THE SPIRIT OF THE GOODWOOD NINE HOUR RACE TO BE RECREATED AT 2012 REVIVAL

Race-goers at this year’s Goodwood Revival (14-16 September) are in for a special treat on the evening of Friday 14 September, as Goodwood marks the 60th anniversary of the first Nine Hour race at the legendary motor circuit in 1952.

On Friday 14th, this year’s Freddie March Memorial Trophy – supported by Credit Suisse – will be a 90-minute, two-driver race into dusk, for cars of a type that originally contested this famous endurance race.

The race will feature a spectacular collection of classic sports-racing cars in the spirit of the 1952 to 1955 Goodwood Nine Hour races, including Jaguar C-types, Aston Martin DB3 and DB3S, Ferrari 750 Monza, Austin-Healey 100S, Cooper-Bristol, Cunningham C4R, Gordini, Allard and HWM.

Beginning at approximately 6:15pm on Friday 14 September, the Freddie March Memorial Trophy will continue into the twilight (with sunset due around 7:15 pm), with the cars running with their headlights ablaze until around 7:45pm.

Source: Goodwood

ENTER CLASSIC CAR OF THE YEAR 2012

Classic Car of the Year 2011
The most diverse range of classic cars spanning sixty years of motoring heritage have entered the competition to be crowned the UK’s Classic Car of the Year 2012 – but there’s still time to get your pride and joy in the race as the deadline for entries is 3rd August 2012. The winner will receive a fantastic first prize valued at over £3,500 with over £700 worth of runners up prizes up for grabs.

The nationwide competition, organised by Classic Car Weekly, Classic Cars and Practical Classics magazines in association with Lancaster Insurance, is open to any car made before 1990. It’s not about how much money has been spent or how many miles the car has done, it’s the story behind the car that could make it a winner.

Entrants range from the old school elegance of a 1933 Standard Swallow two-door coupe to the more modern power of a 1987 Ford RS500 Sierra Cosworth, so every motoring taste is covered. Some of the cars have been passed from generation to generation such as the 1955 Daimler Conquest Century Saloon, while others were purchased because of their history like the 1976 Alfa Romeo Guilia Nuova Super.

There are cars that have consumed their owner’s time and money as they have been taken apart and lovingly restored back to their former glory like the 1982 Morris Ital. Others like the 1958 Triumph TR3a have travelled the world, fundraising for worthwhile charities in remembrance for absent friends.

An expert judging panel will evaluate the entrants on their individual merits as well as awarding extra points for going to extraordinary lengths to rebuild a car, its fascinating history and incredible journeys undertaken. They will also be looking for cars that are part of the family, those used everyday and those that have been obtained after a lengthy search or quest.

From this information and imagery provided, the panel will then shortlist 20 cars from each category and invite the public to vote for their favourite. It will be the public who decide the winner and the runners up of each category. The winning cars will then go on display at the Classic Motor Show at Birmingham’s NEC from 16th to 18th November where the overall winner with the most votes will be revealed and the grand prize awarded.

Classic car owners can enter via the competition website www.ccoty.co.uk or by sending details of the car, a brief history, full contact details and up to three images to Classic Car of the Year, Media House, Lynchwood, Peterborough, PE2 6EA.

FEAST OF TRACK PARADES HEADED BY FERRARI F40S AT SILVERSTONE CLASSIC

As well as a crowded programme of 24 action-packed races showcasing the full spectrum of motor sport history, this weekend’s Silverstone Classic powered by the AA (20-22 July) also hosts some very special parades, all staged on the renowned Silverstone Grand Prix circuit.

With so many enthusiastic motor clubs choosing the Silverstone Classic to honour important milestones in their respective marques’ histories, these parades have become an important part of the world’s biggest motor racing festival and are hugely popular with both owners and spectators.

Last year no fewer than 767 E-type Jaguars took to the famous F1 track to celebrate the iconic British sportscar’s 50th birthday and thus establish a new Guinness World Record. This year a host of other legendary brands will be lining up on the hallowed Silverstone asphalt.

Heading the pack will be a world record gathering of Ferrari F40s. No fewer than 70 examples of the superlative supercar that many believe to be Ferrari’s finest creation will be lapping Silverstone to mark the Italian pin-up model’s 25th anniversary.

