Donington Historic Festival goes from strength to strength.

Group C Jaguars are always popular attractions.

To encourage whole families to turn up and enjoy the cream of world-class historic motorsport, advance tickets to the Donington Historic Festival, 5^th and 6^th May 2012, are being held at the same affordable prices as last year, while family members under 16 are admitted free. And to make it even easier for car club members to turn out in force – without breaking the bank – there’s a two-for-one advance ticket deal for registered clubs.

Over 20 car clubs have already signed up for this special offer, from the Bentley Drivers Club, Club Lotus, Ferrari Owners’ Club and Jaguar Drivers’ Club, to the Morgan Sports Car Club, Porsche Club GB, Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club and the TR Register. This gives their members the two-for-one ticket deal – plus a free car pass to Donington’s spectacular infield parking, where they’ll form a great display to be enjoyed by all spectators. The full list of registered clubs can be found at www.doningtonhistoric.com and, if yours isn’t among them, get in touch with your club officials!

“Our aim is two-fold,” said Duncan Wiltshire of Historic Promotions Ltd, organiser of the Donington Historic Festival. “First and foremost, we want to provide the very best racing, with truly thrilling on-track action featuring historic cars from the most evocative eras of the sport. Secondly, we want to do this at a price which club members and motorsport fans can readily afford – and all this at arguably the UK’s best spectator circuit.”

Judging by the inaugural Donington Historic Festival in 2011, which confirmed that one of Britain’s greatest racing circuits was back in business, the on-track action is sure to be fast, competitive and exciting – from the ‘Mad Jack’ for pre-War sportscars, through the glorious sportscars and sports-racers of the 1950s and 1960s, to the E-type Challenge, Historic F2, Touring Cars (both pre-66, and 1966-85), not to mention the always dramatic Group C sportscars. To whet your appetite for the 2012 Festival, take a peek at the 2011 video gallery at www.doningtonhistoric.com/2011-videos/ – where you’ll find a mix of racing action, plus club gatherings and on-track parades.

Add to this the special packages for car clubs, a superb location – and the fact that each entry ticket gives two-for-one entry to the stunning on-site Donington Grand Prix Collection during the Festival weekend and for the following two months – and the Donington Historic Festival promises to be a highlight of 2012. See www.doningtonhistoric.com for more details.

Spot the Odd One Out

2012 Advance Ticket Prices

Saturday 5^th May – £18 (£25 on the day)

Sunday 6^th May – £18 (£25 on the day)

Weekend ticket – £30 (£40 on the day)

Children under 16 – Free

Plus… two-for-one ticket deals for registered car club members

Tickets can be bought via www.doningtonhistoric.com and through the 24-hour ticket hotline 0844 873 7355.

Silverstone Classic gets some roadside assistance.

The Silverstone Classic is delighted to announce a new partnership with the AA (the Automobile Association). As from 2012 the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival will be known as the ‘Silverstone Classic powered by the AA’.

The multi-year partnership with the UK’s leading breakdown service has significant benefits and synergies and is a logical union between two brands that share a common interest in motoring past, present and future.

Staged at the home of the British Grand Prix, the annual Silverstone Classic is already established as one of the country’s premier automotive attractions. The event has wide family appeal and its central England location – together with Silverstone’s long sporting pedigree and state-of-the-art facilities – make it the ideal venue for show-goers of all generations. In 2011 more than 80,000 people attended the three-day summer festival savouring the very best of historic racing, huge displays of classic cars, a retail village, air displays, fun fair and live music from classic rock bands.

Now the partnership with the AA will not only open up the event to a huge new audience but also add a completely new dimension to what’s already a spectacular and action-packed festival. The 2012 Silverstone Classic powered by the AA (20-22 July) will feature a significant AA attraction centred around Silverstone’s in-field Stowe Circuit based close to the venue’s impressive new Wing pits and paddock complex.

