The Magazine
Previews of upcoming events, Race & Rally Reports, News, Reviews, Letters and Regulation Information from Historic Motor Racing News.
HSCC Oulton Park
A week after the Oulton Park Gold Cup, which this year featured a mixture of races from different organisers, the Historic Sports Car Club returned to the Cheshire circuit to give its core club drivers the opportunity to race on the International circuit for a one-day meeting on 6 August. Summer holidays and competing events resulted in thin grids amongst the HSCC rank and file, who nonetheless spent an enjoyable day.
AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix
With a new organiser taking up the mantle, the longest standing historic event in the world was looking to wash away the memories of COVID and last year’s floods, even though its club-sized meeting in 2020 proved anything but unpleasant. Having been forced to postpone its 49th edition for a year, the 2022 Oldtimer Grand Prix did feel like a fresh start, with Masters, the HGPCA and Formula Junior returning to add to the numerous local series. Mattijs Diepraam reports…
Oulton Park Gold Cup
Originated in 1954 as a non-championship Formula 1 race, the Oulton Park Gold Cup evolved over many phases before becoming North West England’s contribution to British Historic racing’s landscape. In a bid to counter a decline in support in recent years, exacerbated by COVID-19 and travel restrictions for overseas competitors, and a seemingly fait accompli sequestration of its traditional August Bank Holiday date by Classic Silverstone, circuit group owner MotorSport Vision instigated a broader selection of races on 29-31 July this year, inviting some from outside logistics organiser HSCC’s portfolio.
Super Spa
After COVID put paid last year to a new end-of-year meeting at Spa, (to be known as Spa Hat trick), organiser Roadbook scheduled its third Spa meeting, after the Spa Summer Classic and Spa Six Hours, for the weekend of 5-7 August this year, and named it SuperSpa, launched with the slogan ‘not all heroes wear capes, some wear helmets.’ While Spa is well-known for its erratic and anything but predictable weather conditions, drivers and the public enjoyed three days of uninterrupted sunshine. Marcel Hundscheid Reports..
Vintage Sports-Car Club Silverstone
After the hype and excesses of the British Grand Prix two weeks earlier, Silverstone returned to its grass roots on Saturday 16 July when it hosted The Vintage Sports-Car Club’s Hawthorn Trophy meeting. It was the first race meeting at the circuit to which the club could welcome spectators since 2019, and competitors and the public alike were greeted with a glorious sunny day, the downside of which was high temperatures causing overheating problems on some cars. John Whiteman Reports….
Alain De Cadenet
Carol Spagg writes – We have lost yet another giant in the world of historic Motorsport, in fact someone who helped kick the whole movement off. While pursuing a successful career as a privateer in what was then modern motorsport, he also found time to collect and race historic cars. Collector, broadcaster, historian, journalist, raconteur, Spitfire pilot, tour guide, racing driver and good friend to many, Alain De Cadenet died on July 2 at the age of 76.
Masters Historic race Weekend at Watkins Glen
In the two Masters Racing legends races for 1966-85 F1 cars on 7-10 July, it would have been a double victory for Jamie Constable in his Tyrell 011B but a broken wing allowed Jonathan Holtzman to take the second race in his Lotus 87B. Ron Maydon won the pre-78 class in his Lec CRP1. Meantime Danny Baker had no such trouble to win both the Formula Atlantic races. David Porter in his Peugeot 908 dominated both the Endurance Legends events.
Griffiths-Haig Historic Sports Cars
Top aviator and long-time stalwart of historic racing Tony Bianchi was recovering from an expensive and painful impact suffered at Silverstone when he had been stuffed into the barriers by a pushy competitor when the thought occurred to him and racer wife Pia that it was time for a new type of race series. It should be one that would take it back to the very roots of the sport when Guy Griffiths and Betty Haig presided at the birth of the HSCC.
The St Moritz Car Week
The St Moritz Car Week takes place on 4-9 September and as we go to press the organisers are still asking for entries. It incorporates the Targa Poschiavo Engiadina, a two-day rally for pre-war cars from 1905 to 1962, a Sotheby’s auction, the Motorsports Rendezvous (described as a luxurious garden party amongst vehicles with special themes), a Super-Car rally, a Mobility forum (including discussions about e-fuels) and for historic racing enthusiasts the famous Bernina Gran Turismo hillclimb. https://i-s-a-w.com.
