1938 Cork Grand Prix
Motor car race
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The 1938 Cork Grand Prix was a Grand Prix motor race held at Carrigrohane to the west of Cork city in Ireland on 23 April 1938. The 200-mile race was run over more than 30 laps of a six-mile circuit. It was won by the French driver René Dreyfus in a Delahaye car, with second place going to Prince Bira in a Maserati.[4]
| 1938 Cork Grand Prix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Prince Bira, Gianfranco Comotti and René Dreyfus pictured at the 1938 Cork Grand Prix | |||
| Race details[1][2] | |||
| Date | 23 April 1938 | ||
| Official name | Cork Grand Prix | ||
| Location | Carrigrohane | ||
| Course | Road course | ||
| Course length | 323.3 kilometres (200.9 mi) | ||
| Distance | 33 laps, 9.79 kilometres (6.08 mi) | ||
| Weather | Clear | ||
| Attendance | c.â70,000[3] | ||
| Pole position | |||
| Driver |
| Ecurie Bleue | |
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 René Dreyfus | Ecurie Bleue | |
| Time | 3:49 | ||
| Podium | |||
| First |
| Ecurie Bleue | |
| Second | Prince Chula | ||
| Third |
| Count Heyden | |
The course ran along the Carrigrohane Straight to Victoria Cross, turned right towards Dennehy's Cross, from there on to Model Farm Road, and west towards eastern outskirts of Ballincollig.[4] This back stretch finished at the Poulavone hairpin bend, before passing "Hell Hole Corner", and back onto the Carrigrohane Straight.[3] The race was watched by an estimated 70,000 spectators,[3] with participants reportedly representing 12 countries.[5]
A collection of photos, relating to the race, is held in University College Cork library as the Cork Motor Derby Collection.[6]
Classification
| Pos | No | Driver | Team | Car | Laps | Time/Retired |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | René Dreyfus |
Ecurie Bleue | Delahaye 145 | 33 | 2:09:40 |
| 2 | 20 |  Prince Bira |
Prince Chula of Siam | Maserati 8CM | 33 | + 1:50 |
| 3 | 17 | Louis Gérard |
Count Heyden | Delage 3.0L | 30 | + 3 Laps |
| 4 | 7 |  Kenneth Evans |
Alfa Corse | Alfa Romeo Tipo B | 30 | + 3 Laps |
| 5 | 15 | Joseph Paul |
Count Heyden | Delahaye 135 | 25 | + 8 Laps |
| Ret | 18 | Jean-Pierre Wimille |
Automobiles Ettore Bugatti | Bugatti 59/50B | 21 | Piston |
| Ret | 12 |  Gianfranco Comotti |
Ecurie Bleue | Delahaye | 12 | Oil Leak |
| Ret | 16 | Jean Viale |
Count Heyden | Delahaye | 2 | Clutch |
