The Targa Florio has always been a huge challenge, and especially with the rudimentary cars of the very early days.
We said of the 1912 edition: “The race started at midnight on Saturday, and consisted of an entire circuit of Sicily as close to the coast as the road would permit. The total distance was approximately 656 miles, the same terrain not being covered twice. In addition to the first-mover prize, prizes were awarded to the first car passing through each village and town along the way.
We were delighted to announce that the winner of the 1912 edition was British, but in an Italian car. Cyril Snipe “received all his automotive training in the garage of Newton and Barnet Ltd, Manchester, the English dealer for Scat cars”, and presumably came to the manufacturer’s attention as a driver when visiting its Turin factory in 1909 to taste the last chassis.
He won the Targa Florio in 23h 37min, having averaged 27.8mph – 1h 30min ahead of Agostino Garetto of Lancia and with Giuseppe Giordano of Fiat 34min behind.
It was the second consecutive victory for Scat, and the company would win again in 1914. It survived until 1929, when financial problems led to its absorption by Fiat.
Brooklands Bonanza
While Snipe was winning in Italy, his compatriots were enjoying a big Whitsun meeting at Brooklands. Nine races were held for cars and motorcycles, the best kept to the end, as Alan Mander’s Mercedes-Benz, “showing marvelous acceleration”, propelled A.H. Arkwright’s Benz to the line . They were then treated to the spectacle of a two-lap, 12-mile race by 14 aircraft, won by a Sopwith.
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Source: www.autocar.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-06-03 05:01:24