HRDC Gerry Marshall
The HRDC’s inaugural Gerry Marshall Trophy for Group 1.5 Touring Cars, the first by that name outside of Goodwood, took place at Snetterton on 19 June with a 45-minute single pit stop race. An impressive 29 car grid started with 19 different makes or models represented in a field of…
East Coast Vintage Racing
Early September will see two big historic meetings on the US East Coast. Celebrating its 40th year, the Lime Rock Historic Festival on 1-5 September in New Hampshire launches into action over Labor Day weekend with a 17-mile tour through the area on Thursday’s Vintage Race Car and Sports Car…
Hillclimbing at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion
Continuing a theme of Historic Racing looking for new directions, the iconic race meeting at Laguna Seca on 21 August will for the first time conclude with a reverse direction hillclimb. Advisory Council member Bruce Canepa said the climb will be exciting, “I’ve raced several times at Goodwood Festival of Speed yet doing it up the Laguna Seca Corkscrew is an unprecedented experience. I don’t know who will enjoy it more, the drivers or the fans”. Part of a strategy to engage new fans and give entrants and their attending families a chance to unwind, the ‘shoot out’ will be limited to 60 cars that competed in the historic races or are deemed of special interest.
Masters F1 at Mosport
Supporting IMSA’s Chevrolet Grand Prix Masters USA were two Masters Racing Legends races for 1966-1985 Formula One cars on 1-3 July. Although there were only eight starters at the legendary Mosport circuit in Canada, it was Britons Jamie Constable and Lee Mowle who shared the wins. After a troubled qualifying, Constable starred in Saturday’s race by hauling his Tyrrell 011B all the way from the back, to eventually pass Bud Moeller’s Williams FW08
HRDC Return to Lydden Hill
The Historic Racing Drivers Club took over the lesser-known Kent circuit on 3 July to run double races for the Jack Sears Trophy, Dunlop Allstars and their ever-growing Alfa Challenge. In the latter category, George Osbourne in the ex-Peter Hilliard GRP2 Alfetta GTV normally driven by Chris Snowden, came out on top after close battles with Ben Colburn in a Giulia Sprint GT. Both Jack Sears and Dunlop Allstars races were ruled by Pete Chambers’ Cortina, despite the close attention of Nathan Heathcote’s Mini which, well suited to the short up and down hill track, at least won the first heat.
SVRA Indianapolis Speed Week
June 18-19 saw one of the world’s largest vintage racing organisation return to Indianapolis Speedway after a two-year break. Featuring pre-war Indy cars, single seater classes and numerous sports and GT races there was plenty to attract interest. Champion racer Jimmy Vassar made a return to his roots and won both the Formula Ford events while Formula Vee was popular as ever. The other star attraction was Geoff Brabham, who did almost as well, winning the second of his races in a 1971 1600cc Brabham BT35. It was also the 47th annual convention of the Shelby American Automobile Club.
Mille Miglia 2022 – déjà vu or new beginning?
Fine hot weather and the joy of returning crowds lining the routes and town squares greeted participants in the Mille Miglia run on 15-18 June. Entries were up 25% on last year and over 400 cars were chosen to take the start. Navigating their way through the time trials (some even on dirt) that have taken the place of the original 1950s road race, Andrea Vesco and Fabio Salvinelli won again in their 1929 Alfa Romeo 6C1750 Zagato.
The 26th Vernasca Silver Flag
Picturesque Vernasca lies deep in the Piacenza region of northern Italy where, between 1953 and 1972, it hosted a legendary hillclimb that ascended 290m from Castell’Arquato via Lugnano over an 8.5km course. Many a famous name drove here when it was part of the European Championship in the 1950s and 60s, but these days it is run as an untimed demonstration in a festival atmosphere.
Shock Cancellation of Racing at Mont Tremblant
With a final court appeal denied, it is now all but certain there will be no more racing at the historic eastern Canadian Circuit Mont-Tremblant after a campaign by locals led by the “Association des Résidents pour la Qualité de Vie”. It’s a significant blow to the sport in general and the Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA) in particular. “I was informed on June 10 that Le Circuit has exhausted all legal options regarding the sound-limit restrictions to continue racing at the track,” explained a shocked and saddened HMSA President Cris Vandagriff.
Le Mans Extra – Le Fantôme?
British Pair Nick Sleep and Alex Montgomery won the Plateau 5 event in their Lola T70 at the Le Mans Classic, but it took a turn of events worthy of the Michel Vaillant comic book ‘le Fantome des 24 Heures’. Sleep in an Elan broke down at the Mulsanne chicane…
Kristensen at Monterey
The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion takes place this year on 17-20 August at Weather Tech Raceway Laguna Seca. It usually attracts a top selection of some of the most authentic race cars in the USA and afar. Complementing the planned 24 Hours of Le Mans centenary kick-off celebration will the appearance of record nine-time 24 Hours of Le Mans champion Tom Kristensen who will serve as Grand Marshal. Remarkably he won half of all his Le Mans starts, quite a career. Info at https://hsrrace.com.
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