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RALLYE DE PARIS 2020

Not just horses at Longchamp Click to view the Gallery. This year, the 27th Rallye de Paris held on 7-8 March 2020, and organised by Rallystory, started from the Bugatti Circuit at Le Mans. One hundred crews in their classic and modern sports cars assembled at the Bugatti Circuit at 08.00 for documentation and a briefing. Between 09.00-10.00 drivers were allowed free practice laps to test t...

RETRO-MOTORSPORT REPORT - MILLE MIGLIA 1949

Ferrari takes first and second In 1949 Mille Miglia By Peter Baker The first of the 303 cars taking part in the 16th edition of the Mille Miglia got under way from Brescia at one-minute after midnight on 24 April 1949, with just 182 crews making it to the finish after covering 996 miles. The route did not include the familiar passes of Futa, Raticosa and Furio and, for the first time in i...

HISTORIC MOTORSPORT FOR YOUNG TALENT

NKHTGT encourages young talent in 2020 The future is for young people, especially so in historic motorsport. With this in mind, NKHTGT (the Dutch series for historic touring and GT cars) is offering new drivers under the age of 35, a 35 percent discount on the registration fee for the 2020 series, and there are still a few package deals available. The full registration fee is just euro3,150 for...

RACE RETRO 2020

Three days is not enough Words and images by Peter Baker Quite righty, Race Retro bills itself as ‘Europe’s No1 Historic Motorsport Show’, which is spot on, except, three days is just not enough. Maybe a few years ago, but now the show has become so popular, everyone, and I mean everyone, from the most passionate to the purely inquisitive, pass through the doors. Message ...

HSCC 2020 SNETTERTON WEEKEND

Archie Scott Brown to be remembered at Snetterton The life of the Archie Scott Brown will be celebrated during the two-day Historic Sports Car Club race meeting at Snetterton on 4-5 April, reports Paul Lawrence. The event, which already honours the life of Jim Russell and recalls the early years of the Formula Ford Festival at Snetterton will now be enhanced by the Archie Scott Brown Trophy, a ...

RETRO-MOTORSPORT REPORT - MONTE CARLO CHALLENGE 1998

Marshalling on the classic ‘Monte’ On a crisp, bright winter’s morning in February 1998, over 180 classic rally cars set out from various points in Europe on the Monte Carlo Challenge, organised by Classic Rally Association’s Philip Young and Jeremy Dickson, writes Joan Williamson. We, Dave and me, together with Brian Hugh were one of 12 experienced marshalling crews who...

CLASSIC TOURING CAR RACING CLUB

CTCRC ready for another great year The Classic Touring Car Racing Club has provided well-structured and exciting events for over 40 years, writes Mike Luck. Over the years the Club has evolved and expanded and now encompasses eight separate championships, representing several years of manufacturer. These are then sub-divided into the traditional engine size classes with weight penalties to equa...

58TH NATIONAL AUSTIN 7 RALLY

Rally to welcome intrepid adventurer The 58th National Austin 7 Rally, to be held on Sunday 5 July 2020 at Beaulieu in Hampshire, will welcome intrepid adventurer Chris Blakey as Guest of Honour. For those who own these iconic little cars, would like to own one; or just love looking at them, the National Rally is the most anticipated annual event on the calendar. Hundreds of cars take part and...

DENIS CARDELL OBITUARY

Denis Cardell 1934–2020 Appreciation by Ken Davies Despite being a fiercely patriotic Welshman, Denis Cardell was quick to point out that his family originated from the Scottish Borders region of the UK. He started competing in major rallies in the sixties, first co-driving for Norman Harvey in a Cooper S on the 1963 RAC Rally and again on the 1964 Monte. Denis went on to drive and c...

AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL 2020

Some empty space but still impressive Words and images by Peter Baker Autosport International 2020 attracted record crowds with trade ticket sales up a mighty 100 percent over last year, despite the demise of both the Sid Watkins Lecture and the WRC launch. In fact, it’s true to say there is now less official manufacturer input, and more emphasis on the final two days when the next ge...

