endean | Gould Ford Puma T/C | 9.63s | Sept 12, fine. |
| 2010 | Mike Endean | Gould Ford Puma T/C | 10.63 | Sept 11, intermittent light rain with short heavy showers. |
| 2011 | Rodney Thorne | Pilbeam MP 43 | 10.59 | Sept 11, dry morning, wet afternoon. |
Key: R = Course Record; S/C = Supercharged; T/C = Turbocharged.
Track record
Car1993, John Gray, SPA Judd
Judd (engine)
Judd is a name brand of engines produced by Engine Developments Ltd., a company founded in 1971 by John Judd and Jack Brabham in Rugby, Warwickshire, England...
V10, standing start 1/4 mile 8.90s
Bike
2009, Roger Simmons, Suzuki Hayabusa Turbo, standing start 1/4 mile 8.73s
Motorbikes fastest time of the day
| Year | Rider | Motorcycle | Time | Miles per Hour (average) |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flying Start Kilometre | |||||
| 1905 | Henri Cissac | Peugeot 12-h.p. twin cylinder | 26.0 | ||
| Standing Start 1/2 mile | |||||
| 1924 | E.W. Spencer | Douglas 494 c.c. | 26.0 | 69.2 mph (30.9 m/s) | Sept 6. |
| 1932 | R.W. Storey | Brough Superior Brough Superior Brough Superior motorcycles, sidecars, and motor cars were made by George Brough in his Brough Superior works on Haydn Road in Nottingham, England, from 1919 to 1940. They were dubbed the "Rolls-Royce of Motorcycles" by H. D. Teague of The Motor Cycle newspaper. Approximately 3,048 of 19 models... 996 c.c. |
22.2 | 81.08 mph (36.2 m/s) | |
| 1933 | R.W. Storey | Brough Superior 996 c.c. | 23.19 | 77.59 mph (34.7 m/s) | |
| 1934 | Noel Pope | Brough Superior | 22.39 | 80.36 mph (35.9 m/s) | |
| 1935 | Eric Fernihough | Brough Superior J.A.P. 996 c.c. | 20.27 R | 88.7 mph (39.7 m/s) | |
| 1936 | E.C. Fernihough | Brough S/C | 20.00 R | 89.86 mph (40.2 m/s) | |
| 1937 | J. Waite | Norton 490 c.c. | 25.13 | 73.2 mph (32.7 m/s) | |
| 1938 | F. Williams | Cotton 496 c.c. | 23.22 | 77.51 mph (34.7 m/s) | |
| Standing Start Kilometre | |||||
| 1946 | B. Berry | Brough-Superior | 28.13 | ||
| 1947 | Bob Berry | Brough-Superior | 86.17 mph (38.5 m/s) | . | |
| 1952 | G. Brown | Vincent Vincent Motorcycles Vincent Motorcycles was a British manufacturer of motorcycles from 1928 to 1955. Their 1948 Black Shadow was at the time the world's fastest production motorcycle... |
24.71 | . | |
| 1953 | G. Brown | Vincent 998 c.c. | 24.27 | ||
| 1954 | R. Charlton | Vincent | 23.57 R | Absolute course record. | |
| 1955 | R. Charlton | Vincent-H.R.D. | 22.27 | 100.45 mph (44.9 m/s) | |
| 1956 (i) | F. Williams | Norton-J.A.P. | 22.4 | ||
| 1957 | |||||
| 1958 | Charlie Rous | Vincent streamliner | 22.05 | 101.5 mph (45.4 m/s) | |
| 1959 | Basil Keys | Norton-J.A.P. | 21.59 R | 103.61 mph (46.3 m/s) | Absolute course record. |
| 1960 | C. Rous | Moto-Vincent | 21.67 | 103.25 mph | |
| 1961 | Ernie Woods | Norton-J.A.P. | 21.62 | 103.49 mph | |
| 1962 | G. Brown | Vincent Special Nero | 20.99 R | Absolute course record. | |
| 1963 | George Brown | Vincent Special Super Nero | 19.29 R | 115.96 mph (51.8 m/s) | |
| 1964 | |||||
| 1965 | I. Ashwell | Vincent 998 c.c. S/C | 21.07 | ||
| 1966 | Ian Ashwell | Vincent Satan | 19.34 | ||
| 1967 | Ian Ashwell | Vincent Satan S/C | 19.47 | ||
| 1968 | |||||
| 1969 | No event | ||||
| Standing Start 1/4 Mile | |||||
| 1970 | Sept 12. | ||||
| Standing Start Kilometre | |||||
| 1971 | Don East | Triumph 711 c.c. Quasimodo | 20.05 | ||
| 1972 | Mick Butler | 20.53 | |||
| 1973 | A. Weeden | Triumph 500 c.c. S/C | 20.79 | ||
| 1974 | |||||
| 1975 | Tony Weeden | Triumph 500 c.c. | 20.05 | ||
| 1978 | Henk Vink | Kawasaki 1,000 c.c. S/C Big Spender III | 17.48 R | ||
