Friends' Gallery Picture of the Month - December 2024

[Mike Costigan]

Here we have a Nippy - left-hand drive, so probably a Willys-Overland-Crossley car. The late wheel centres suggest a late car, although wheels are easily changed.

But where are we? Unlikely to be a left-hand drive car in the UK, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa, but the writing on the wall in the background is in English, so are we in North America? I don't think the registration/licence plate is a US one, so Canada? I'm not familiar with Canadian plates, so can anyone comment?

   

[stuartu]

It’s the USA, Mike, and this is one of the mid thirties ARCA “Round the Houses” races on the east coast, the Collier brothers being the moving spirits. I will send you the driver’s name and exact details of the venue after I’ve woken up properly - unless Chris Garner beats me to it!

Regards,

Stuart

[Steve kay]

Good lord our distinguished historians get up early on a Sunday. Stuart's notes and archives are going to serious outperform those of us scrabbling about looking at vernacular architecture or 30's advertising details. Not that the gatehouse to the Leisure Park can be described as vernacular.

[stuartu]

I was up, Steve, but now I am relatively compos as well. I can take no credit for what follows, I just happen to have the right reference to hand.

The venue is Alexandria Bay, New York and the event is the ARCA round the houses race of 6th August 1938. The driver of no.35 is Lawrence “Woody” Young and it seems the Austin is yellow. The photo is taken at the Monticello Hotel corner.
The event was a handicap, the limit men including Mr Young being required to cover 50 laps of the 1.4 mile circuit. He finished 8th out of an entry of 17 cars, 8 of them being non finishers.

Regards,

Stuart

[John Cornforth]

Hi

That stonework "mini-castle" with its towers suggests something closer to home. Isle of Man maybe ?

[Hugh Barnes]

   

[stuartu]

Thank you, Hugh, but I think I prefer the “Disney vernacular” version….

Regards,

Stuart

[Mike Costigan]

Thank you, Stuart; I thought this might provoke more speculation than it has!

[Chris Garner]

I was up, Steve, but now I am relatively compos as well. I can take no credit for what follows, I just happen to have the right reference to hand.

The venue is Alexandria Bay, New York and the event is the ARCA round the houses race of 6th August 1938. The driver of no.35 is Lawrence “Woody” Young and it seems the Austin is yellow. The photo is taken at the Monticello Hotel corner.
The event was a handicap, the limit men including Mr Young being required to cover 50 laps of the 1.4 mile circuit. He finished 8th out of an entry of 17 cars, 8 of them being non finishers.

Regards,

Stuart

Yes, Stuart, I concur. Well done. You beat me to it only because I lost my internet connection until a few minutes ago!
Sources: American Road Racing in the 1930s - Finn and American Road Racing - Rueter. Both excellent.

[Tony Griffiths]

How interesting. Here's a link: https://www.triple-mregister.org/forums/...C_ID=12277 I like the "protected areas" in the letter. From the looks of it, the spectators had no protection whatsoever.