MOTOR RACING: Celebration of pioneer racers at Cadwell Park
Motor racing’s pioneering past will return to life at Cadwell Park at the Vintage Festival on Sunday, a celebration of the automotive industry’s golden past, which will highlight the ingenuity and innovation of the sport’s formative early years.
This nostalgic event will be headlined by the Vintage Sports Car Club’s Formula Vintage classes, which will recreate an era in which motor racing was a very different animal to that which we’re used to today. The cars on show will range from machines first built and raced in the Edwardian years, through to machines which first appeared on track during the inter-war period.
Many of them possess huge front-mounted engines, mounted on distinct chassis with thin wheels, whilst modern safety features such as seatbelts and roll cages are notable by their absence – you still have to be very brave to tame these beasts!
The cars are the main stars of the show in the event’s headline Shuttleworth and Nuffield Trophy races, with prestigious awards and truly special cars, many of which would have raced at the Le Mans 24 Hours or Mille Miglia in their heyday. These will vary from classic British MGs and Austins to cars from Bugatti and Alfa Romeo – the exotic European manufacturers of the age.
Regarded as one of Britain’s great old school driving challenges, the Cadwell Park circuit is an undulating ribbon of tarmac like no other, with a distinct aesthetic which will provide the perfect backdrop to the racing antiques.
Festivities will extend beyond the circuit itself to the off-track areas too, with vintage and classic car displays, with an extensive selection of exquisite cars located throughout the venue. This will include a special display of Frazer Nash cars to celebrate the British former manufacturer’s 90th anniversary, whilst the Ferrari Owners’ Club will commemorate seven decades of the Italian marque.
Pre-war car owners are expected to attend in large numbers too, with all owners invited to park in a special area where they will be entered into a concours competition.
Other attractions will include period live music, with three acts on the Airstream stage.
Tickets for the Vintage Festival at Cadwell Park are available for just £16 when booked in advance before midday on Wednesday, and £20 on the gate thereafter. Under-13s admitted free. Visit www.cadwellpark.co.uk or call 0843 453 9000 for more information.