The event will be promoted directly to the AA’s 15 million members and customers who will benefit from a 10 per cent discount on day and weekend entrance tickets.

“We are delighted to be teaming up with the AA in what’s a massively significant new partnership,” confirmed Nick Wigley, Event Director of the Silverstone Classic. “Together we are introducing many more new and interesting innovations right across the festival weekend – not least the chance for visitors to test drive many of the latest models right at the heart of the show. The millions of AA members will also enjoy a wide range of exclusive offers including ticket discounts. We aim to make the Silverstone Classic powered by the AA the biggest and most enjoyable event of any kind in the UK with the focus on classic motor sport, motoring and live music – a must-see event on every family’s summer calendar.”

Edmund King, President of the AA, is equally enthused by this inspiring new venture. He said: “This new partnership is a really exciting opportunity for the AA and our members. We are always looking at innovative ways to add value to AA membership and we believe this event offers a great value day out and the chance to experience a wonderful summer festival for all the family.”

The event organisers have confirmed many of next year’s major attractions. The on-track entertainment will showcase the full spectrum of historic motor sport with huge grids featuring an amazing array of Grand Prix, GT, Le Mans, single-seaters, sports and touring cars spanning more than seven decades of epic circuit racing history. Following the classic theme, the 2012 live music bill will be topped by Adam Ant and Mike and the Mechanics with other high-profile acts to be confirmed.

Full details of the 2012 Silverstone Classic powered by the AA – including information on ‘Early Bird’ ticket offers and a comprehensive selection of on-site camping facilities – are available via the event’s official www.silverstoneclassic.com website.

Meet a up and coming star : Jake Cook

Our friends at The Racewire have sent us an interview with up and coming Formula Ford driver, Jake Cook. Here he is talking about his forthcoming season in FFord with the new EcoBoost car

BTCC 2012 Calendar now finalised

Chaos at Donington as the BTCC drivers discover that 20 cars entering Old Hairpin doesn't always work!

Donington Park’s date on the 2012 Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship calendar has today been confirmed – meaning all ten BTCC fixtures for next year are now in place.

The historic Leicestershire [We always thought it was in Derbyshire?!] venue will host the second event of the season when the BTCC, the UK’s premier motor racing championship, tours the country – in total it will visit nine top-class race circuits in eight different counties.

The BTCC’s 2012 race dates are:

Date Circuit, Location

31 March-1 April Brands Hatch, Kent

14-15 April Donington Park, Leicestershire

28-29 April Thruxton, Hampshire

9-10 June Oulton Park, Cheshire

23-24 June Croft, North Yorkshire

11-12 August Snetterton (300), Norfolk

25-26 August Knockhill, Fife

22-23 September Rockingham, Northamptonshire

6-7 October Silverstone, Northamptonshire

20-21 October Brands Hatch, Kent

Running AMOC with Aston Martin Club Racing

AMOC has always had popular races, now the new company seems set to take these races further in 2012 and beyond

Aston Martin club racing is set to flourish next year, now that AMOC, the Aston Martin Owners’ Club, has taken the major decision to run all its racing events under a new, independent company – Aston Martin Club Racing Ltd. And to ensure that the club’s racing goes from strength to strength, the new company (AMCR Ltd) has in turn appointed Duncan Wiltshire of Historic Promotions Ltd to promote and administer the racing programme.

Wiltshire is the man behind both historic race organisation Motor Racing Legends (which runs four prestigious race series, plus the historic support race at the Le Mans 24 Hours) and the Donington Historic Festival. And Wiltshire now has big ambitions for AMCR’s racing programme:

“It’s the perfect time to reinvigorate AMOC’s club racing, when the 2013 centenary of Aston Martin is just over the horizon. AMOC has a fabulous racing heritage and we want to make sure that 2012 sees the club’s racing programme start to regain the energy, vitality and packed grids it richly deserves – and which have perhaps lapsed in recent years. Racing will, of course, be centred around Aston Martins, combined with the vital support of other invited clubs and grids.”

