Records Smashed at Silverstone

Records tumbled last weekend as the Silverstone Classic reached new heights… With a total of 1104 race entries and more than 8000 classic cars on display, the 2011 Silverstone Classic (22-24 July) not only proudly lived up to its claim of being the 'The World's Biggest Classic Racing Festival' but also laid claim to being by far the biggest race meeting ever staged in international motor racing history.
The entire Silverstone site was taken over by an amazing array of competition cars spanning the decades, classic car displays and parades, a mass of different entertainment attractions and activities for the entire family, capped by sensational music concerts on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoon. Both National and new Silverstone Wing pits and paddocks were crammed with a multitude of the world’s finest historic racing cars for what is believed to have been the biggest number of race entries ever recorded for a single race meeting held anywhere on the globe.


E-Type Action at Silverstone

 Scintillating action across the 22 races was admired by a massive crowd of more than 80,000, a new benchmark for the event since the turn of the millennium. Many grids were over-subscribed and the great racing ran right through to the final race of the programme on Sunday afternoon with a wonderful four-way battle for the lead of the capacity Pre ’66 Grand Prix Car race. On Saturday evening, the magnificent spectacle of Group C cars racing as the sun set evoked magnificent memories of Le Mans in the 1980s.
Famous racing names in attendance included Britain’s greatest sportscar driver five times Le Mans winner Derek Bell MBE, former bike and F1 World Champion John Surtees OBE and ex-F1 star Stefan Johansson, while on-track there was a memorable victory for the Aston Martin DB4 of Stuart Graham and Richard Attwood in the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy for Historic Cars. While Graham is the only man in recent history to have won a Tourist Trophy on both two and four wheels, Attwood relived memories of notching up Porsche’s maiden Le Mans 24 Hours victory in 1970.

The Celebrities pose with the Morgans
(Can someone please tell us who these people are?)

In the Celebrity Challenge, more famous names were in action as Rick Parfitt Jnr beat Heston Blumenthal and Brendan Cole in an exciting race in Morgan Roadster lightweight race cars. Luther Blissett emerged unharmed from a spectacular accident and Radio 2’s Sally ‘traffic’ Boazman told five million BBC Radio 2 listeners that she had enjoyed a fabulous day, despite bringing up the tail of the field with a cautious approach to her racing debut. To date the Celebrity Challenge already has raised £11,790 for the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK.  
Off-track, in excess of 7000 classic cars from 120 clubs packed the Silverstone infield with the E-type Jaguar taking pride of place in the key 50th anniversary event for Britain’s favourite sports car. More than 1000 E-types were on hand and in excess of 800 took part in a special track parade on Saturday which is hoped will set a new Guinness World record. Then, on Saturday evening a record grid of 52 E-types raced in the first of two special E-Type Challenge races.

Touring cars dominate Silverstone

"We believe that in terms of race entries this year’s Silverstone Classic was the biggest race meeting ever staged anywhere on Earth. And the fact that this vast number of entries covered such a wide spectrum of evocative motor sport history made the event even more special," said event director Nick Wigley. “The Silverstone Classic is now firmly established as the World’s biggest classic racing festival and we were bowled over by the number of entries and the size and enthusiasm of the crowd. It will be a tough act to follow as we have raised the bar again, but we are already planning to raise it further next year. We will soon be unveiling plans for an even bigger and better Silverstone Classic in 2012.”

Croft goes nostalgic.

Historic motorsport seems to be all the rage these days with many opportunities to watch the greatest cars in motorsport in action. We've just had the Silverstone Classic, Now it's time for Croft to get in on the historic action with their own event, now in it's second year. All leading up to the big event in the historic racing calendar, the Goodwood Revival. It's great to see so many classic cars still competing.

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More than 400 classic cars representing some 60 different makes dating from the Forties through to the Seventies will be on display at the Croft Circuit’s second Nostalgia historic motor racing event next month (6-7 August).

The mouth-watering collection of cars, arranged by the Teesside Yesteryear Motor Club, will feature many of motoring’s top names including Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Mercedes, MG, Porsche, Rolls Royce and Triumph and is the latest highlight to be announced ahead of the event. Notably, some 17 E-type Jaguars alone will be present – the E-type is arguably the most iconic car ever produced by the British automotive industry and this year is celebrating its landmark 50^th anniversary. Some are capable of fetching up to several hundred thousands of pounds at auction.

Classic Saloons do battle at Croft!

Alongside the cars will be a number of rare motorcycles from the same era, plus a vast line-up of WWII machinery including cars, bikes, weapons carriers, tanks and even aircraft to add to the wow factor for visiting public – it is estimated the number of wartime vehicles, organised by the Military Vehicle Trust, will total 100 with many being positioned within ‘living history’ displays.

Indeed, Nostalgia is just as much about entertainment off the track as it is the racing on it and further attractions themed around music, fashion and catering are also part of the bill as visitors young and old are invited to share in reliving a bygone era… A major part of the weekend is for public including children to dress in period style to add to the atmosphere.

