Top Men In Europe:

TOP MEN IN EUROPE:

B. R. Nicholls

CHRIS VINCENT

TWENTY-EIGHT-YEAR-OLD Chris Vincent started his racing career as a solo grass tracker at the age of nineteen. But numerous falls persuaded him that a third wheel would be a help and so he turned to the sidecar class.

In 1957 he finished runner-up in the National championships and won the title the following year. Then he decided to try road racing using, as he still does, the pushrod BSA twin engine for motive power. Chris works at the BSA factory in Birmingham but this does not mean he gets assistance from them, for the policy is "no road racing," so Chris does all his preparation on his own time. That he is a brilliant mechanic is borne out by the reliability of his machinery which won him the A-C. U. Star for 1961. This award is based on performance throughout the sea son at meetings all over the country.

Then again in last year's sidecar T.T. the Chris Vincent BSA outfit's reliability won the race after the BMWs of Deubel and Camathias had blown up. Only world champion Deubel is the equal of Vincent for power drifting an outfit round corners, an art which depends on delicate throttle control learned in the old days of grass track racing.

For 1963 Chris will again rely on the BSA motor for his outfits which, though not so fast as the BMW, will be a good match where the premium is on accelera tion and handling. There is also an Aer Macchi in the stable and there is every possibility that Chris will make a big im pression in the 250 solo class in 1963 as well as being an ace `chairman.' Passenger in his chair is Eric Bliss, possibly the best in the game these days and the man re sponsible for persuading the A-C. U. to give replica awards to the passenger as well as driver in the T.T. Eric has pas sengered for past World Champions Cyril Smith and Eric Oliver. •