The full AMCR race calendar is currently being confirmed, but Aston Martin Club Racing is planning race events at Silverstone on April 29^th; Oulton Park in Mid-May; Brands Hatch on June 4^th or 5^th; Donington on July 28^th and Snetterton on October 6^th – with everything from the Aston Martin GT4 Challenge, through pre-66 cars and right back to the pre-War era. AMCR will continue to run the long-established and highly respected St. John Horsfall Meeting – plus one of the longest-running championships in the UK, the Intermarque, with the popular team format which pits Aston Martin against Jaguar, Morgan, Porsche, Ferrari, Sunbeam, Healey and the rest of the world.

Le Jog heads into Action!

We're really sorry about the delay in getting this release out. This is due to problems in downloading releases from our usual news wires. Here it is now, a little late... but Hopefully still time for you to get out and see the event in it's second and third days.

Someone tell us what it is, because that, is BEAUTIFUL! 

Cars from Holland, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Switzerland as well as the UK were starting to converge on Lands End today (Friday) prior to the start of the UK’s toughest car

Rally –Le-Jog.

The rally gets under way on Saturday and will see the cars ranging from a 1937 Riley Sport to a 1958 Jaguar XK 150 battling it out to win the prestigious event.

It will be the 17th annual running of the world acclaimed rally which takes place between December 10th and 13th will see the cars competing over a a 1,400 mile course between Lands End and John O'Groats with the longest night navigation section ever to be included.

Seventy cars will leave Lands End on Saturday at 07.45 on a route across Britain that will see them travelling through Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Wales, Shropshire, Cheshire, Lancashire, North Yorkshire, Northumbria, Northumberland, East Lothian, West Lothian, North Lanarkshire, and across Scotland to John O’Groats over a four day period.

Hero’s Event Director and Clerk of the Course for Le Jog, Peter Nedin, said: “Le Jog is one of the toughest events of its kind in Europe, possibly the world, and we constantly strive to maintain this enviable reputation. We have no idea what the weather will bring but it certainly won’t stop the drivers of these cars who will do all they can to finish to course no matter what the conditions.

 Tomas de Vargas Machuca, Managing Director of the Historic Endurance Rallying Organisation, HERO said: "This will be one of the most testing events that we have ever run.The weather is already closing in but as in past editions the event has attracted crews from all over Europe and beyond which is a testament to the event and all those who work so hard to make it happen.”

All sorts of cars will be taking part including a Riley Sports Special from 1937 driven by Richard Jeffcoate and James May from Surrey. A 1958 Jaguar XK 150 being driven by Charles Graves and Ron Palmer from Surrey and a 1960 Peugeot being driven by Pieter and Thijs Hennipman from Holland. Other cars include BMW’s, Triumphs and Porsche. Spectators are encouraged to turn out and see the cars go through their area.

BMW Park Lane Classic, who as part of a sponsorship deal with HERO has prepared a 1973 BMW 1602 saloon for the event. The car, which will also be included in HERO’s successful Arrive & Drive program, has been repatriated from ITALY.

AVIS will also be supporting the event by providing all coordinating and support vehicles, which will be used by the organizers and marshals to steer crews safely to the finish. 

The infamous Welsh night section will have over 30 time controls - 75% of which will be 4 minute sections and the longest section will only be 3.5 miles - but the route has been designed with loops to allow controls to be cut for those running late.

Wales will also see some tough, late-evening regularities where crews' driving, navigating and timekeeping will be thoroughly tested.  "We want to see every crew arrive at the Telford rest halt, tired but with a big satisfied grin on their faces" said Peter Nedin

In addition this year's Le Jog will have some 30 tests at 26 venues - more than double the number of some recent Le Jogs Many of these tests will be at exciting new venues while those at ones previously used have been completely redesigned.

The overall number of regularities has been reduced slightly but the Jogularity format will be exploited to the full and Le Jog will continue to provide the navigators with considerable map-reading challenges.