Elsewhere, already confirmed are spectacular air displays (on the Saturday) from the evocative Hurricane and Spitfire WWII fighter planes and (on the Sunday) a Jet Provost.

Single seaters will be well represented

On track, no fewer than 18 races organised by the high-profile Historic Sports Car Club are scheduled to take place during the two-day festival for an exciting variety of saloon, single-seater, GT and sportscars from the Forties through to the Seventies. And the HSCC has indicated that it is presently on course to beat the 180-plus entries registered for last year’s inaugural event. Meanwhile, also on the Sunday, a WWII Chaffee tank will provide further thrills by discharging blank rounds in the build-up to each race. That is after spectators have been taken for passenger tours around the Croft Circuit in period double-decker buses throughout the morning.

Croft Circuit Manager Tracey Morley commented: “With just over two weeks to go, everyone here at our circuit is hugely excited about what is in store for the public during the Nostalgia weekend.

Chevrons lead the way in the GT race.

“It’s a golden opportunity for people to attend a major social event that’s all about rolling back the years with of course all the added excitement of a high-octane retro theme based around motoring and motor racing. There is something hugely enchanting about events of this nature – as seen at the likes of the Goodwood Revival and Silverstone Classic events further south – and the Nostalgia weekend is sure to capture the imagination of many people from across the region and further afield.

“In fact, considering Nostalgia is still very much in its infancy, our advance ticket sales have been excellent with calls from all over the UK. We very much look forward to welcoming everyone who attends and sharing in something very special with them.”

Tickets for Croft’s Nostalgia event cost £10 (Saturday) and £12 (Sunday) if purchased by tomorrow (Sat 23 July) from the circuit by calling 01325 721815 or by booking online at www.croftcircuit.co.uk. Admission for accompanied children aged 15 and under is FREE all weekend. Public car parking is also free.

p.s. You may have noticed we've had a lot of press releases from Silverstone and Croft lately, which is great. We'd like to feature as many circuits and venues as possible, so if you want your venue, event or club featured, please get in touch! info@overdrive-uk.com

BTCC back in action.

The clock is ticking… there are now less than two weeks to go before the UK’s premier motor racing championship – the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship – bursts back into action with the start of the second half of its season at the Snetterton race circuit in Norfolk (6-7 August).

After a lengthy summer break, the teams and drivers will all want to resume their 2011 campaigns by stealing an immediate march over their rivals. However, it is impossible to know who might have achieved the biggest performance gains with their cars during the break. The action will also be on Snetterton’s new, much longer ‘300’ circuit, further adding to ‘the unknown’.

Indeed, this will be the only visit this year by the BTCC to the East Anglia region. With vastly improved public viewing areas, a bumper crowd is therefore expected at the circuit just off the A14 duel carriageway as fans from across the region clamour to see their touring car heroes in bumper-to-bumper action. Underlining the scale of the event, ITV Sport will be present with an army of satellite and technical trucks as it provides comprehensive live coverage on the Sunday on its ITV4 channel and itv.com website.

Race day (Sun 7 Aug) tickets can be purchased at advance prices until next Tuesday 2 August priced £25 via the www.snetterton.co.uk website or by calling the hotline 0843 453 9000. Admission for children aged 12 and under is FREE all weekend. Car parking is also free. All admission includes access for public – including children – to the BTCC paddock as well as Sunday’s specially organised driver autograph session in the Snetterton pit lane.

Matt Neal leads the championship in his honda - for how much longer?

Honda ace Matt Neal will go into the event holding a slender nine-point championship lead from Airwaves Racing Ford Focus driver Mat Jackson. Neal, from Worcestershire, has been BTCC Champion twice before and desperately craves a third title but Jackson, from neighbouring Warwickshire, is equally hungry to win the crown for the first time in his career. Similarly, Neal’s Scottish team-mate Gordon Shedden, Staffordshire’s Andrew Jordan and Bedfordshire’s James Nash – both in Vauxhall Vectras – are also chasing a maiden title, lying third, fourth and fifth in the points table.

The big question is can Neal’s arch rival these past years, fellow double title-winner and reigning Champion Jason Plato fight back in his Silverline Chevrolet Cruze? The Oxford racer will start the season’s second half in sixth in the standings some 40 points behind Neal. But with 15 races still to go this season – three of them at Snetterton – and 15 points per win, Plato knows there is time to strike back but, equally, that a strong showing in Norfolk will be essential so as to avoid slipping further adrift.

The BTCC grid is set to total 26 cars at Snetterton with no fewer than ten different makes being represented – Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Proton, SEAT, Toyota, Vauxhall and VW. Indeed, the event will mark the debut of the Welch Motorsport team and driver Daniel Welch in its new Proton Gen-2 model, built to the BTCC’s latest, turbocharged Next Generation Touring Car technical regulations.

Also making his BTCC debut will be Colchester’s Martin Byford who considers Snetterton his home circuit having enjoyed many previous successes there in junior formulae. Byford will be racing the VW Golf for the AmD Milltek Racing.com team.

