NEWS

2014 marks a special milestone for the Vintage Sports-Car Club as we celebrate our 80^th Anniversary and what better way to start our racing festivities than with our ‘Spring Start’ at Silverstone on 12/13 April, the traditional season opener for Pre-war and Historic Racers.

After the success of last year’s inaugural running, the meeting is again a two-day spectacle and with races catering for all types of Pre- and Post-war Racing and Sports-Cars, there is sure to be machinery on display to satisfy all interests; over 300 Pre-war and Historic cars take over 500 grid starts to battle for the spoils in the weekend’s 20 races.

As is becoming tradition, Saturday’s focus will fall on the VSCC’s own GP Itala Trophies with a number of the Club’s most prominent silverware for the taking throughout the day’s programme, including:

• The collection’s namesake GP Itala Trophy for Vintage Racing Cars, which has attracted the usual eclectic array of Pre-1931 machinery, from Grand Prix Bugattis to Morgan Three-Wheelers to monstrous aero-engined Specials.

 

• The Amschel Rothschild and Patrick Lindsay Memorial Trophies Race will bring together the very best Grand Prix Cars of the immediate Pre- and Post-war eras and, with representatives from exalted names as ERA, Bugatti, Lotus, Connaught, Maserati, Cooper Bristol and Ferrari and more, this is one of the most elite grids you are likely to see anywhere.

 

• Our Fox & Nicholl Trophy Race is sure to be a highlight with yet another full grid of genuine Pre-war Sports-Cars, where the larger capacity cars from the like of Alfa Romeo, Talbot, Lagonda and Invicta battle for the famous named trophy.

 

• The day will be complemented by Club’s traditional Regularity Trial, the ideal introductory event for those new to circuit racing, and Invited grids of the ever-revered HGPCA Pre-1966 Grand Prix Cars, the first of their two races over the weekend and FISCAR, whose Post-war Sports Cars from manufacturers such as HWM, Jaguar and Aston Martin return to celebrate the wonderful career of George Abecassis following last year’s successful Centenary event.

 
Sunday sees a wonderful mix of VSCC and other Historic Race Series take to the national circuit. The day’s ten races will include:
 

•  The ERA 80^th Anniversary Trophy Race, the one many are for waiting for as the ERA marque takes centre stage with its first exclusive race in 10 years since the VSCC last held such a race at Donington Park. A dozen cars are expected for the race itself (with a further 4/5 coming to display over the weekend) so this will be one race you will not want to miss.

 

•  The celebrated Voiturettes will have a further chance to shine as they join a grid of original Pre-1941 Racing Cars from the likes of Talbot, Bugatti and Maserati. The Series enjoyed two fantastic outings last season, here at Silverstone and at Snetterton in September, and we expect an equally stellar event this time out.

 

• Pre-war fans will also enjoy a full grid of Sports-Cars competing in the ever-popular Short Handicap format, joined by their Racing brethren for an All-Comers Pre-war Scratch Race.

 

• Furthermore, we will again host races for Pre-1961 Racing Cars and 1950s Sports Racing Cars, the latter including a repeat of last year’s entertaining 2-driver option.

 

• As well as the HGPCA’s second Pre-1966 Race, we are joined by our friends at the FJHRA, who will run a round of their Front Engined Formula Junior Championship, and the 500 Owners Association, whose grid of F3 (500) Racing Cars are ever the crowd-pleaser.

 
Away from the track action, our Principal Associates Bonhams will be on hand, displaying a wonderful array of cars from their upcoming Motoring Department Sales whilst the Club’s own Meeting Point will be launching our new Regalia range for 2014 (featuring the 80^th Anniversary Logo) – here, we also welcome Joy Rainey and her incredible 1904 Oldsmobile, in which she completed her Trans-America journey in 2013.

Spectators will also enjoy a dedicated Pre-war Car Park, free access to the Competitor Paddock, where they can get up close to the cars and drivers, a packed Trade Village offering everything from auto jumble, books, art, fashion and more and plenty of catering facilities on site.

For those who did not purchase in advance, Tickets will be on sale on the day at £15 per person (each day) and Children Under 16 go free!

The Timetable on each day is as follows, with Practice Sessions starting at 9.00am, followed by Lunch Break (12.00-1.00pm approx) with Racing starting at 1.00pm (subject to change).