Lewes Speed Trials


The 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 27 July 1924, on "a private road near Lewes", location unidentified. The event was organised by the Brighton & Hove Motor Cycle and Light Car Club, on a quarter-mile course. Fastest time of the day was set by J.A. Hall, Frazer Nash-GN, in a time of 16.6 secs.

"Speed trials were held on the Race Hill at Lewes three or four times a year from 1925 to 1939, at the instance of the Brighton & Hove MC, the Kent & Sussex LCC, the Bugatti Owners' Club and the Vintage Sports Car Club,..."

In 1933 The Autocar reported:
"The course bends slightly to the left, is one-third of a mile long, narrow, none too smooth, and slightly uphill. It leads directly off the London-Newhaven road just before reaching Lewes."

Jean Bugatti attended the races on 21 October 1933. Denis Jenkinson, motor racing journalist, attended his first motor sport event here in 1936. The Autocar reported from the meeting on 12 June 1937: "The first appearance in competition of the new four-wheel independent-suspension Atalanta was at Lewes. G.A.T. Weldon drove this 1½-litre model." Bill Boddy, editor of Motor Sport, drove the original HRG sports car, 1,497 c.c., at Lewes on 4 September 1937 with a best time of 27.4 sec, finishing third in the novices class. On 15 July 1939, Sydney Allard took a class win in a time of 22.12 secs.

The Lewes Record

Comparisons of times recorded at different meetings and by different clubs are problematic. There were differences in the method of timing and even differences in the length of the course.

Lewes Speed Trials past winners

YearDriverVehicleTimeClubNotes
1932R.G.J. NashFrazer Nash Terror20.0 sec RKent & Sussex LCC7 May
1932N.W. GardinerDelage22.7 secBugatti O.C.11 June
1932R.G.J. NashFrazer Nash Terror20.2 secKent & Sussex LCC18 June
1932R.G.J. NashFrazer Nash Terror21.0 secKent & Sussex LCC10 September
1933R.G.J. NashNash Special21.0 secKent & Sussex LCC13 May
1933R.G.J. NashNash Special21.0 secKent & Sussex LCC25 June
1933R.G.J. NashAnzani-Nash Special21.0 secKent & Sussex LCC9 September
1933Richard NashAnzani-Nash The Spook20.4 secBugatti O.C.21 October
1934R.G.J. NashAnzani-Nash 1,496 c.c.22.4 secKent & Sussex LCC12 May
1934John BolsterBolster Special20.2 secKent & Sussex LCC16 June
1934R.G.J. NashNash Special21.6 secKent & Sussex LCC26 August
1934Charles MartinBugatti 2.320.13 secBugatti O.C.8 September
1935A.G. BaintonBugatti 1½-litreKent & Sussex LCC11 May
1935S.E. CummingsVauxhall-Villiers S/C19.4 sec RKent & Sussex LCC15 June
1935Kent & Sussex LCC24 August
1935S.E. CummingsVauxhall-Villiers S/C18.13 sec RBugatti O.C.7 September
1936R.G.J. NashFrazer-Nash-Union Special19.06 secKent & Sussex LCC9 May
1936Robin JacksonAlta 1,500 c.c. #1719.18 secKent & Sussex LCC13 June
1936A.G. BaintonBugatti 2.3-litre S/C20.7 secBugatti O.C.15 August
1936Geoffrey TaylorAlta 1,488 c.c.19.81 secKent & Sussex LCC22 August
1937J. Lemon BurtonBugatti 2.3-litre19.12 secKent & Sussex LCC8 May
1937Geoffrey TaylorAlta19.3 secKent & Sussex LCC12 June
1937Geoffrey TaylorAlta 2-litre18.75 secKent & Sussex LCC21 August
1937Arthur BaronBugatti 3,300 c.c. S/C18.4 secBugatti O.C.4 September
1938Arthur BaronBugatti 3,300 c.c.18.61 secKent & Sussex LCC7 May
1938John BolsterBolster Special19.32 secKent & Sussex LCC11 June
1938H. Whitfield-SemmenceSemmence-Special-A.C.22.0 secVintage S.C.C.9 July
1938Peter MonkhouseE.R.A. 1½-litre18.27 sec RKent & Sussex LCC20 August
1939Norman LewisBugatti 2,300 c.c.18.47 secKent & Sussex LCC13 May
1939Ned LewisBugatti 2,300 c.c.18.88 secKent & Sussex LCC17 June
1939Stuart WiltonM.G.21.60 secVintage S.C.C.15 July
1939Arthur BaronBugatti 3,300 c.c.18.75 secKent & Sussex LCC19 August

Key: R = Course Record; S/C = Supercharged.