While the headlining BTCC will be in action three times on the Sunday (7 Aug), the event will also include a further 11 races for five high-profile supporting categories including Ginetta Juniors, Ginetta GT Supercup, Porsche Carrera Cup GB, Renault Clio Cup and Formula Renault UK – these represent the very best in saloon, single-seater and sportscar racing.

Among them will be Norfolk’s own Carl Breeze – the King’s Lynn racer leads the Ginetta GT Supercup standings and will be looking for more top results in front of his home crowd.

For all the latest BTCC news in the run up to the event visit the official btcc.net website.

Zamparelli takes the lead of Formula Renault BARC

Dino Zamparelli (Bristol) shot to the top of the Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship driver standings at Croft in North Yorkshire today, Sunday, 24th July, after backing up a fine second place finish in round seven with a tremendous victory – his second of 2011 – in round eight.

Although qualifying on pole position for the opening encounter, the Antel Motorsport driver lost out to a fast starting James Thorp (Evesham, Worcestershire) and the MTech Lite racer went on to also seal his second win of the year with a terrific drive – including two bonus points for the fastest lap.

Dino Zamparelli (centre) now leads the Formula Renault BARC series

Zamparelli hit back strongly though in race two, a sensational move around the outside of erstwhile championship leader Josh Webster (Stowmarket, Suffolk) at the first corner giving him a lead he would never relinquish, despite being under constant pressure from the Fortec Motorsport driver.

“It was a brave move, I thought I’d go to the outside to see what momentum I had – he braked a little bit earlier than me so I managed to just get around the outside”, explained Zamparelli, “I knew it was then or never if I was going to make a move as Josh had fresher tyres than me. I had to work hard to keep the gap at the end, it’s great to take the win and the championship lead.”

Webster’s weekend, and that of team-mates Kieran Vernon (West Chiltington, West Sussex) and Archie Hamilton (Hook, Hampshire), was certainly dramatic. At Clervaux on the opening lap of round seven, Vernon made contact with Hamilton as the pair diced for position and Webster was also caught up in the aftermath leading to a non-finish for the latter two and a lengthy pit-stop for Vernon.

Webster and Hamilton both hit back in round eight in second and third place respectively, with the former also setting the fastest lap of the race, while Vernon was fourth. In the first encounter, Thorp was followed home by Zamparelli with Scorpio Motorsport’s Kourosh Khani (High Wycombe, Bucks) taking his third podium of the season after a magnificent performance.

Overturning a 29 point deficit this weekend, Zamparelli now leads Webster by just a single point and the title battle is as hot as ever with Thorp moving back into the top three and within just five points of second place.

James Thorp (Red, 36) leads the race into Clervaux

Thorp takes second win of 2011 with superb drive...
Having qualified on pole position just over 0.1 seconds clear of Thorp, Zamparelli hoped to make a clean getaway but it was the second placed man who made the best start to grab a decisive lead into Clervaux for the first time. Zamparelli was also under pressure for second from the Fortec trio of Hamilton, Vernon and Webster but he managed to hold on as the three team-mates collided.

Through the chaos came Khani who made an electric getaway from seventh on the grid to be third by the time he reached Hawthorn, leapfrogging team-mate Hector Hurst (Lymington, Hampshire) in the process.

At the front, Thorp ended the opening lap 0.8 seconds clear of Zamparelli and the gap between the top two never altered much all the way to the finish on lap 14 with the MTech driver taking the flag 1.3 seconds clear. Khani held third throughout the race and although under huge pressure from Hurst and category returnee Luke Wright (Shaftesbury, Dorset), the Iranian didn’t falter.

Into the complex on the final lap, Khani had third place sealed but a late bid by Wright to relieve Hurst of fourth went awry as the MGR Motorsport driver made contact with the Scorpio car. Wright recovered in fourth, finishing just ahead of Callum Bowyer (Peterborough) and Howard Fuller (Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey).

The attempted pass proved very costly for Hurst though who, after a very impressive drive in the top five, ended the race in ninth behind Spain’s Victor Jimenez and Matt Mason (Nottingham). David Wagner (Glasgow) rounded out the top 10.

“This is the best answer we could give after the problems at Oulton Park”, said Thorp, “I’ve been training harder than ever and I’m really glad it’s paid off. We’re still up there, we’re able to win races and be at the front. The team has put a huge amount of effort in too, this win is really satisfying.”

Third placed Khani added: “The team gave me a great car, a big thank you to them. I could see at the start the gap to the guys at the front was a bit too much, I didn’t want to push too hard so I worked on maintaining the gap and scoring as many points as I could. I’m really happy with the result.”

Zamparelli shades Webster for round eight victory...
During the three-hour break between Protyre Formula Renault BARC races, the Fortec mechanics produced a herculean effort to repair the cars of Vernon, Hamilton and Webster – the latter’s, in particular, requiring a massive amount of

work.

