NEWS

A fantastic entry of over 60 Pre-war Cars will be making their way to Bicester Heritage for the Club’s Spring Rally, the first daytime Navigation Rally of the 80^th Anniversary season, which will start and finish at the fantastic new Bicester Heritage venue this Saturday 26 April.

For the first time in a few seasons regular Rally Navigator and multiple Club Champion in the discipline, Annabel Jones, takes on the role of Clerk of the Course, assisted by her partner and organiser of the Club’s New Year Driving Tests at Brooklands, Kevin Lee, and frequent Rally Organisers Robert Ellis and Chris Leach. The experienced team have attracted record numbers for their event and will undoubtedly have a fantastic day of Pre-war motoring in the offing. Much like the traditional format of the Club’s annual Welsh Rally, the event will be one-part only, with teams setting out from Bicester Heritage before a scheduled return to finish at the same venue in the early afternoon.

Many of the regulars of VSCC Rallying are on-board including the ever-present Bell family, as father Nick and navigator Olwen Curry in the Ford Model A take on son Matthew and his navigator Jonathan Nicholl in their Austin 7; indeed, the day is very much a family affair as husbands and wives, fathers and sons/daughters and partners dominate the event entry. We also welcome VSCC stalwarts and Past President Barry Clarke and his navigator David Filsell after their heroics and a Third Class Award at the infamous overnight Measham Rally back in January – this weekend they turn to the comparative comfort of the HRS rather than the Austin 7. Similarly, we are delighted to see the return of Mike Holt and Nick Cooper in the Mathis following their incident on the Measham; the team have no doubt been hard at work to get the car back on the road and we hope will be rewarded with an enjoyable day of Vintage motoring.

With several Road Events scheduled for the Club’s 80^th Anniversary Week in Peterborough in August, we are ecstatic to see strong support for both Novice and Champagne Classes this weekend, forming almost half of the event entry, as Club Members either reacquaint themselves with the discipline or try their hand for the very first time, in preparation for the busy Summer ahead. We wish them all a most fantastic day.

Our start/finish venue at Bicester Airfield, approaches its centenary year (built in 1916) and is described by English Heritage as the best preserved aerodrome from WWII, with 19 Grade-II listed buildings and 16 Ancient Monuments.  The RAF moved out of Bicester in 2004 and in April 2013, Bicester Heritage Limited successfully bid for the 358 acre site, with the hope of bringing together the UK’s cottage industry of specialists in order to promote not just the preservation but, specifically, the use of Vintage aeroplanes and motor cars, in Britain’s first heritage motor and aviation business park. The VSCC are delighted to be invited to base their Spring Rally at the venue this weekend and to continue the flourishing relationship between the Club and Bicester Heritage Ltd, which includes significant support and sponsorship of the Club’s 80^th Anniversary activities later this year.
 
Spectators are encouraged to come along to the start/finish venue at Bicester Heritage this Saturday. There will be catering available on site and the first car is due to start at 10.00am, due to return to finish shortly after 1.30pm. Please be aware however that there are building works, including ground works, in progress and do pay attention to signs and follow all Marshals’ instructions. Bicester Heritage, Buckingham Road, Bicester, Oxfordshire, OX26 5HA.

The Club wish all Competitors, Marshals and others a wonderful day of Vintage motorsport.