HSCC TO CELEBRATE JIM RUSSELL

HSCC to honour Jim Russell at Snetterton in 2020 The life of the late Jim Russell will be celebrated in a new two-day Historic Sports Car Club race meeting at Snetterton next spring, the Jim Russell Trophy Meeting on 4-5 April 2020, writes Paul Lawrence. Ten Formula Ford races will honour the memory of the racing school pioneer and also the early heritage of the Formula Ford Festival. Bef...

CHRISTMAS CRACKER RUN 2019

Classic quizzes on Christmas Cracker Run Organised by MG Cumbria, the 22nd edition of the Christmas Cracker Run on 1 December once again attracted entries from a wide area, reports Graeme Forrester. Open to classic and interesting cars of any age, the oldest was the 1926 Bentley of Graham Miller of Thursby and the youngest, Gordon Southward’s Morgan Plus 6. The event started at the Rheg...

CSCC SPECIAL SALOONS & MODSPORTS SERIES

Exciting changes to Special Saloons & Modsports Series For 2020, the Classic Sports Car Club’s Special Saloons & Modsports Series will feature separate classes for pre-1994 cars that utilise post-1993 engines and technology, to encourage more cars to the grid and to lower running costs. The CSCC Special Saloons & Modsports rules and regulations have gone broadly unchanged sinc...

ROGER ALBERT CLARK RALLY 2019

McCormack and Mitchell win 2019 Roger Albert Clark Rally Click to view our Gallery. Marty McCormack and Barney Mitchell won the 2019 Roger Albert Clark Rally (21-25 November) after a fabulous battle with Jason Pritchard and Phil Clarke on the 13th edition of this unique rally, reports Paul Lawrence. During four-and-a-half days, covering 300 stage miles in 31 special stages, McCo...

RAC HISTORIC AWARDS 2019

The inaugural Royal Automobile Club Historic Awards Somebody once described the palatial Royal Automobile Club premises on London’s Pall Mall as being ‘The Vatican of motordom’. I find it hard to disagree, writes Peter Baker. Before the current incumbents took over the keys back in 1902, this facsimile of the nearby Ritz Hotel had been home to Lord Palmerston. And one only has...

DWM'S HEALEY ENDURANCE CAR

DWM celebrates Healey’s achievements Denis Welch Motorsport is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its ‘Healey Endurance Car’s’ record-breaking results. Built by DWM, the Healey established world-beating performances that still stand today. Driven by owner Martyn Corfield and Jeremy Welch, the car became the fastest normally-aspirated Healey 100 in the world, clocking 15...

LANCASTER INSURANCE CLASSIC MOTOR SHOW 2019

Minis, Michelin memorabilia and more Words and images by Peter Baker I don’t remember a Classic Motor Show at the NEC, Birmingham (or anywhere else for that matter) being so well attended, by both exhibitors and the general public at large. A credit to Show Director Lee Masters. Friday, not the cheapest day, was packed, as indeed was Saturday and Remembrance Sunday. Personally, after som...

HSCC FINALS SILVERSTONE 2019

Superb Finals for HSCC at Silverstone Click to view Gallery. Strong grids, superb racing and an end-of-term atmosphere made the 2019 Silverstone Finals Meeting from the Historic Sports Car Club a tremendous weekend on 19-20 October, reports Paul Lawrence. After thrilling racing and close finishes across 21 races, a number of season-long contests were settled, including in a bumper gri...

BENTLEY DRIVERS CLUB IS CLUB OF THE YEAR 2019

Club of the Year accolade goes to the BDC at Historic Motoring Awards 2019 The Bentley Drivers Club capped a magnificent year when it was named Club of the Year at the prestigious Historic Motoring Awards 2019, in association with Octane magazine, held in London on Thursday 17 October, reports Stewart Newman. President Duncan Wiltshire accepted the Club of the Year honour on behalf of the BDC fr...

ANDREW COWAN OBITUARY

Andrew Cowan 1936-2019 Appreciation by Ken Davies. Images: WRC Images and R. MacKenzie Andrew Cowan, who died in hospital on the 15 October at the age of 82, was born December 1936 into a farming family in the Scottish border town of Duns and a friend and neighbour of future F1 world champion Jim Clark, who was the same age and also a farmer. Very much an endurance rally specialist, perhap...



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