Following the disappointment of round seven, Webster aimed to hit back strongly and starting on pole position he had a great chance. Getting away well from the line, he led Zamparelli into Clervaux but the Antel driver served up a sensational move around the outside to nose ahead into Hawthorn.

Initially opening up a lead of just over a second and posting a series of fastest lap times, Zamparelli’s lead was whittled down by Webster during the latter stages and the Fortec driver also took the two bonus points for the fastest race lap which he posted on the ninth tour.

Zamparelli had enough in hand though to take the flag 0.6 seconds clear of Webster with Hamilton some five seconds adrift of the top two in third place, two seconds to the good over Vernon. Khani again impressed in fifth place, up from eighth on the grid, but the driver to lose-out was Thorp who didn’t make a good start and slipped from third to sixth.

He did manage to see off Wright, who ended the race in seventh, with Bowyer taking eighth, Hurst ninth and Wagner again finishing in 10th position – the Scottish driver doing a great job during the final laps to fend off a four car train.

Webster commented: “The team did an absolutely amazing job and the guys from SWB Motorsport came down to help out as well to get the car ready, I really can’t thank them all enough. I braked a little bit too early for the first corner and that just gave Dino a chance to go around the outside. I’m still really happy with the result though.”

Third placed Hamilton added: “I got a good start and just maintained the gap really – I’m really happy to have finished on the podium to reward the team for all of their hard work in getting me back out there. The first race was hard but something like that was going to happen at some point as we’re all so close to the pace and running identical times – it was just a racing incident.”

Next on the schedule for the Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship competitors is a visit to the fastest circuit on the calendar, Thruxton in Hampshire, with rounds nine and 10 taking place six weeks from now on Saturday, 3rd

September.

Along with headline sponsor Protyre, the championship is additionally supported by ELF, Michelin and NGK Spark Plugs.

Provisional 2011 Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship Points (after Rd8):
1st - Dino Zamparelli / Antel Motorsport 175pts
2nd - Josh Webster / Fortec Motorsport 174pts
3rd - James Thorp / MTech Lite 169pts
4th - Kourosh Khani / Scorpio Motorsport 152pts
5th - Archie Hamilton / Fortec Motorsport 150pts
6th - Kieran Vernon / Fortec Motorsport 149pts

Stuart Graham and Richard Attwood win RAC Historic Tourist Trophy

Graham and Attwood's Aston Martin DB4 GT lightweight

The 2011 Silverstone Classic – the world’s largest classic racing festival – was once again home to the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy for Historic Cars. On Sunday 24^th July, an awe-inspiring grid of more than 50 pre-1963 GT cars took part in a 50-minute race which saw the team of Stuart Graham and Richard Attwood power their Aston Martin DB4 GT Lightweight to an impressive victory.

The Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy for Historic Cars celebrates Britain’s oldest motor race. First run on the Isle of Man in 1905, it is synonymous with GT and sports cars and has witnessed some of the greatest races ever held. Over the years, the Tourist Trophy has been won by such legendary drivers as Sir Stirling Moss, Graham Hill and Derek Bell. Instigated last year to commemorate the history of over a century of motor racing, the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy for Historic Cars featured a field of cars worth an estimated value in excess of £80 million.

Stuart Graham and Richard Attwood lift the trophy after a thrilling race.

In a thrilling race led predominantly by Hans Hugenholtz and David Hart in a Ferrari 250GT SWB, victory was seized by Stuart Graham and Richard Attwood in an Aston Martin DB4 GT Lightweight after the Ferrari was forced to retire on the final lap. After last year’s second place finish, Graham and Attwood can chalk up another success to their impressive record as well enhancing the already illustrious past of the Aston Martin which has been delivering podium finishes at the hands of, amongst others, ‘Gentleman’ Jack Sears since the 1960’s.

Speaking of his victory winner Stuart Graham: “We got close last year and had hoped to be competitive again. You never know what is going to happen until the day but the Aston engineers had the car running like clockwork. The Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy for Historic Cars is a great category and a wonderful excuse to bring me out of semi-retirement.”

Ben Cussons, Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club Motoring Committee said: “"There is no motor race with greater history than the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy, for over a century the best drivers and the greatest cars have battled for victory. Today's race was truly exceptional, Stuart and Richard drove a thrilling race in the fabulous ex-Equipe Endeavour Aston Martin to take victory on the last lap. Having finished third and second in previous years there was definitely unfinished business and team patron Paul Michaels was drilling his drivers to ensure that their pace on track would be matched in the pit stops. For Stuart it was a particularly special achievement as he is now the first man ever to have won Tourist Trophies on two and four wheels in period and to have won the Tourist Trophy for Historic cars. A magnificent hat trick and one that is likely never to be matched. The Royal Automobile Club applauds their success”.

RAC Tourist Trophy Results:

1^st Stuart Graham/Richard Attwood (Aston Martin DB4 GT Lightweight)

2^nd Carlo Vogele/Willie Green (Ferrari 330 GTO) 

3^rd Wolfgang Friedrichs/David Clark (Aston Martin DP212)

Silverstone Classic a roaring success

The 2011 Silverstone Classic recorded another successful running last weekend with many great cars and races.

