Author: Chris Ashby

The inaugural Thruxton Motorsport Celebration – powered by Motorsport Magazine – was a resounding success as thousands of fans enjoyed two days of historic racing, high-speed demonstrations and spectacular flypasts at the famous Hampshire venue.

Thruxton Circuit played host to a stunning display of classic cars as the UK’s fastest racetrack built on the success of last year’s hugely-popular 50th anniversary meeting, and supporters weren’t disappointed as the 15-race schedule served up a fantastic weekend of wheel-to-wheel racing.

Fans also had the opportunity to get up close and personal with priceless legendary machines in a family-friendly paddock on the iconic airfield and were treated to a number of thrilling demonstrations – both on-track and in the air.

Thruxton was bathed in glorious sunshine for much of the weekend, while a brief summer shower on Sunday did little to dampen the spirits of the motorsport enthusiasts looking to enjoy a bevy of retro races.

Motor Racing Legends’ colourful Historic Touring Car Challenge with Tony Dron Trophy grid was a firm favourite while their U2TC for pre-66 under two-litre Touring Cars also provided plenty of spills and sideways moments.

Meanwhile, their RAC Woodcote Trophy/Stirling Moss Trophy pitched the beautiful Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar XK120 and the spell-binding Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica against each other for the first time since the 1952 British Empire Trophy race on the Isle of Man, triggering memories of a by-gone era.

Elsewhere, the Sports 2000 Championship field provided the fastest cars on show this weekend with a pair of white-knuckle races culminating in Paul Streat lifting the Ian Taylor Trophy for topping the Pinto class in his Lola T87/90.

The FJHRA/HSCC ‘Silverline’ Formula Junior Championship put on four hotly-contested events – two for front-engined and two for rear-engined cars – before the Historic Racing Drivers Club completed the package with three evocative rounds – the ‘Coys 100 Trophy’ for Touring Cars 1958-66 (including an appearance from musician Chris Rea in a Morris Minor), the ‘Alfa Challenge’ for Alfa Romeo Sports, GT and Touring Cars and the ‘Allstars’ for pre-66 Sports, GT and Touring Cars.

In-between all the racing, Thruxton provided the perfect platform to showcase the skills of British Superbike Championship star Tommy Bridewell and 2015 Moto3 Champion Danny Kent as the pair scorched around the high-speed superbowl on their gravity-defying machines.

There were also runs from the iconic Lola T70 Mk38 and the thunderous V8 Lola T332 as well as a Chevrolet-powered Cooper Monaco T61, a Formula Atlantic Chevron B49 and the Reynard 89D which had been piloted by ex-Jordan F1 driver Marco Apicella during the 1989 Formula 3000 season.

For aviation fanatics, the state-of-the-art Thruxton Centre was an ideal vantage point to see the spectacular flypasts put on by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight – with a pair of legendary Spitfires catching the eye on Saturday and a majestic Dakota C-47 sweeping over the circuit on Sunday.

Throughout the festival the bustling trade village gave families a chance to refuel at food vendors and shop for merchandise, while several car clubs including the Porsche Club GB, the GT40 Enthusiasts Club and the Mazda MX-5 Owners Club pitched up with impressive collections on the famous banking.

Thruxton Circuit Director Bill Coombs said: “It’s been a fabulous weekend and we’re delighted with the meeting as a whole. I think it’s lovely to see all these demonstrations, and it’s brilliant to have such a variety of classic supercars and the superbikes here as well.

“For me, this meeting is the highlight of the year. The Bennetts British Superbike and Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship events are stand-out dates in our calendar, but with so many classic cars on show from different decades this event holds such personal interest!

“The cars are just wonderful to watch, and they generally have more power than grip so they slide around a lot and are great fun. It’s been a wonderful meeting, with a real family atmosphere, and we hope it’s been a brilliant weekend out for everybody.

“And we’ve got a lot of big meetings to come with British Truck Racing, the second visit of the BTCC and the BSB. We’ve still got plenty of action at Thruxton for fans to enjoy!”

