A budding British motor-car company dared to race its first creation in one of the world’s toughest contests. Americans were impressed by the motor car and the men who fielded it―including a professional driver who lobbied for the effort.
This was the world’s first sight of the Indianapolis-bound 3.0-litre Bentley during its shakedown at Brooklands. Frank Clement joined Douglas Hawkes for its exercise.
Douggie could have talked W.O. into it. It was such a bizarre idea that the boss would not have dreamed it up on his own. And Wallace Douglas ‘Douggie’ Hawkes was just the man to suggest it. Born in Gloucestershire in 1893, Hawkes had training in engineering that tempted him to race at Brooklands in 1914 before the guns of August sounded. He was back in 1920 at the wheel of a 1912-dated 15-litre Lorraine-Dietrich.
Americans dubbed Hawkes ‘The Limey’. As Britons in a British car he and Browning were novelties in the 1922 500-mile race.
Slender and well-presented, Douglas Hawkes made motor racing his business. Saturnine and sober at the wheel, he was not easily second-guessed. He kept the magnificent Lorraine in his stable after the war to record several wins at Brooklands. Preparing a Horstman racer with British-Anzani power, Hawkes crossed the Channel to compete successfully on the Le Mans circuit. In this manner ‘Douggie’ became respected as a double-threat driver and mechanician. His was a professional approach to racing.
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