With Silverstone filled with classic cars, retail malls, displays and activities for all the family, the on-track action was sensational as over 1000 entries from the finest historic single-seater, GT, sports-racing and touring cars were put through their paces in fierce competition.

There was high drama in the special Celebrity Challenge race when a group of famous names took to the track in identical Morgan sports cars. Footballer Luther Blissett spun at the first corner and as his car bounced over the kerbs it flipped into a series of rolls. Blissett climbed out unhurt as the race was halted to clear away the damaged car.

In the re-stared race, a marvellous five-way lead battle raged until the final lap when Rick Parfitt Jnr broke away to repeat his 2010 victory from Heston Blumenthal and Brendan Cole.

The day started with two enthralling races that demonstrated the very best in historic racing. In the Formula Junior race, Sam Wilson beat Jon Milicevic by less than a quarter of a second. Meanwhile, the two-driver Under 2-Litre Touring Car race was a battle of the Lotus Cortinas as Simon Hadfield edged ahead of former BTCC racer Mike Jordan in the final laps.

Young Le Mans racer Andy Meyrick (March 761) won the Grand Prix Masters race ahead of a sensational field of over 30 Formula 1 cars from the 1970s and early 1980s, while races for earlier GP cars were won by Roger Wills (Cooper T51) and Philip Walker (Lotus 16).

The Group C Cars head into the night

The day concluded with a race for the magnificent Group C cars running into the evening dusk. With headlights ablaze and brake discs glowing, the cars made a magical sight as the sun set over the Silverstone GP circuit. Japanese racer Katsu Kobota took his Nissan to a narrow victory over the Jaguar of Alex Buncombe after an unforgettable spectacle.

Undoubtedly, this was the biggest and best Classic yet with more race and road cars spanning the whole motoring spectrum in action and on display than at any other time in the world-famous event’s history. Retail malls, many of them with a nostalgic feel, added to the appeal and effectively resulted in every corner of Silverstone’s usually vast site being crammed with activity.

A major highlight was an on-track parade by many hundreds of cars belonging to the 120 owners clubs present – in total they contributed a staggering collection of some 7000 cars for the public to view. This followed Saturday’s cavalcade of more than 800 E-type Jaguars on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit to mark the official 50^th birthday celebrations of one of motoring’s most iconic cars. 

Leo Voyazides leads the Big Engined Touring Cars

Sunday’s action was a continuation of glorious sights and sounds of yesteryear with capacity grids of historic Formula 1, sports, saloon and GT cars. Ewan McIntyre overcame drivers in more powerful machinery to win the prestigious Stirling Moss Trophy, named after the legendary F1 and sportscar racer and for pre-1961 sportscars. Sam Wilson came out on top to take Formula Junior honours but only after another race-long wheel-to-wheel dice with Jon Milicevic.

Leo Voyazides (Ford Falcon), Oliver Bryant (Lola T70), Philip Walker (Lotus 16) and Andy Meyrick (March 761) emerged as comfortable winners in races for big-engined touring cars, sportscars and F1 cars respectively. So, too, Jon Minshaw in the second of two E-type Challenge races held of over the weekend as part of the car’s golden anniversary celebrations.

Bob Berridge's Mercedes C11

Bob Berridge took the car of its day, the striking Mercedes C11, to victory ahead of a wonderful field of Group C ‘Le Mans’ machinery but only after Japanese racer Hideki Yamamuchi’s Nissan had briefly led during a spirited attack.

But perhaps the big result of the day was the dramatic victory for Stuart Graham and Richard Attwood in the ‘blue riband’ Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy for Historic Cars endurance race. Notably, Graham is the only post-war winner of the TT on both two and four wheels; for Attwood, the result marked another big result in his illustrious career that has included spells in Formula 1 plus, most famously, victory in the gruelling Le Mans 24 Hours in 1970. It was Attwood who came through to win on the final lap in their Aston Martin DB4 GT when the leading Ferrari 250 GT of Hans Hugenholtz/David Hart cruelly stopped at the side of the track.

The RAC Historic TT gets underway

Sunday’s final race was another ‘thriller’ that again was only decided on the final lap – New Zealander Roger Wills looked to have beaten off three other drivers only to agonisingly spin just two corners from home while lapping a slower car, leaving the way open for Italian Enrico Spaggiari to steal a last gasp win. Spaggiari’s comment “this was the most beautiful race of my life” seemed somehow to reflect perfectly the feelings of every competitor to have taken part in the Classic over the weekend.

Nick Wigley, Event Director enthused: “We confidently believe this to have been the biggest motor racing event ever staged anywhere in the world with more than 1000 race entries from all over the globe. From the moment the event began on Friday morning we have been blessed with glorious weather and, thanks to some terrific music acts and non-stop entertainment on the Silverstone infield, also a wonderful festival atmosphere.