There are crews from the UK, Europe and America driving, between them 7 Mercs, 7 Triumphs, 6 Minis, 5 MGs, 4 BMWs; 4 Porsches; 3 Volvos; 3 VW's and many more.

You can follow their progress with daily updates http://www.heroevents.eu/Events/LeJog/le_jog_2011/event_report/

You can also follow the event on Twitter: @heroeventseu and on Facebook - search for Hero Historic Endurance Rallying 

Maserati? Well, it's taking a dip on last year's Le Jog

Le Jog 2011 Spectator Information
Control	Location	County	Venue	OS map ref	Date	Approx. Time Car One
SMC 1 & TEST	LAND'S END	Cornwall	On cliff top behind hotel	203/3424 2509	10th Dec	07:45
TEST	CORNWALL COLLEGE	Cornwall	Cornwall College Park at Pool School opposite test site	203/6620 4145	10th Dec	09:06
TEST	IMERYS	Cornwall	Imerys Facility	200/9920 5744	10th Dec	10:25
TESTS	EDEN A & B	Cornwall	The Eden Project	200/0463 5543	10th Dec	10:37
MC 2	LOSTWITHIEL	Cornwall	Golf Club	200/1093 6047	10th Dec	11:10
MC 3 & 4	OKEHAMPTON	Devon	Betty Cottles	191/5640 9334	10th Dec	12.50in - 13.35out
PC 1	CULMSTOCK	East Devon	Culm Valley Inn	181/1013 1380	10th Dec	15:22
TEST	TRICKY WARREN	Somerset	Tricky Warren	193/2120 1522	10th Dec	15:43
PC 2	FORCHES CORNER	Somerset	Merry Harriers	193/1830 1710	10th Dec	15:51
TESTS	CARDIFF GATE A & B	Wales	Cardiff Gate Services	171/2173 8288	10th Dec	17:31
MC 5 & 6	CARDIFF GATE	Wales	Cardiff Gate Services	171/2175 8282	10th Dec	17:34in - 19:34out
TEST	LLANGORS	Powys, Mid Wales	Llangors Activity Centre	161/1468 2693	10th Dec	21:14
MC 7	LLANGORS	Powys, Mid Wales	Llangors Activity Centre	161/1480 2672	10th Dec	21:25
PC 3	CLYRO	Powys, Mid Wales	Regent House Sdervice Station	161/2132 4350	10th Dec	22:06
MC 8	BUILTH WELLS	Powys, Mid Wales	Co-op	147/0420 5135	10th Dec	23:13
RMC 10	TELFORD	Shropshire	White House Hotel	127/6613 1110	11th Dec	08:30
TEST	MARKET DRAYTON	North Shropshire	Cattle Market	127/ 6725 3525	11th Dec	09:28
MC 11	CROWTON	Cheshire	Hare & Hounds	117/5788 7455	11th Dec	11:13
TEST	KILHEY COURT	Cheshire	Macdonald Hotel	108/5800 1075	11th Dec	12:03
TEST	TICKLED TROUT	Cheshire	Macdonald Hotel	102/5782 3004	11th Dec	12:24
TESTS	RED ROSE A & B	Lancashire	Red Rose Hub	102/5735 3285	11th Dec	12:29
MC 12 & 13	GREAT MITTON	Lancashire	Aspinall Arms	103/7165 3868	11th Dec	12:57in - 13:57out
PC 4	LINTON	North Yorkshire	Fountaine Inn	98/9965 6265	11th Dec	15:15
PC 5	HAWES	North Yorkshire	Dale Head Garage	98/8695 8985	11th Dec	16:00
MC 14	TAN HILL (Tan Hill Inn)	North Yorkshire	Tan Hill Inn	92/8970 0670	11th Dec	17:17
PC 6	EGGLESTON	Northumbria	Three Tuns	92/9994 2391	11th Dec	18:09
MC 15	GOSFORTH	Newcastle Upon Tyne	Marriott Hotel	88/2425 7125	11th Dec	20:09
RMC 16	GOSFORTH	Newcastle Upon Tyne	Marriott Hotel	88/2425 7125	12th Dec	08:00
TEST	ESHOTT	Northumberland	Eshott Airfield	81/1785 9778	12th Dec	08:38
MC 17	CHATTON	Northumberland	Percy Arms Hotel	75/0553 2835	12th Dec	10:23
TEST	RACELAND	East Lothian - Scotland	Raceland Karting	66/4504 7360	12th Dec	12:59
MC 18 & 19	LIVINGSTON	West Lothian - Scotland	Deer Park Beafeater	65/0465 7012	12th Dec	13:49in - 14:49out
TEST	FORRESTBURN	North Lanarkshire - Scotland	Forrestburn	65/8605 6500	12th Dec	15:07
PC 7	ABERFOYLE	Scotland	Trossachs Area Services	57/5240 0095	12th Dec	17:00
TEST	FOREST HILLS	Scotland	Macdonald Hotel	57/4620 0223	12th Dec	17:09
MC 20	KILLIN (Killin Hotel)		Killin Hotel	51/5735 3324	12th Dec	18:57
MC 21 & 22	KINLOCH RANNOCH		Macdonald Hotel	42/6525 5887	12th Dec	20:29in - 22:29out
MC 23	EVANTON (Skiach Services)		Skiach Services	21/6300 6780	13th Dec	04:06
TEST	LITTLEFERRY		Kart Circuit	21/8203 9806	13th Dec	06:05
PC 8	BRORA		Victoria Garage	17/9049 0463	13th Dec	06:21
MC 24 & 25	LYBSTER		Portland Arms Hotel	11/2475 3627	13th Dec	07:54in - 08:39out
TEST	JOHN O'GROATS	Caithness - Scotland	Car Park	12/3808 7327	13th Dec	10:17
MC 26	JOHN O'GROATS	Caithness - Scotland	Café	12/3797 7337	13th Dec	10:18

