WALTER HAYES TROPHY
When: November 4/5 Where: Silverstone, Northamptonshire Web: silverstone.co.uk Any event held in November must be pretty good to make it worth braving the cold for. The Walter Hayes Trophy is more than just pretty good.
While the Formula Ford Festival a fortnight earlier may be the original FF1600 knockout event, the Walter Hayes has grown hugely.
Last year an incredible 109 drivers turned up to take part in the end-of-season finale. And they weren’t just any drivers. The roll call of category stars was lengthy with three former winners and a plethora of past podium finishers on the grid.
While Niall Murray may have run away with the final last year, the battling behind was intense. The heat, progression, last chance, semi-final, final format makes it perfect for brilliant stories to be told – such as Kyle Kirkwood gaining 72 places on the Sunday to finish fourth overall in the final.
Whatever the weather you can be sure of a brilliant atmosphere in the BRDC grandstand overlooking Brooklands, often the scene of some cracking passes. Everybody is together, and it can be electric. Should you want a brief break from the Kent excitement there are some allcomers support races that attract a diverse entry.
Put quite simply, it’s an excellent way to end your motorsport season.