“It has been great to see vast numbers of people, especially families, arriving and experiencing the Classic. The feedback has been nothing but positive and already we are working on plans for 2012’s Classic when we will aim to make the event even more special for our competitors, exhibitors, media and visitors.”

Results from Saturday

Historic Formula Junior: 1 Sam Wilson (Cooper T59), 2 Jon Milicevic (Cooper T59), 3 Benn Simms (Elva 200)

Under 2-litre Touring Cars: 1 Leo Voyazides/Simon Hadfield (Lotus Cortina), 2 Howard Redhouse/Mike Jordan (Lotus Cortina), 3 Jackie Oliver/Richard Shaw (BMW 1800)

Woodcote Trophy: 1 Gary Pearson/Carlos Monteverde (Jaguar D-type), 2 Derek Hood/Andrew Smith (Cooper T33), 3 Fred Wakeman/Ludovic Lindsay (Jaguar D-type)

Big-engined Touring Cars: 1 James Dodd (Ford Mustang), 2 Patrick Watts (Ford Mustang), 3 Henry Mann (Ford Mustang)

Grand Prix Masters: 1 Andy Meyrick (March 761), 2 Bill Coombs (Tyrrell 009), 3 Steve Hartley (Arrows A4)

Pre ’66 Grand Prix Cars: 1 Roger Wills (Cooper T51), 2 Enrico Spaggiari (Cooper T53), 3 Mark Piercy (Lola Mk4)

Gentleman Drivers: 1 Sean McInerney/Mick McInerney (TVR Griffith), 2 Oliver Bryant/Grahame Bryant (AC Cobra), 3 David Hart/Hans Hugenholtz (AC Cobra)

Pre ’61 Grand Prix Cars: 1 Philip Walker (Lotus 16), 2 Rod Jolley (Lister Jaguar), 3 Allan Miles (Maserati 250F)

Italian Historic Car Cup: 1 Nathan Kinch (Ferrari 512), 2 Bobby Verdon-Roe (Ferrari 412P), 3 Manfredo Rossi di Montelera (Osella PA1)

Celebrity Challenge: 1 Rick Parfitt Jnr, 2 Heston Blumenthal, 3 Brendan Cole

E-type Challenge: 1 Jon Minshaw, 2 Alex Buncombe, 3 Graeme Dodd

Group C: 1 Katsu Kubota (Nissan RC90). 2 Alex Buncombe (Jaguar XJR9), 3 Gareth Evans (Mercedes C11)

Results from Sunday

Stirling Moss Trophy: 1 Ewan McIntrye (Lotus 15), Jon Minshaw/Martin Stretton (Lister Jaguar), Philip Walker/Danny Wright (Lotus 15)

RAC Tourist Trophy: 1 Stuart Graham/Richard Attwood (Aston Martin DB4), 2 Carlo Vogele/Willie Green (Ferrari 330 GTO), 3 Wolfgang Friedrichs/David Clark (Aston Martin DP212)

Historic Formula Junior: 1 Sam Wilson (Cooper T59), 2 Jon Milicevic (Cooper T59), 3 James Murray (Lola Mk 5A)

Big Engine Touring Cars: 1 Leo Voyazides (Ford Falcon), 2 Patrick Watts (Ford Mustang), 3 John Young (Ford Falcon)

The GP Masters grid heads for Abbey

Group C Endurance: Bob Berridge (Mercedes C11), 2 Hideki Yamamuchi (Nissan R90C), Andy Meyrick (Spice SE89C)E-Type Challenge: 1 Jon Minshaw, 2 Martin O’Connell, 3 Andrew SmithGP Masters F1 1966-85: 1 Andy Meyrick (March 761), 2 Steve Hartley (Arrows A4), Bill Coombs (Tyrrell 009)Front-engine GP pre-1961: 1 Philip Walker (Lotus 16), Rod Jolley (Lister Jaguar ‘Monzanapolis’), 3 Michael Steele (Connaught C type)World Sports Car Masters: 1 Oliver Bryant (Lola T70 Mk3B), 2 Simon Hadfield/Leo Voyazides (Lola T70 Mk3B), 3 Manfredo Rossi di Montelera (Abarth Osella PA1)Rear-engine GP pre-1966: 1 Enrico Spaggiari (Cooper T53), 2 Rod Jolley (Cooper T45/51), 3 Roger Wills (Cooper T51)

Bluebird Flies again at Pendine

And this time... it's Electric! It's going to be a great and unique occasion to see the UK land speed record broken, and the fact that the challenger is called bluebird and driven by the grandson of the famous Malcolm Campbell. This is a highly innovative attempt and well worthy of your support.

Bluebird Electric Team Announces New UK Land Speed Record Date

The weekend of 13^th/14^th August 2011 will be a momentous occasion. Records are set to be broken and history made as Don Wales and the Bluebird Electric team endeavour to break the UK Land Speed Record on the 4-mile stretch of beach at Pendine Sands, South Wales.

