Second Donington Historic Festival

 


The inaugural Donington Historic Festival in 2011 exceeded all expectations, with most grids full to capacity and spectator attendance higher than forecast.  In 2012, with grids filling quickly and ticket sales already significantly higher than they were at this time last year, and with some 35 car clubs already registered to attend so far, it seems this meeting is set to become an early season classic.  In addition to some of the grids from last year, that included everything from pre-war cars to Group C and Formula 2, innovations this year will include a round of what has proved to be one of the most successful series of 2011, the E-type Challenge, which continues in 2012 by popular demand.  The meeting will also host the first rounds of the season for such prestigious series as Pre-’63 GT, Stirling Moss Trophy, U2TC, Woodcote Trophy and JD Classics for later touring cars.  Added to this, the pre-’72 prototypes will once again run into the dusk on Saturday evening, for the first round of the 1000kms.


 

Organisers are looking after the spectators too.  With more car clubs and visitors expected this year, they have arranged reasonably priced tickets and on-site camping, with visits to the Donington Collection.

 

 

Photo: GP Library

The Return of the 1966 – 1971, 3-litre F1 cars


The "Return to Power" is a new series for 3-litre Formula 1 cars from 1966 to 1971 and is set to kick off by taking centre stage at the Masters Festival at Brands Hatch on May 26-27 with the "Historic Race of Champions".

The race is being promoted by historic racers Andrew Smith, Joe Twyman and Roger Wills, together with Masters Historic Racing.  It will provide an opportunity for owners of earlier F1 cars to race competitively away from the later winged and ground-effect cars.  Preparation company Hall & Hall is sponsoring the race and will add further weight, bringing several customers with eligible cars.

Two races will be run for the cars over the weekend and Joe Twyman is confident of a healthy entry.  "We are aiming for 20 cars, maybe more.  The event will be two weeks after Monaco meaning that many cars will be race-ready and in Europe and we want to gauge the competitor response before looking at staging further races."

Andrew Smith and Roger Wills are both set to race their March 701s, Smith's car being the ex-Jackie Stewart Tyrrell March that won the Daily Mail Race of Champions in 1970, and Wills' being the ex-Chris Amon works car that won the Daily Express International Trophy in the same year.

"We want to provide a platform for these cars to race competitively on their own," stresses Twyman. "Apart from Monaco every two years, there is no other race for this era of car and we want to change that."

The race will run under Masters regulations with DFV-engined cars restricted to 10,000 rpm and tyres will be cut slicks.  Due to the sponsorship provided by Hall & Hall the entry fees will be very competitive.  Plans are also underway to recreate the traditional award for pole position: 100 bottles of champagne to the driver who sets the fastest lap time in qualifying.

"We really want this to be a success," says Masters Series boss Ron Maydon. "We are working hard to encourage owners of these cars to take to the track and we want this to be the start of something big."  For more information on the Hall & Hall Historic Race of Champions, interested drivers and teams should contact The Masters Series office on +44 (0)1908 587 545, team(at)themastersseries.com or Joe Twyman on +44 (0)7827 926 894, joe(at)twyman.com.

 

 

Classic Race Aarhus – Garden Party by the Sea

For the third year, racing engines will reverberate through the Mindeparken, location of the summer residence of the Danish royal family, as Classic Race Aarhus kicks off on the weekend of June 22-24.

All classes will have practice on Friday and there will be double header racing for all on Saturday and Sunday.  This Goodwood-inspired event, where drivers and spectators alike don period costume and where shops, vendors’ stalls, funfair and other paddock activities are dressed in a period look and feel, is offering races for pre-war cars, GT and GTS cars up to 1961, GT and GTS up to 1966, and another grid for GTS cars up to 1981, the latter being a 60-minute two driver feature race.  Touring cars will also feature, with races for cars up to the end of ’65, and 1981, the later cars split into two grids, for over and under 1300cc.   There will be demos of F1 cars, classic motor bikes and a mixed race for standard sports, GT and touring cars in road-going trim.  

Another grid being planned is for ‘50s sports and GT cars, with D and C-type Jaguars, 300SL Mercedes and Aston Martins already inscribed.  Other activities include a mini driving school, moped track, BMX bike track and a mini theme park for the younger guests and a “mods-parade” for period scooters, with riders properly dressed.

The event is inspired by the Goodwood Revival and last year the city’s population really got into the mood of period dress, arriving in period cars and creating an elegant garden party atmosphere around the city street circuit that runs by the sea, with long daylight hours in June.

An Offer to ‘News readers

Historic Motor Racing News readers, and entrants at this race meeting will enjoy special entry conditions.  Those that register for a race online at www.craa.dk can send an email to Ole Markusson, om(at)craa.dk and they will receive three nights free in the best hotel in Aarhus.  Further there will be a special Historic Motor Racing News lounge on the beach, where drivers and teams will be welcomed for breakfast, lunch and refreshments during the day.

Formula 3 Gets Strong Support from the HSCC

The Historic Sports Club is stepping up its programme for Formula 3 cars in 2012 with races for the earliest cars of the 1950s, all the way to up the 1984 era of their current historic Championship for F3 1600 and 2000.

 

Representing the earliest era of F3 will be the 500 Owners’ Association race series, which will have up to four races with the HSCC this season, while the Historic 1000cc cars raced between 1964 and 1970 will, for the first time, have a series of stand-alone races as the category gets stronger and stronger
.

 

The club’s Classic Formula 3 Championship will have a fresh look this year following a move to admit later Formula 3 cars up to 1984 including the Ralt RT3, which was previously specifically excluded.  The later series cars (1981-84) must run in flat-bottom trim and carry mechanical injection, and the VW engine is now eligible.  These changes bring the championship in line with the regulations used in the similar French Classic F3 series and also the rules for the F3 race at the Monaco Historic GP.

 

The flagship HSCC event for Formula 3 cars will be the Wolds Trophy at Cadwell Park on 21-22 April, which will again have a very strong F3 theme.  Races for all three categories are already attracting interest from European drivers.  For more details visit www.hscc.org.uk or see the Historic Motor Racing News web site address book page for all contact details.


Allcomers at Oulton

 
Masters Historic Racing is planning a Formula Libre-style Allcomers race for its Oulton Park raceday on March 17th.  To be open to all single-seater race cars below Formula 1, Masters is confident of a healthy entry for the first historic race meeting of the season and the first opportunity for many of the cars to be run after the winter.

“Single-seater racing has a huge history at Oulton Park, especially when Formula 1 cars raced for the Gold Cup,” says Masters Event Manager Rachel Bailey. “What we want to do is encourage cars to come and race that don’t fit into a current category, whilst at the same time welcoming cars from historic single-seater racing or from the Monoposto Racing Club, for example.”  Competitors will a 20-minute qualifying session and a 20-minute race on the full International circuit.

  For more details contact the Masters:  team(at)themasterseries.com.
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