Formula Renault BARC back on BTCC support bill

Formula Renault BARC is no less hotly contested than the regular BTCC support event

Protyre Formula Renault BARC will once again join the prestigious TOCA support package of the British Touring Car Championship for the leading single-seater category’s final two rounds in 2012, triggering several revisions to the championship’s provisional calendar it has been announced today.

As this year, Silverstone’s National Circuit will once again host the last two races of the season for Protyre Formula Renault BARC with the thriving junior championship now confirmed as a support class for the BTCC over the weekend 6th/7th October.

Snetterton 200 Circuit in Norfolk will still host the first event of the campaign on Easter weekend, 7th/8th April, but instead of the previously announced date at Brands Hatch in mid-May, the series brings forward its visit to Rockingham in Northamptonshire – that event now scheduled for 19th/20th May. As originally revealed though, the first two meetings will continue to be triple-header events.

From there, the championship will now go to the ultra-fast Thruxton Circuit in Hampshire for a one day outing on Sunday, 17th June, ahead of the annual trip to Croft in North Yorkshire on 21st/22nd July. The fifth date on the calendar marks a rescheduled visit to Donington Park in the East Midlands on 18th/19th August, rather than as support to the FIA British Truck Grand Prix at the start of July.

There will then be a break of seven weeks ahead of the Protyre Formula Renault BARC season finale, the crown jewel event at Silverstone in support of the BTCC. If the 2011 instalment is anything to go by it will be massive, with tens of thousands of spectators sure to attend.

“It’s fantastic news for everyone associated with Protyre Formula Renault BARC to have the final two rounds of the 2012 season supporting the BTCC”, said Championship Promoter Simon North, “We’re delighted to be able to confirm our position on the TOCA package for the Silverstone event once again, it’s a very prestigious slot and something which will only help teams attract top young drivers.

