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Previews of upcoming events, Race & Rally Reports, News, Reviews, Letters and Regulation Information from Historic Motor Racing News.
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NKHTGT Honours Ben Huisman
On May, 29 Ben Huisman passed away. Ben was an instrumental figure in Dutch motor racing from the late sixties onwards and was instrumental in saving the Zandvoort circuit in the early ‘70s. Among many other things, he was one of the founding fathers of historic racing in Holland. Ben’s last race car was a red Ford Falcon Sprint, which he used to great effect in the European historic touring car championship in the early 1990’s.
Royal Automobile Club’s Summer Run
Staged in glorious sunshine, predominantly on the leafy lanes of rural Surrey, the inaugural Summer Run, on 21 July was hailed as a major success on all fronts. The welcome new addition to the Royal Automobile Club’s growing list of motoring events has been inaugurated to complement the world famous London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.
RSR Goes to Italia
German-based track day and tuition specialists, RSR has announced it will be going to Italy. “After a long wait due to COVID we are very excited to finally be starting our events in Italy for the final months of the 2022 season,” said RSR boss, Ron Simons. Well embedded with activities in Germany, France and Portugal, Italy was the next logical step in widening its offerings.
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.
Alfa Spettacolo Zandvoort
The Alfa Spettacolo Sportizo returned to Zandvoort in Holland on 2-3 July, finally without the COVID pandemic restrictions of previous years. This festival of the ‘Alfisti’ featured races from the ‘Squadra Italia’ series, including their classes of diverse models from the 1970s upwards and the 105 series cup. There were demonstration runs called ‘Tribunes‘ and also opportunities for visitors to drive the on the track.
Bugatti Tour returns to France
One hundred and eight rather special automobiles gathered in southern France for the annual International Bugatti Meeting, this year organised by Club Bugatti France on 12-19 June. These iconic examples of motoring that were built in Molsheim between 1910-1939 congregated in the village of Najac for a week. There were entrants from 18 countries across Europe, North America, Japan and Australia who came to enjoy the 1200km route, sample some of the Occitanie region’s best driving roads, and celebrate the brand’s history. Among the diverse fleet of automobiles were two outstanding creations from the famous French marque, the 750kg lightweight Type 35 “Grand Prix de Lyon” from 1924, and a 5000cc Type 54, one of four to remain in existence.
Auto e Moto d’Epoca
If an early autumn trip to Italy’s Veneto region sounds appealing, what about a visit to Auto e Moto d’Epoca fair at Padua, which returns on 20-23 October. Only 20 minutes from Venice this classic car and bike show has all manner of delectable items from the rich but not often seen catalogues of collectors from 46 different countries. Up to 5000 models are on show or for sale and there are exhibitions, specialist car parts and automobilia. Visit www.autoemotodepoca.com
Classic Team Lotus Acquires Paul Matty ‘Lotus Treasure’
For many years, Paul Matty has been a leading light in Lotus classic cars, servicing restoring and supplying parts for them to owners and to other classic car specialists. In fact, he became the principal supplier for many road car parts. Recently, Paul made it known that he had decided…
Dijon Anniversary
Originally projected by François Chambelland and inaugurated in 1972, the much-loved Dijon Prenois circuit is 50 years old this year. The first race held on the ‘Stade Automobile de Dijon-Prenois’, on 4th June of that year, was for two-litre prototypes. The Parabolic loop was added three years later, taking the…
Music at The Classic
With the Classic Silverstone dates changed from the end of July to the three-day Bank Holiday weekend at the end of August, the concert programme has also been expanded to three evenings to include Sunday night, with top billing going to Rick Astley, whose successful career has spanned three decades. …
Paul Waine on the Mend
We have had a message from a friend of Paul Waine, who says, “I am delighted to be able to report that Paul Waine is due to be discharged home from Southampton General on Wednesday 27th April. He will begin the long journey to repair – or in Paul’s mind…
Comas at Goodwood
The team presided over by Nick Sleep hosted Erik Comas for the Goodwood weekend, as the ex-F1 driver and historic rally enthusiast shared Sleep’s SDI Rover. “He was great company,” said one team member, “he drove Nick’s 1982 French production championship winning Marlboro Rover in the Gerry Marshall Trophy. Remarkably…
Johnny Herbert returns to the Australian Grand Prix
At the Australian Grand Prix Johnny Herbert returned to Formula 1, albeit driving a Williams FW07/04 in the Shannons Historic Demonstration. Now owned by Paul Faulkner, the Williams was listed as Jones’ world championship winning car. Duncan Mackellar follows in his Porsche 962C then Russ Kempnich’s Porsche 956 and Wayne…
Oil on the Track
At the recent Espíritu de Montjuïc race meeting at the Barcelona circuit, the end of the second rainy Copa Racer heat, saw one of the Minis blow its engine to leave a trail of oil that ran from turn 5 to turn 10 – so effectively the entire second section…
Bonhams Members’ Meeting Auction
Including post- sale arrangements, just five of the 76 cars offered at the Bonham’s auction at the Goodwood Members’ Meeting failed to sell, with nearly a quarter selling for over top estimate, some by a significant margin: a 1964 Aston Martin DB5 that had been off the road since 2018…
Formula One at FOS
Goodwood has confirmed that at least five current Formula 1 teams are already signed up to attend the Festival of Speed on 23-26 June. The teams will travel to Goodwood to run and display some of their most iconic race cars, giving Goodwood spectators a rare opportunity to see cars…
Biofuel
By adopting from 2022 a 100% renewable fuel for its F4 Championship, the FFSA, has made a commitment to the ecological transition. The French Championship thus becomes the very first single-seater competition in the world to use biofuel, starting from this season.
New Sponsor for Tony Dron Trophy
Lifeline, the industry-leading manufacturers of motorsport safety products, are the new headline sponsor for the Tony Dron Trophy, the popular and well-established series catering for Group 1 and 1½ Historic Touring Cars of the 1970s and early ‘80s run by Motor Racing Legends. Jim Morris, CEO of Lifeline, is a…
International St. Moritz Automobile Week
In what has become a full ten days of events and celebrations of the competition car, the German organising team has been adding more events to the St. Moritz Automobile Week. The Kilometre Lancé, or flying kilometre on the aerodrome, and the concours have been augmented with two tours, the…