The following passage is an excerpt from the book �Bikes at Brooklands in the Pioneer Years� by Peter Hartley (Goose and Son, Ltd.), in which Charles Franklin wins second place in a 1911 race held at Brooklands, is credited with discovery of the �squish� principle ten years prior to Harry Ricardo, and Jake De Rosier (accompanied by Oscar Hedstrom) arrives in Britain for the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy.
The Annual ACU Race Meeting
Fine weather but a brisk breeze greeted competitors and spectators arriving at Brooklands for the Second Annual ACU Race Meeting on Saturday, June 10th.
The first event, as with the 1910 meeting, was the one-lap scratch race for the Automotor Journal Challenge Cup, for machines with engines not exceeding 345 cc. P. Weatherilt (297 Zenith-Gradua� JAP) made a good start, but was passed by the trophy holder, Harry Martin, about a quarter-of-a-mile from the finishing line.
OPEN SCRATCH RACE FOR THE "AUTO MOTOR JOURNAL" CHALLENGE CUP over one lap, with a Fork start and finish.
1. H. Martin (344 Martin-JAP)
2. P. Weatherilt (297 Zenith-Gradua-JAP)
3. W. D. Chitty (344 Frays-JAP)
The second man, Weatherilt, averaged 57.03 mph, and finished only four-fifths of a second behind Harry.
In the open scratch race for the Motor Car Journal Challenge Cup, Matchless machines did well. The event was over four laps, for any type of machine up to 1000 cc. Charlie Collier was riding a 986 cc 90-bore twin-cylinder Matchless-JAP fitted with an oil pump con�trolled by Bowden cable from the handlebars. He led easily at the end of the first lap, keeping this position to the end of the race. In fact he led so easily, that he even had time to look behind him in the third lap to see if he was threatened. Charlie was followed in by Charlie Franklin (994 Indian) - the Irish Champion, A. J. Luce (733 BAT� JAP) and A. J. Sproston (499 Rudge); he won by about 500 yd.
OPEN SCRATCH RACE FOR THE "MOTOR CAR JOURNAL" CHALLENGE CUP over 4 laps. Fork start and finish.
1. C. R. Collier (986 Matchless-JAP) 68.22mph
2. C. B. Franklin (994 Indian) 65.83mph
3. A. J. Luce (733 BAT-JAP) 57.30mph
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