“We’re very happy to be going back to Thruxton – that’s always a big favourite with the competitors and pleased we can include Donington Park as it’s such a great circuit. All in all I think we’ve got a tremendous calendar with 14 races, two triple-headers to kick-off the season and a real blue riband finale. We’re really looking forward to 2012.”

Along with headline sponsor Protyre, the championship is additionally supported by ELF, Michelin and NGK Spark Plugs. All dates and venues specified remain provisional.

Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship – Revised Provisional 2012 Calendar
Rds 1/2/3: 7th/8th April - Snetterton 200 Circuit, Norfolk
Rds 4/5/6: 19th/20th May - Rockingham Motor Speedway, Northamptonshire
Rds 7/8: 17th June - Thruxton Circuit, Hampshire
Rds 9/10: 21st/22nd July - Croft Circuit, North Yorkshire
Rds 11/12: 18th/19th August - Donington Park National Circuit, Leicestershire
Rds 13/14: 6th/7th October - Silverstone National Circuit, Northamptonshire (BTCC)

Extreme Garaging

Ok, it's not motorsport, but we thought you'd like these extraordinary pictures of the lengths some people will go to to garage their car for the winter. Sure it's luxurious, but rather impractical to have to dismantle your car then post it through your first floor window using a crane?!

The MGB makes it's ascent to it's new first floor home, by means of a crane and a platform thingy.

This needed a specially designed frame, a hoist, a crane, a platform, Hi Vi Jackets,  and a partial dismantling of the car

What a fantastic "garage"! It's even got a chandelier. Putting the car back together and craning it in and out of the window must be somewhat inconvenient though.

Ok, we'll come clean - obviously this isn't an eccentric enthusiast garaging his pride and joy, but the last production MGB making it's entrance into it's new home in the fabulous Abingdon town hall where it'll be on display. The car was made in Abingdon, so it's quite a fitting location. Although posting it through the window is somewhat extreme...

It's all been done thanks to the sponsorship of British Car Heritage, who will supply you with nearly all the parts needed to build a completely new MGB - or a mini for that matter - who seemed justifiably proud of their achievements...

"As the only manufacturer of original-quality replacement panels and complete bodyshells for the ubiquitous MGB, we felt we were the appropriate company to help bring this challenging task to fruition for all concerned. 2012 is the 50th anniversary of this perennially popular sports car, and it's very fitting that a representative example will be proudly displayed in the town where over 500,000 were built."


Quite.

Snakes alive! Cobras take over Goodwood

AC Cobra pushing hard, and a steam engine with a thresher in the background? Where else but Goodwood?!

The finest collection of significant and authentic racing AC Cobras ever assembled in the UK will gather at next year’s Goodwood Revival (14-16 September 2012) for an exceptional one-model race.

To mark the 50^th anniversary since Carroll Shelby’s introduction of the initial versions of this cult Anglo-American sports car, the 2012 Revival will feature a grid exclusively made up of 30 Cobras and their derivatives. This special all-Cobra race will be a 45-minute two-driver competition, with driver changes in the pits between 15 and 30 minutes.

It is expected that this one-off race will feature an extraordinary mix of historically-significant competition Cobras, including some of the special-bodied aerodynamic Cobra-based coupés. Goodwood also hope that Carroll Shelby will be able to attend the 2012 Revival in person as well, although this is yet to be confirmed.

The race promises to make for an intriguing spectacle and a fitting tribute to one of the world’s most revered, and copied, sports car which has a long association with Goodwood. An exceptional line-up of top drivers is expected to campaign the Cobras. More detailed information about this exclusive race will follow early next year.

Tickets and further information for the 2012 Goodwood Revival, plus Festival of Speed and Moving Motor Show, can be ordered by on the Goodwood website (www.goodwood.com/motor sport/), or via the Ticket Hotline:

Telephone: +44 (0)1243 755055

On-line via the Ticket section of the website www.goodwood.com/motor sport

Expect many more of these fantastic V8 powered machines.