Practical Classics (UK)

Return of the Race

New organiser promises even more excitement

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When an event changes hands the new organiser tends to go all out to shake things up and that seems to be the case this year, with a top Race Retro weekend promised at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshi­re on February 24-26.

If you’re an autograph hunter you’ll be able to accost Tom Kristensen, Ari Vatanen and Marku Alén as well as ‘Fast’ Freddie Spencer while Mike Costin will also be there, marking 50 years of Cosworth.

Acknowledg­ing that nurturing the next generation is key, over the weekend there will be a feature called Teenage Kicks, which will showcase the three youngest drivers

currently competing within the Historic Sports Car Club’s race series for Historic saloons and Historic Formula Ford 1600; 2017 marks 50 years of Formula Ford.

Within the halls there’s never any shortage of glorious historic machinery to drool over; the highlight this year will be Jim Clark’s Lotus 33 R11. This 1965 F1 car hasn’t been seen in public for more than 40 years. The highlight of Race Retro is always the Live Rally Stage and this year there will be more Group B and C cars going sideways than ever; around 70 are set to turn up. Also on the live stage will be the British Historic Kart Club, but frankly, they’ll have a tough job

trying to compete with the excitement of hordes of Audi Quattro Sports, Ford RS200S and Metro 6R4s.

Finally, if you’ve got any cash left after Christmas there’s plenty of tasty machinery up for grabs in the auction. The lot list wasn’t extensive as we went to press, but we were rather taken by the genuine Ford Capri Perana V8 and the Alpina B10. More at raceretro.com

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 ??  ?? There will be club displays inside…
There will be club displays inside…
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 ??  ?? … plus sideways action on the Live Rally Stage.
… plus sideways action on the Live Rally Stage.

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