WHAT TO SEE

The live action on the demo rally stage in the grounds of Stoneleigh Park is always a major draw and this year promises to be the biggest and best yet. There is plenty of good spectator viewing as a raft of cars from rallying history do their stuff on both Saturday and Sunday.

Race Retro offers a chance to meet some stars in a relaxed environment. To mark the 15th edition of the show, the organisers have really pushed the boat out to bring in some stars and they don’t come much bigger or more popular than Tom Kristensen, Ari Vatanen and Markku Alen.

Don’t just stand and look, give classic rallying a try. That’s the message from the Historic Endurance Rally Organisation, which has a hire fleet of 10 cars. Show visitors can book one, for either £35 or £50, for a 10-minute drive on the roads of the park and surrounding public roads. Cars available include a Porsche 911, Jaguar E-type and Triumph TR4.

The Lotus 33 that Jim Clark used in the 1965 season to win four grands prix and his second world title is an incredible motor racing time warp and visitors to Race Retro will be the first to see it for nearly four decades. Chassis R11 was last raced in Seattle in 1969 and is now ready for a sympathetic restoration by Classic Team Lotus.

The show has a lot to offer for those with an interest in motor sport art and classic autojumble. Take a walk to the other halls to find just about anything you could need for a cherished classic or some new art for the walls.

If you fancy bidding for a race-prepared MGB with a target price of around £9000, then the Silverstone Auctions sale on Friday afternoon is worth a visit. A Ford Cortina GT classic rally car is up for the same sort of money, while there’s a full race Rover SD1 at a guide price of £25,000 to £30,000.

The live action element of the show is not just about rally cars and the historic karting demos are worth a watch. They run on a shorter loop within the rally stage in 15 minute sessions from 1015-1400hrs on both days.

Over on the live rally stage, one of the stars will be the mighty Chevrolet Firenza Can-am ( left) sometimes driven by Jimmy Mcrae. This weekend Jimmy is away, but the car’s owner Mick Strafford is more than capable of honing it around in fine style. The sound of the Chevvy V8 makes it a glorious package.