4.8.10

The 6th Silverstone Classic took place over July 23/24/25 and with 22 races and 800+ competitors on the specially adapted 3.17 mile Historic Grand Prix Circuit, combined with over 2500 cars on display (from 42 car clubs) including our own in the infield, there was something of interest for everyone.
 
Racing celebrities abounded at this years event, all of whom were happy to sign autographs and chat – 1970 Le Mans winner Richard Attwood (who shared a borrowed Aston Martin DB4GT), fellow Le Mans winner Jackie Oliver (in his regular historic mount, a BMW 1800TI), along with 1992 Japanese Formula 3 champion Anthony Reid (Maserati 250S) and his former British Touring car sparring partner and racing returnee, Paul Radisich, in Roger Wills Plymouth Cyclone and McLaren M1.

Despite the deliberately left, post British Grand Prix infrastructure, the automotive marketplace was much depleted and so too, was the adjacent art gallery, except for the stand showcasing one of the UK’s foremost motoring artists, John Ketchell. and his painting, “Night vision” - depicting a Ferrari 512S, shared by Sam Posey and Ronnie Bucknum in the 1971 Le Mans. Close by, Bonhams held a collectors car auction, where the highlight for me was Big Sam, Win Percy’s 1974 Modsports Datsun 240Z, which sold at £78.5k (including BP), as did a Petersen Engineering built Bentley Speed Six Tourer (£123.6k) and the sale’s top price, an Aston Martin DBR2 recreation (£140.1k).

The FOC had a 150 + car display over the weekend, with a representative cross section of tipi including 250GTE, 365GTC, 246 Dino, F40,348, 355, 360, 430, 550, 612 and 458.

Much reported elsewhere the track action was fast and furious, the highlights of which were:

• FOC member Steve Tandy’s win in the World Sportscar Masters enduro, fending off the similar Lola T70 of Jon Minshaw and Martin Stretton.
• HGPCA and British GT regular Phillip Walker’s storming drive in his Lotus 16 from rear of the grid to 2nd…just losing out to Gary Pearson’s BRM P25, by 3 seconds.
• Willie Green and Carlo Vogele’s RAC TT win, in the latter’s Ferrari 330GTO – great to see one of the best historic racers, back on the top step of the podium, after a 5 yr break.

Sadly, during the Gentlemen Drivers GT enduro, FOC member Carlos Monteverde, had a nasty accident in his Lightweight Jaguar E type. With the race red flagged and rescue crews working dilligently to extricate the unconscious Carlos, it was great to hear 24hrs later, he’d been released from hospital…..although the Jaguar will need more extensive surgery!

Despite a 65k weekend “gate”, racing action and car displays across all 3 days, this year’s event lacked “fizz” and at an outrageous £50 per adult ticket there can be no excuses.
 
In a crowded August the historic racing movement continues at unabated speed, making its fifth trip to Copenhagen for the Danish Historic Grand Prix and then to Nürburgring for the 38th Oldtimer meeting before crossing the Atlantic to California and the Laguna Seca/Monterey racetrack - where Bugattis will lead the racing, alongside a Dan Gurney celebration and the intense Pebble Beach Concours, which will salute the products of Alfa Romeo, Ghia’s styling and the Jaguar XKSS.

There will also be 5 auctions in Monterey over the Pebble Beach weekend,the question is….will the ex Scuderia Lagartixa, (both video clips are of similar cars) Ferrari 250 TR achieve this year’s top price, or will it be pipped by a very original, pre war Alfa Monza or will one of the 3 275GTBs consigned over the weekend be the star?

Click here for a slideshow of the on-track action by Peter Collins.