Tickets for the British Trucks Race Meeting on June 29-30 start at just £12 while advance tickets for both the Bennetts British Superbike Championship and the Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship are available from just £13 for Saturday entry and £29 for Sunday.

For more information or to buy tickets, visit thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing or call 01264 882222.

For more information on Thruxton’s race meetings and driving experiences, visit www.thruxtonracing.co.uk 

The wait is almost over. Twelve months on from the circuit’s hugely successful 50th birthday party, the Thruxton Motorsport Celebration – powered by Motor Sport Magazine – will rev into life this weekend (1/2 June), bringing with it an air of nostalgia and ‘days gone by’ to the popular Hampshire venue.

Appropriately enough for a festival honouring the very best in motoring, motorsport and one of the golden eras of aviation, the rapidly approaching Thruxton Motorsport Celebration will take place at Britain’s fastest racetrack, which previously served as an RAF airfield.

A mouth-watering array of sensational sportscars, flame-spitting saloons and evocative single-seaters will thrill the crowds, with no fewer than 15 races on the bill as the past comes back to life for the weekend.

Boasting all-round family appeal, the event truly does have something for everyone, with a tremendous variety of high-octane activities across the two days. Both modern and historic cars will take to the circuit for races and high-speed demonstration runs, offering spectators the opportunity to reminisce about bygone eras and marvel at cutting-edge motorsport technology.

One of the most compelling stories will be told in the RAC Woodcote Trophy/Stirling Moss Trophy races, in which two old rivals will go head-to-head for the first time in almost seven decades. Piloted respectively by Roy Salvadori and James Scott-Douglas, the Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica and Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar XK120 finished fourth and sixth in the 1952 British Empire Trophy race on the Isle of Man’s Douglas street circuit. Sixty-seven years later, the cars will be reunited in the hands of father-and-son duo, Steve and Josh Ward.

Flashbacks to yesteryear will continue with a ‘Battle of Britain’ flypast scheduled for both days, which will undoubtedly grab the attention of aviation fans. This magical moment will feature one of just six Hawker Hurricanes left in the country as well as the legendary Douglas C-47 Dakota military transport aircraft.

Back down on terra firma, local motorcycling hero Tommy Bridewell (Devizes) will wow spectators aboard his 2019 Bennetts British Superbike Championship challenger – the potent Oxford Racing Ducati. Accompanying the Wiltshireman on-track will be a host of iconic racing cars, including some of Lola’s most successful designs such as the rip-roaring V8 T332 and the T70.

A variety of car clubs will make the journey from across the UK, from the MX-5 Owners Club – celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2019 – to the Porsche Club GB and the GT40 Enthusiasts Club, all of whom will be exhibiting stunning examples of truly classic cars. Thruxton’s impressive collection of resident supercars will similarly take pride of place.

Add into the mix coach rides around the circuit, sideways skid pan experiences, axe-throwing for the ultimate thrill-seeking experience and live music on Saturday evening from classic rock tribute band ‘The Cellarats’, and all the ingredients are firmly in place for another retro-themed blockbuster.

“The Thruxton Motorsport Celebration really does offer fun for the whole family,” enthused Thruxton Director, Bill Coombs. “There will be so much to do across the two days and something for everyone. For me, particular highlights will be the Frazer Nash / Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar face-off, and seeing Tommy Bridewell on his 2019 BSB bike – a nice little teaser for fans ahead of the summer race meeting in a couple of months’ time.

“The Battle of Britain flypasts will similarly be great to watch and will I’m sure bring back some memories, while the sheer number of classic cars going on display will unquestionably be a sight to behold. Both on and off-track, the weekend promises to be a flat-out thrill ride from start to finish.”

Tickets for the Thruxton Motorsport Celebration are still available to purchase on the gate, priced at just £15 for Saturday entry and £25 for Sunday. Accompanied children aged 15 and under will be admitted free of charge. For further information, visit thruxtonracing.co.uk/racing/celebration or call 01264 882222.

For more information on Thruxton’s race meetings and driving experiences, visit: www.thruxtonracing.co.uk