The Third International Historic Motorsport Show held February 24–26 was an outstanding success with over 20,000 paying visitors joining a spectacular array of cars and celebrities in the now customary friendly atmosphere of the National Agricultural Center at Stoneleigh near Coventry. It was a great success for Vintage Racecar, as well as over 300 new subscribers signed up to join our fast-growing numbers in Europe. Many of these were from France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Holland and Belgium as well as the UK. This was very encouraging news as some significant competition is now faltering.
The show itself was as sparkling as usual, from the opening on Friday by Giacomo Agostini through the Historic Awards dinner on Saturday to the closing late on Sunday. The mix of live action, motorsport heroes and world-famous historic cars and bikes has created a superb historic show in just a few short years. The VRJ stand was host to friends Vic Elford, Paddy Hopkirk, Willie Green and Jack Sears, as well as dozens of well-known historic racing drivers. Also at Stoneleigh were Jackie Oliver, Phil Read, Penti Airikkala, Bjorn Waldegard, Sir Stirling Moss, Tom Wheatcroft, Rosemary Smith and Russell Brooks.
Photo: Peter Collins
Two of the most popular crowd-pleasers were the sideways action of the Group B rally stage and the indoor pre-’65 classic motorcycle trial. There was even historic kart racing with karts up to 30 and 40 years old.
At the Awards Dinner, VRJ contributor Jim Houlgrave took the Historic Journalist/Photographer trophy, race meeting of the year went to the Pau Historic Grand Prix, and James Diffey, battling serious illness but in his usual good form, took the race driver of the year award, presented by Vic Elford.
Star cars included the rare 1974 Amon F1 car, the Rob Walker Lotus 18-Climax used by Sir Stirling Moss in 1961, the Lola T70 “continuation car”, the Gordini 23S, Roger Clark’s Ford Escort and Graham Hill’s Mini-Cooper.
The next Historic Motorsport Show will be held in March 2007.
By Ed McDonough