Last month the attempt was aborted when a vital bespoke component that was being manufactured in Europe was not delivered. Disappointed in the firm, the team sought to find a UK engineering manufacturer, and were delighted when Dorset-based Transdev stepped in to the breach and support the team. Along with Transdev, the team has received overwhelming response from volunteers who are generously giving up their time to help marshal and assist the 30-strong Bluebird Electric team.

Don Wales and Bluebird Electric would also like to extend their thanks to the MSA and RAC, plus their sponsors Castrol, Aggreko, Ford, Goodyear, Dura, Bluestone and the Prince of Wales Hotel Pembrokeshire whose support and services have been invaluable throughout.

Bluebird Electric. Same colour and shape as the original, but much cleaner!

During the trials in August, Wales will be driving the current Bluebird Electric vehicle as a test and development vehicle to try different battery technologies and drive units. His goal is to set an electric record of more than 500mph in 2013, the speed trials at Pendine Sands are part of the development programme. However, timekeepers and race officials will be present and the team hopes to establish new UK land speed records for an electric car. During the trials Wales also hopes to best his grandfather’s 146 mph land speed record set with a combustion engine on the same beach in 1924.

This is not the first time a Bluebird has set Land Speed records at Pendine. Don Wales is following in a family tradition started by his grandfather, Sir Malcolm Campbell MBE and continued by his Uncle, Donald Campbell CBE.

The team welcomes spectators to cheer them along and show their support at Pendine Sands. The runs will commence from 1.00pm on Sunday 14th August 2011.

In addition to the record attempt, Bluebird Electric will be raising awareness for their chosen charities; Help for Heroes, Wessex Heartbeat and The Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals

The Bluebird Electric team is also keen to hear from local high quality food and beverage producers, crafts companies and businesses who wish to promote their products or services at the speed trials. Plenty of space is available for local companies to showcase the best of Welsh and British products.

Those interested should contact Martin Rees, Bluebird Electric Project Director, on T: 01646 687771 or T: 07940 275962.

Cholmondely records succesful 4th running.

 In 4 years of running, Cholmondeley is already becoming a must do event for many motorsports enthusiasts around the country and beyond. Whilst it's often compared to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, it seems that the event is a perfect companion to the more established extravaganza in West Sussex. They both allow people to get close to the cars they love. And Cholmondely is a fantastically diverse event that even features powerboats.

Again, Subaru came to the fore with a blistering time around the sprint track. Like the recent record breaking run on the Isle of Man TT circuit, expert driver Mark Higgins gave many supercars a good run for their money!

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The gates closed on another thrilling Cholmondeley Pageant of Power, with the record crowds flocking to see a host of all-new attractions alongside the many established event features.  The organisers have promised that in 2012 the fifth Pageant will be even bigger and better, and a series of innovative enhancements – on track, on water and in the air – are already being evaluated.

The 2011 Pageant was extended to a third day for the first time this year, with Friday being used by competing drivers and motorcyclists to put in some high-speed practise laps in front of the spectators, as well as for the event’s ‘Magnificent Marques’ sponsors – Bentley, Jaguar and Ford – to invite guests to experience the testing Cholmondeley circuit for themselves.  The addition of the Friday also meant even more visitors could get close to the international field of famous cars, racing drivers and motorcyclists in the paddocks.

Another highly-successful new feature for the 2011 Pageant was the purpose-built Rally Stage, which played host to nearly 30 iconic Group B rally cars blasting across the Cholmondeley estate.  Also new was the Green-Car-Guide-Live! area, which introduced visitors to a host of environmentally-friendly road and race cars.

The competition for fastest lap time on the 1.2-mile circuit was as hotly contested as ever, even if sporadic showers meant that last year’s outright lap record remained intact.  However, the holder of that record, Nikki Faulkner, claimed the Pageant’s fastest lap once again, achieving a blistering best time of 63.54 seconds in his Lamborghini LP570-4 Performante.  He was pushed hard by rally ace Mark Higgins in a Subaru Cosworth Impreza STI CS400 (See below), which proved unbeatable during the rain-affected track sessions.

Bang!

The Combat Power display by the British Army and the RAF – a unique event in the UK – gave the tens of thousands of spectators the chance to witness how the armed forces operate in real-life combat situations in Afghanistan.  To the accompaniment of numerous ground-shaking explosions, smoke and constant machine-gun fire, troops assaulted an ‘enemy’ position right in front of the spectators.  Tanks and helicopters were used to drop the troops in the heart of the action and then extract ‘injured’ casualties.  As well as thrilling the crowds, the display helped raise much-needed funds for the Pageant’s designated military charities: Combat Stress, Remount and the Mercian Benevolent Fund (MBF).

Out on the largest of the Cholmondeley estate’s lakes powerboats performed 120mph-plus runs on the venue’s lake, while overhead bi-planes, helicopters and gyrocopters provided further adrenaline-fuelled distractions. 

