NEWS

There is plenty to celebrate for the Vintage Sports-Car Club following the announcement of the finalists for the 2026 Royal Automobile Club Historic Awards, with familiar faces, remarkable achievements and historic racing all receiving recognition.

Particularly pleasing is the news that Archie Bullet and Gracie Haddon have both been shortlisted for the Young Achiever Award, taking two of the three finalist places in a category that celebrates the next generation of historic motoring talent.

Archie is already well known throughout the VSCC community for his enthusiasm and considerable ability behind the wheel. His achievements this year include an outstanding performance in the S.F. Edge Trophy at Goodwood, where he qualified on pole position and claimed victory in the second race. Alongside his driving, Archie is building his own engineering business and encouraging other young enthusiasts to become involved in historic motorsport.

Gracie, meanwhile, has become a familiar face through her work with StarterMotor, an organisation with which the VSCC has developed a close relationship. Her commitment to creating opportunities for young people, promoting careers in the historic automotive industry and making our shared passion accessible to a wider audience makes her a thoroughly deserving finalist.

There is further recognition for Tom and Helen Hardman, shortlisted for the Personal Endeavour Award following their tremendous efforts to revive the historic Seaman Trophy races at Oulton Park. Their determination to bring together an exceptional field of pre-war racing machinery resulted in a memorable occasion, and the races themselves have also been shortlisted in the Competitive Event category.

The Restoration category includes another remarkable achievement, Geraint Owen's restoration of the 1926 Parry Thomas Flatiron. Following 12 years of painstaking work, the car returned to the spotlight in time for the centenary celebrations of the first British Grand Prix at Brooklands, a fitting result for such an important piece of British motoring history.

There is even a VSCC connection in the Outstanding Journalism category, where Simon Hucknall's The Influencers, published in Classic & Sports Car, has been shortlisted. The feature explored the most influential cars of the 20th century, with VSCC Club Secretary Tania Brown joining the panel of five industry contributors.

The breadth of these nominations is a wonderful reflection of the people who make historic motoring such a special community, from those preserving extraordinary machinery and organising memorable events to the younger generation who will help carry our passion into the future.

We congratulate all the finalists and wish them every success when the winners are announced on 19 November.

View the full 2026 Royal Automobile Club Historic Awards shortlist