| Standing Start 1/2 mile | |||||
| 1980 | A. Weeden | Triumph 499 c.c. | 16.45 | 109.42 mph (48.9 m/s) | |
| 1982 | Pip Higham | Suzuki Katana | 15.13 R | ||
| Standing Start 1/4 mile | |||||
| 1994 | Jeff Dowsett | Suzuki GSX 1,260 c.c. | 9.62 | ||
| 1995 | Dave Holland | Suzuki GSXR 1,400 c.c. | 9.31 R | ||
| 1997 | Dave Hughes | Suzuki 1,300 c.c. | 9.38 | ||
| 2001 | Dave Holland | 9.25 R | Sept 8. | ||
| 2004 | Phil Wood | Suzuki Katana | 8.87 | ||
| 2009 | Roger Simmons | Suzuki Hayabusa Turbo | 8.73 R | Sept 12, fine. | |
| 2010 | Steve Walton | Suzuki GSXR1000 | 10.60 | 143 mph (63.9 m/s) terminal speed | Sept 11th, Wet. |
| 2011 | Steve Walton | Suzuki GSXR1000 | 10.71 | Sept 11th, dry morning, wet afternoon. | |
Key: R = Course Record; S/C = Supercharged.
Footnotes
- For a photograph of Noel Pope on his blown Brough see: Motor Sport, November 1946, Page 248. For a technical description of Pope's Brough see: Motor Sport, February 1948, Page 51.
The Dragster Era
The first announcement that a dragster would race in Brighton came from Wally ParksWally Parks
Wallace Gordon Parks was instrumental in establishing drag racing as a legitimate amateur and professional motorsport. He was the Founder, President, and the Chairman of the Board of the National Hot Rod Association, better known as NHRA...
, in an editorial in Hot Rod Magazine in August, 1958. Parks had nominated Calvin Rice to travel from the U.S.A. to England with the Hot Rod Magazine Special for the speed trials. In the event the trip was aborted, but the seeds had been sown.
In 1961 Sydney Allard
Sydney Allard
Sydney Herbert Allard was the founder of the Allard car company and a successful racing motorist. He was remarkable in that he achieved sporting success in cars of his own manufacture....
built the Allard dragster in the UK and its first competitive appearance was at the Brighton Speed Trials on September 2, 1961. There was talk of a new track record over the kilometre from the Allard dragster with excitement reaching fever pitch. This only led to a huge disappointment when the fuel line ruptured on the line, completing the course on four cylinders in a time of 37.91 secs. The car continued to misfire on the second attempt. Hot Rod Magazine reported: "During warmup it backfired and blew off one set of blower pipes and never got going." This was a blow from which the reputation of the car never fully recovered. Bill Boddy
Bill Boddy
William "Bill" Boddy, MBE was a British journalist who was the editor of Motor Sport from 1936 to 1991. He contributed regularly to Motor Sport magazine, continuing a career that lasted eighty-one years.-Career:...
, editor of Motor Sport, called it a fiasco, saying the mechanical problems had also occurred in testing at Boreham. The Autocar described the Allard dragster as a "gallant failure."
At Brighton on September 15, 1962 the Allard dragster clocked two runs at 22.30 and 22.04 seconds. A respectable performance but no outright win or record. Motor Sport reported: "It appears that before the end of the Brighton kilometre the Allard dragster had burst the pipe between supercharger and engine, a common problem with such an installation and the reason why the Americans bolt their blowers on the engine, eliminating a long induction pipe."
Sydney Allard was joined on September 14, 1963, by Dante Duce in Dean Moon
Dean Moon
Dean Moon , raised since childhood in the Norwalk area of southern California, he was an avid "car guy" and mechanic heavily involved in dry lakes racing and speed equipment with a keen sense for business...