In total more than 450 rare and exotic machines will be joining the F40s in Sunday’s dedicated Car Club Parade with many other crowd favourites also celebrating important anniversaries. Notable among these will be a host of glorious Lamborghinis – including Miuras, Espadas and Countachs – to honour 25 years of the Lamborghini Club UK plus 50th birthday processions for much-loved MGB, Lotus Elan and Triumph Spitfire sportscars from the Sixties.

Adding further colour to Sunday’s spectacular show, around 175 classic cars that will have travelled to Silverstone from a variety of start points across the country as part of the AA Grand Tour will lap the track as the grand finale to their various journeys.

Before that Saturday’s busy on-track schedule includes a lunchtime parade featuring hundreds of BMW Z1, Z3, Z4 and Z8 models as part of the UK’s first Z-fest. Then, in the early evening, it will be the turn of more than 130 AC Cobras – another illustrious sportscar turning 50 this year – to take to the Tarmac along with members of the Silverstone Classic Racing Club.

“These stunning parades have become an integral part of the Silverstone Classic and it’s going to be great to see so many fine classics from different eras strutting their stuff on the full Grand Prix circuit,” said Silverstone Classic event director Nick Wigley. “Last year’s amazing collection of E-types raised the bar somewhat but for many the prospect of seeing 70 stunning Ferrari F40s is going to be every bit as spectacular – and that’s just one of the many highlights.”

More info: www.SilverstoneClassic.com

KEN BLOCK'S GYMKHANA FIVE: ULTIMATE URBAN PLAYGROUND; SAN FRANCISCO

OLYMPIC TORCH PASSES BY VELOCE HOUSE

The London 2012 Olympic Torch relay passed outside Veloce House today in Poundbury, Dorset.

ME AND MY CAR/MOTORCYCLE #3

This month's winner of the Essential Buyer's Guide of her choice is Michel Verheyen from Wesepe, Holland. Michel sent us this picture of her 1977 Jaguar XJ 12 Coupe Broadspeed replica. Please keep your entries coming in to prize@veloce.co.uk, and you never know, it could be YOU in this space next month!

My name is Michel Verheyen and this is my 1977 Jaguar XJ 12 Coupé Broadspeed replica. I started the restoration and modification about seven years ago, and as you can see it's almost finished. Of the original there are only four cars made that raced in the 1976 and 1977 European Touring Car Championship. They were actually a lot faster than the BMW CSL at the time, but a lot less reliable, so after the 1977 season British Leyland pulled the plug on the racing career of these magnificent cars. Seven years ago I was reading a magazine that had an article in it about one of the original cars and that's what started it off for me. My car started off as a 6-cylinder 1977 XJ Coupé, but now has a V12 with manual gearbox, full welded rollcage, and racing fuel tank with working double fuel fillers through the boot lid. Even the seats have the same fabric on them as the original cars. A lot of the special parts I had to make myself, because the four original cars were made by a private race team (Broadspeed Engineering) so the parts I needed are nowhere to be found. The biggest problem with these cars is that not a lot of people know about them, or have information, so even after seven years I still am finding out things that were previously unknown to me.
The build of the car has been a long one, but trying to get all the details as original as possible was, and is, very rewarding. In the process I have met a lot of people I wouldn't have met if I wasn't doing this project. If anyone would like to know more about the car, have a look on http://broadspeedcoupe.tripod.com.

Michel selected Mini – The Essential Buyer’s Guide by Mark Paxton as her prize!

STOP! Don’t buy a classic Mini without buying this book first!
Having this book in your pocket is just like having a real marque expert by your side. Benefit from the author’s years of experience, learn how to spot a bad Mini quickly and how to assess a promising one like a true professional. Get the right car at the right price!
More info.



Do you have an unusual car/motorcycle with a story to tell?
We want to see it! Send photos & description to prize@veloce.co.uk
We will pick one a month, and any we feature will win an Essential Buyer's Guide (worth £9.99 / $19.95) of your choice.
Click below to browse the whole series.

HOW TO CLEAN YOUR CAR'S ENGINE SAFELY

Simon Nixon shows us how to clean a car engine's safely. Take from chapter 4 of his new book!

New! Caring for your car’s bodywork and interior
By Simon Nixon

Cars can be expensive things, and deserve to be cared for properly. A clean and well-tended car will look better, be more pleasurable to drive, and have a superior resale value. This book is a step-by-step guide to the various elements of car care, from washing, waxing and polishing to engine cleaning and leather maintenance. Featuring illustrations and product recommendations, this is a must-buy for all car lovers. More info.