There's some fascinating stuff on Percy Maclure in the Motor Sport archives, the first is from February 1945.
RUMBLINGS
This month's cover picture is a tribute to the late Percy Maclure, who died recently in Coventry at the age of 37, after an illness lasting for Percy many months. He is shown at Donington at the wheel of one of his famous Rileys, driving, as was characteristic of him, without goggles. Because of family connections Maclure drove Riley cars, and it was common knowledge that he received some works support, but, nevertheless, the modifications made to his cars were his own, and he did most of his own work. Indeed, his successes can be largely attributed to the fact that he was a first-class mechanic, although his driving ability was also of an exceptionally high order —many people put him amongst the first flight of British drivers, and all would have liked to have seen him at the wheel of an E.R.A. He used 1,100-c.c and 2-litre Riley cars and, running unblown, they were adversely handicapped even before they commenced a race. Even so, Maclure's successes included winning the 1987 Coronation Trophy at the Crystal Palace, where he was certainly a favourite with the crowd, and the 1938 International Trophy race at Brooklands. On the latter occasion we well remember the tremendous reception Percy received when he returned to the paddock—it was a very long time before he could shake off the autograph hunters and hero-worshippers and enter his battered Riley Nine saloon, and it was typical of the man that he was genuinely surprised and embarrassed at his popularity. He also scored class wins in the 2-litre category of the 1936 French G.P. and the ii-litre class of the 1938 Nuffield Trophy race. He was reserve to the V12 Lagonda team at Le Mans in 1989, but, unfortunately, did not get a drive. Of recent years he evolved i.f.s. for his cars and, unsupercharged, his Riley held the Crystal Palace lap record for a time, a feat otherwise the prerogative of blown machinery. Only three men have been round London's road-circuit more rapidly than Percy Mac. He represented the very best class of British driver, and it is terribly sad that one so rugged in his racing should die as he did, at such an early age. For that, this war is certainly indirectly responsible.
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This next one is from 1938 after the great Donington race. As can be seen, Percy shared the grid with Tazio Nuvolari, Manfred Von Brauchitsch and Dick Seaman and other notables.
The inevitable question a Percy Maclure fan, but not really a motor racing expert like my mum would have asked is, "Which one of those four drivers won?"
TAZIO NUVOLARI WINS DONINGTON'S GREAT RACE FOR AUTO-UNION
IMMENSE CROWDS SPECTATE AT A THRILLING RACE. LANG (MERCEDES-BENZ) AND SEAMAN (MERCEDES-BENZ) SECOND AND THIRD.
The field for this great race comprised : Tazio Nuvolari, Hermann Muller, Rudolf Hasse, and Christian Kautz with Formula Auto-Unions ; Hermann Lang, Manfred von Brauchitsch, Richard Beattie Seaman and Walter Balmer with Formula Mercedes-Benz, Villoresi with a Formula Maserati, Rene Dreyfus and Bodoignet Raph with Ecurie Bleue Delahayes, Arthur Dobson's E.R.A., Ian Connell's E.R.A., Billy Cotton's E.R.A., CuddonFletcher's M.G., Percy Maclure's Riley and Robin Hanson's Alta.
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And this last one is from the April 2007 issue. As can be seen, on track, Percy Maclure was a man to be reckoned with in his day, my mum certainly thought so, fascinating stuff all this, isn't it?
Maclure memories
Older readers will remember the Maclure brothers who raced Rileys in the 1930s, especially Percy Maclure who was very prominent at Brooklands, notably when he won the 1938 JCC International Trophy race from Raymond Mays’ supercharged, admittedly somewhat sick, ERA, in his self-prepared 1½ -litre Riley by 0.02sec (84.36mph to Mays’ 84.32mph). Riley enthusiasts, myself included, applauded him as he prepared to drive away in his dilapidated Riley Nine saloon.
You may also recall the miniature replica of a Brooklands-model Riley built for young Peter Maclure, his son. It had a Villiers two-stroke engine, a homemade gearbox and concealed chain-drive. Young Peter became so proficient in driving it that he was allowed to give demonstrations at important competition venues such as Donington Park. I had wondered what became of this little car; the excellent Riley Register Bulletin now informs us that it is hanging up above an MG1100 rally car in the Cotsworld Motor Museum at Bourton-on-the-Water.
Percy also drove at Le Mans in 1936 to a class win with Trevoux, and in the Ulster TT he won his class in 1932 and in 1936 was second in class. Edgar Maclure was also second in class in the 1934 race, all in British Rileys.
Edited by kayemod, 14 November 2018 - 18:45.