's Mooneyes gas dragster and Mickey Thompson
Mickey Thompson
Marion Lee "Mickey" Thompson was an American off-road racing legend. He won many championships as a racer, and later formed sanctioning bodies SCORE International and Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group . He also raced in dragsters and land speed record automobiles.Thompson was born in Alhambra,...
with his Ford-powered Harvey Aluminum Special for some match-race style action. It was not to be. The American cars were not really suited to the kilometre, and there were no clocks for a quarter mile distance. They had no brakes at the front and parachute brakes at the rear, no rear suspension, and advertising on the bodywork. All of this was enough to give the scrutineers (technical inspectors) fits. The cars did demonstrations only, reduced to burnouts and wheelstands, but left a lasting impression on the crowd. The Allard dragster put two rods through the block on Madeira Drive that day. The Worden dragster of Tony Densham and Harry Worrall, a budget effort powered by a Shorrock-supercharged 1,500 c.c. Ford engine, was entered in the 1,101 to 1,500 c.c. racing car class, and, although not geared for the kilometre, finished second to Patsy Burt
Patsy Burt
Patricia Mary "Patsy" Burt was a British motor racing driver.During a long and varied career, Patsy Burt won many British national-level competitions, and was the first female driver ever to win both the Brighton Speed Trials and the RAC National Sprint Championship...
, in a time of 27.86 sec. Densham would later set the British land speed record
British land speed record
The British land speed record is the fastest land speed achieved by a vehicle in the United Kingdom, as opposed to one on water or in the air. It is standardised as the speed over a course of fixed length, averaged over two runs in opposite directions....
at Elvington in the Ford-powered Commuter dragster.
The canny Duce returned in 1964 with the Moonbeam modified sports car, which at least looked like a traditional European sporty car, but with a drag race and Bonneville heritage. The car as raced in Brighton was fitted with a 375-cubic inch supercharged Chevrolet V8 engine and a Devin
Devin Cars
Devin Cars, a company founded by American Bill Devin, produced various racing cars and kit cars in the 1950s and 1960s.-Innovations:The 1956 SCCA H-Modified National Champion was a Devin powered by a 2-cylinder Panhard engine modified with Manx Norton motorcycle cylinder heads...
bodyshell, and was originally built in 1959. Dante Duce also borrowed an A.C. Shelby Cobra
AC Cobra
The AC Cobra, also known colloquially as the Shelby Cobra in North America, is an Anglo-American sports car that was produced during the 1960s.-History and development:...
, chassis number CSX2345, from John Wyer
John Wyer
John Wyer was an English automobile racing engineer and team manager. He is mainly associated with cars running in the lightblue and orange livery of his longtime sponsorship partner Gulf Oil.As team manager and team owner, Wyer won the 24 Hours of Le Mans several times...
, and entered it in the GT class, car number 110 at Brighton.
Duce cleaned up that day winning overall in the Moonbeam in a time of 21.95 sec, and first in Sports and GT cars over 2,500 c.c., in the Cobra roadster in 24.35 sec.
Soon Brighton started holding dragster demonstrations over the quarter mile. In 1972 Clive Skilton produced an 8.18 sec run in his rear-engined Chrysler dragster. In 1973 Dennis Priddle ran a smoky 7.69 sec quarter mile in his front-motored Chrysler dragster, which remains the quickest quarter yet seen on Brighton seafront. Motor Sport reported: "The sheer bravery and courage of the West Country lad as the Dragster accelerated along the bumpy, cambered road, brought forth the most incredible spontaneous round of applause heard at a motoring event for many years."
The dragsters were getting too quick for Brighton and there were concerns about how to deal with fires involving exotic fuels. They faded from the scene with only occasional wins by drag-race type vehicles, such as Shaun Saunders (2000) and Paul Marston (2001, 2002).
See also
- Firle Hill ClimbFirle Hill ClimbFirle Hill Climb is a defunct hillclimbing course near Lewes, East Sussex, England, sometimes referred to as Bo Peep Hill Climb."The event will consist of a timed climb of the metalled roadknown as Bo-Peep Hill, situated near the village of Selmeston, on...
- Lewes Speed TrialsLewes Speed TrialsThe Lewes Speed Trials were speed trials held on a defunct course in Lewes, Sussex, England, sometimes known as "The Motor Road."-History:The first meeting took place on July 27, 1924, on "a private road near Lewes", location unidentified. The event was organised by the Brighton & Hove Motor Cycle...
- London to Brighton Veteran Car RunLondon to Brighton Veteran Car RunThe London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is the longest-running motoring event in the world. The first run was in 1896, and has taken place most years since then. To qualify, the cars must have been built before 1905...
External links
- Brighton and Hove Motor Club Website. "Home Page", www.brightonandhovemotorclub.co.uk
- Vintage Motorcycle Club Sprint Section Website - Many Images Of Motorcycles at Brighton throughout the years. "Home Page", www.vmccsprint.co.uk
- Pistonheads Article on the Speed Trials. "Brighton Speed Trials", Pistonheads.com
- Gumpert Apollo at the Speed Trials. "Brighton Speed Trials", Evo Magazine Website
- Pathe News clip from 1932. "Brooklands by the Sea", British Pathe Website