With less than a week to go, final preparations for the Bristol Forklifts Autumn Classic Historic Racing Festival are in full swing!
The winning recipe remains unchanged; spectacular racing, star car demonstrations and parades, a public grid walk before the first race, owners club displays and trade stands. The historic circuit is mostly unchanged from its layout when it first opened in 1950 and one of the reasons the event has been described as ‘the most authentic quantum leap’ back to the way race meetings were more than half a decade ago. 60th Anniversary of the Avon Trophy Formula 1 raceYes, you read that correctly, there was an F1 race at Castle Combe in October 1955! The Avon Trophy was a non-championship round and 60 years on we are celebrating with displays and demonstrations of some of the actual and similar cars that competed in the race. Ivor Bueb TributeThe event remembers Ivor Bueb, a prolific locally based (Cheltenham), Grand Prix and sports car racer in the 50s who tragically lost his life in 1959 at the Charade Circuit near Clermont-Ferrand in France. As a frequent racer at Combe, the Circuit will be displaying a selection actual and similar past cars in a parade in a fitting tribute to the 1955 & 1957 Le Mans 24 hour winning driver. Race ProgrammeAn eclectic selection of historic racing cars will do battle on the famous circuit in nine spectacular races, from Pre-War Sports Cars to Historic Saloons, prestigious Single-Marque races to Historic Single-Seaters. Though the cars may be advanced in their years that doesn’t mean their skilled drivers will be piloting them around the 1.85 mile circuit with any less pace and competitiveness than their more modern counterparts! Brand new race to pay tribute to ‘Combe Legend’ Terry SangerThis year sees a brand new race for pre-1966 Historic Touring Cars who will be competing for the ‘Terry Sanger Trophy’. Terry Sanger was a master of the ‘Tin-Tops’ here at the circuit and was most famous for his monster V8 powered ‘Fraud’ Cortina and sadly passed away 2013. With racing versions of humble family models doing battle on the track, the spectator banks will no doubt ring with a chorus of; “We used to have one of those!” Grid WalkVisitors to the event will have the chance to set foot on the ‘hallowed tarmac’ with a public grid walk in advance of the opening race, giving them the opportunity to get a ‘driver’s eye view’ of the circuit leading down to the famous ‘Avon Rise’ and ‘Quarry Corner’. RACE ONEThe VSCC Race for Pre-War Sports-Cars, supported by the Vintage Sports-Car Club---RACE TWOThe Norman Dewis Trophy Race for Pre ’66 Jaguars, supported by Hartwell Jaguar Bristol---RACES THREE & NINEThe Healey Driver International 25th Anniversary Invitation Challenge, supported by AH Performance Parts & Construction Real Estate---RACE FOURThe FISCAR 50s Inter-Marque Race, supported by Spencer Lane Jones Ltd---RACE FIVEBristol Aeroplane Company Motor Sports Club Challenge Trophy Race, run by The 500 Owners Association---RACE SIXThe HSCC/HRSR Historic Touring Car Race (Pre 1966), supported by Screaming Eagle Productions. For the Terry Sanger Trophy---RACE SEVENThe FJHRA/HSCC ‘Silverline’ Formula Junior UK Championship---RACE EIGHTThe Jon Gross Memorial Race for Historic Aston Martins, supported by Ecurie Bertelli Ltd The rarest racing cars that feature in this year’s event will be housed in the ‘Danco Dream Garage’, a marquee structure provided by Danco PLC. Located in the prime area of the main paddock, visitors will be able to get up close to the following automotive exotica; •BRM Type 15 V16 from Beaulieu National Motor Museum, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the legendary V16’s last ever race at Castle Combe in 1955•Lotus 49 Cosworth DFV from Beaulieu National Motor Museum, sole surviving original 1967 car (chassis R3) raced by Graham Hill who competed at Castle Combe in one of his earliest ever races in 1955•Connaught B-type ‘Syracuse’, named after victory in the Syracuse GP in 1955 driven by Tony Brooks. Brooks’ previous race to his famous Syracuse victory was at Castle Combe in the Avon Trophy F1 race in 1955 in a Connaught A-Type.•The actual Cooper-Bristol driven by Bob Gerard to third place in the 1955 Avon Trophy F1 race. The 3rd October also marks the 62nd anniversary (to the day!) of Gerard’s victory in the Castle Combe Fry Trophy Race 1953.•Unique Formula 1 Kieft with Coventry-Climax ‘Godiva’ V8 engine, constructed by Swansea born industrialist Cyril Kieft in 1954 to challenge for Grand Prix honours, but unraced in period.•Cooper T51 raced by Ivor Bueb for Stirling Moss’ British Racing Partnership team in Formula 2 in 1959, and the following year by future world champions Phil Hill and Denny Hulme in Formula 1.•1955 Cooper T39 ‘Bobtail’ sports-racing car, similar to that used by Ivor Bueb to win the two sports car races at the 1955 Castle Combe International meeting.•1960 Formula One Scarab, ultra rare car built by Lance Reventlow in California and one of the last of the front-engined Grand Prix cars. Car is owned and very regularly and successfully raced by event sponsor Julian Bronson of Bristol Forklifts.•Rob Walker Racing Team Formula 1 Cooper-Climax raced in 1959 by Stirling Moss to win the Goodwood Glover Trophy and by Maurice Trintignant to podiums in the Monaco and United States Grands Prix.
More ‘Star Cars’!In addition to the Danco Dream garage, there will be more ‘star cars’ on display and taking part in on-track parades and fast demonstration runs. •Steam-powered 1905 White Flyer “Whistling Billy” replica•Formula 1 BRM P160 raced by Niki Lauda during 1973•1960 BRM P48 raced by Graham Hill & Dan Gurney•Maserati T61 ‘Birdcage’ and Ferrari 250MM belonging to Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason•1934 Riley Ulster Imp – ex Mike Hawthorn•BRM P167 ‘CanAm’ Owner’s Club DisplaysThere will be two areas full of classic car owner’s club displays; ‘Club Avenue’ (adjacent to the ‘Folly’ section of the circuit) and ‘Club Village’ (adjacent to the ‘Westway’section of the circuit).Over 30 Clubs will be displaying over 350 classic cars and individual visitors that drive to the event in a classic car will also be able to park in a dedicated display area in Club Village.Dress for the Occasion!Visitors are encouraged to really get into the nostalgic spirit by sporting period attire! A quick search shows good old Wikipedia offers a great insight into the fashions of the 1950s and may give you some inspiration! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:1950s_fashionWhat about the weather?In its previous years the Autumn Classic has been blessed with fantastic weather and the forecast shows the trend continuing! So what better reason to get outdoors and enjoy the glorious Wiltshire sunshine?! Timings & PricesQualifying commences at 8:30am followed by demonstrations, parades and the public grid walk from 12.00pmTickets available on the gate; £20 for adults, £15 for Seniors with under 17s free when accompanied by paying adult/senior
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