SOUTH LONDON RETRO
Classic and retro group take over the Pod.
Many of us have felt a little short changed by this year’s show season, but for those who really miss drag racing, there have been a series of private events to keep them busy. The latest event was booked by the South London Retro Power Crew (SLRPC), which is a club made up of like-minded car enthusiasts, as organiser Dean Watt explains. “It was one of our members who suggested we should get together and enjoy a day out together as a car club, and as a social event. We limited it to 60 cars and 200 people in attendance.”
With drag racing the main order of the day, there were some light-hearted grudge races to take care of too, as Dean reveals. “The event was also to sort out the pecking order of the group in a way. We often try and find out who’s the fastest and this seemed the best way of finding out with no excuses!”
The club holds various meetings throughout the year at venues such as Ace Cafe, and together have attended many weekend events and shows with a huge following of cars. “This latest event was just another example of us wanting to do something fun for the group and after its success, it won’t be our last as we are already planning another in the new year.”
Sure enough, with good weather and a grippy track, there were several personal bests throughout the day, including Dean himself who managed a 12.6 in his homebuilt Anglia.
The South London Retro Power Crew
The club was formed two years ago to, “Satisfy the gap for a group of car enthusiasts that simply enjoy driving their cars, instead of hiding them away in garages,” says Dean. From starting out with five cars meeting for a Sunday morning run, the club now sees up to 50 cars in convoy, all out enjoying a blast with their pride and joy. “We have large displays at well-known car events and although we started off as a Ford club, we have embraced other makes into our motley crew,” he explains. “We have our own club-branded clothing and vehicle decals, as well as a sister group called Retro Power Motorsport that supplies parts to our members.” Find the group on Facebook.
“IT’S ALL ABOUT DRIVING THESE CARS RATHER THAN HIDING THEM AWAY IN GARAGES”