During a balmy Saturday evening a biggest-ever crowd arrived for the Pageant’s Fireworks Concert, which concluded with a Proms-style programme accompanied by a helicopter flypast, and cannon salute courtesy of the local Mercian regiment.

In total there were more than 1,200 cars on static display, and 175 racing cars and bikes took to the Cholmondeley circuit.  It is anticipated that, in spite of the wet weather during Sunday, attendance figures comfortably exceeded the record 50,000 total from 2010.

We have Lift Off

“Despite the occasional intervention of the notoriously unreliable British summer weather, the 2011 Pageant lived up to all our expectations,” commented James Hall, event director at the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power.  “We added a day, introduced some new features and brought in more famous cars, motorcycles, boats, aeroplanes and helicopters to intensify the action.  The feedback has been fantastic and thanks to our sponsors, supporters and a dedicated Pageant team we’ve been able to build on the event’s nationwide reputation as an unbeatable day out.  We’re already working on the 2012 Pageant, and hope to deliver a range of new attractions to thrill the crowds.”

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COSWORTH IMPREZA STI CS400 SLAYS SUPERCARS
AT CHOLMONDELEY PAGEANT OF POWER

In the hands of former British Rally Champion, Mark Higgins, Subaru’s limited-edition Cosworth Impreza STI CS400 put on an electrifying display at the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power (15-17 July 2011; www.cpop.co.uk).

The All-Wheel Drive 400PS Subaru outpaced a host of high-performance road cars and supercars, including the Nissan GTR, Ariel V8 Atom, Lexus LFA and Ford Focus RS500, and in the final standings was beaten only by the £186,000 Lamborghini LP570-4 Performante on the 1.2-mile sprint circuit.

Significantly, on the final day of the event (Sunday 17 July) when the circuit was consistently soaked with rain, the Subaru comfortably outpaced every other participating vehicle. With a quickest time of 68.18 seconds, it was over four seconds quicker than the second placed Lancia Delta Intergrale WRC and six seconds quicker than the second placed car in the Supercar category.

Higgins’ high-speed run dramatically showcased the all-conditions attributes of the Cosworth-fettled Subaru, establishing it as the fastest hot-hatch in the ‘supercar’ class. Mark recorded a best time of 66.08 seconds, at an average speed of 65.45 mph on the twisty Cholmondeley circuit.

Former British Rally Champion, Mark Higgins is making a habit of setting records!

“The Pageant’s track is incredibly narrow and asks a surprising amount of both car and driver,” commented Higgins, who recently set the production road car lap record on the Isle of Man TT circuit. ”If you want to set a decent time, good traction, strong brakes and stability at speed are all essential. The Subaru delivered on all those scores. We were only bettered by a Lamborghini LP570-4 Performante in the dry runs and we were the quickest by far in the wet.”

Marketing Director of Subaru UK, Kenyon Neads, commented: “We’re delighted that the CS400 in Mark’s talented hands took the fight so strongly to the supercar elite. Finishing ahead of cars like the Ariel Atom V8 is a real testament to the engineering and development work by both Cosworth and Subaru.

“Ours was not only the fastest hatchback, but also the quickest vehicle in any class when the circuit was wet, which speaks volumes for its capabilities. It was no surprise the Subaru stand in the paddock was a hive of activity throughout the weekend.”

The limited-edition Cosworth Impreza STI CS400 is currently available from Subaru UK priced £49,995 with a number of competitive and flexible finance offers available. For more information please visit www.subaru.co.uk.

Howard Davies joins Go Motorsport

Howard Davies has navigated Gwyndaf Evans and Steve Perez to success

Go Motorsport is delighted to announce that renowned rally co-driver Howard Davies from Machynlleth, Powys has become the Motor Sports Association’s Regional Development Officer in North Wales.

Davies who came to national and international fame as Gwyndaf Evans’ co-driver when winning the British Rally Championship in 1996 and is still totally immersed in motor sport, notably as a presenter on S4C’s Ralio+ programme, is one of ten selected Regional Development Officers to have been recruited by the MSA.

The role of these RDOs is to develop all areas of motor sport within their region and, in particular, to promote all the opportunities offered by motor sport in schoolrooms and school assemblies. As part of a nationwide Go Motorsport scheme, the presentations are offered free of charge to all UK educational establishments. With his vast experience in rallying, existing contacts and Welsh language, few personalities are more qualified than Howard for spreading the motor sport message in North Wales.

“Having enjoyed a colourful and successful life in motor sport, I’m delighted to have this fantastic opportunity to 

share  my enthusiasm and adventures with the next generation of potential participants,” explained Davies. 

“Hopefully I can inspire many of them to get involved – that’s why I’m so keen to put something back into the 

sport.” 

 

“We were overwhelmed by the quality of the applicants for this position and we are delighted to welcome someone of the calibre of Howard to the team,” said MSA Chief Executive Colin Hilton. “Clearly, with this year’s Wales Rally GB starting in North Wales, this is a very important time for rallying in the area and Howard will be a great asset in helping to generate serious interest in all forms of motor sport, particularly among the younger generation.”