RACE RETRO TO INCLUDE MIKE HAWTHORN TRIBUTE

January 2019 marks 60 years since Mike Hawthorn’s death at the tragically young age of 29, so it’s fitting that this year’s Race Retro (taking place at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire from 22-24 February) will be paying its own special tribute to this most talented of British racing drivers.

Mike Hawthorn was born in Yorkshire in April 1929 and as his father owned the Tourist Trophy Garage in Farnham, Surrey, selling Jaguar, Fiats and Ferraris the young Hawthorn was introduced to the world of performance cars at a very early age. After winning his first single-seat race in 1952, Mike Hawthorn would go on to drive for some of the greatest names in the sport, including Ferrari, BRM, and Vanwall.

Hawthorn was the first English driver to win a Formula One championship and immediately after winning the title he retired from the sport. Unfortunately, a few months after his retirement Mike Hawthorn tragically died on January 22, 1959 when the Jaguar 3.4 saloon he was driving left the A3 near Guildford in Surrey and slammed sideways into a tree.

The Hawthorn showcase at Race Retro will feature cars and artefacts from his career and this bespoke display is just one of the interesting events taking place at this year’s event that also includes a display marking Formula One’s turbocharged era. Race Retro will also be marking the 50th anniversary of the London to Sydney Marathon rally with a display of surviving entrants and replicas.

This year’s Race Retro will also be paying tribute to another racing legend, Dan Gurney, who sadly passed away last January. During his career Gurney won races in Formula One, Indy Car, NASCAR, Can-Am and the Trans-Am Series. After winning Le Mans in 1967, Gurney sprayed the winner’s bottle of champagne over the winner's podium, a tradition that continues today in almost every form of motorsport.

One of the most exciting displays at Race Retro is the live rally stage featuring a line-up of Group B cars and for a nominal sum, visitors will be able to experience the thrill of experiencing a rally stage at full chat from the navigator’s seat (Saturday and Sunday only. Age restrictions and safety conditions apply).

Other events taking place at Race Retro include the Arrive and Drive a classic car experience and interviews with industry experts on the Motor Sport Live stage. The Pride of the Paddock display will feature a line up of high performance race and rally cars and the Motor Sport Hall of Fame will host a number of live displays that kicks off with 40 years of ground effect technology and goes on to look at a number of iconic high performance racers and rally cars.

Silverstone Auctions will be hammering away a number of interesting lots, included a Dodge Charger once owned by ‘Die Hard’ star Bruce Willis and an Aston Martin Vantage formally owned by Elton John. There’s plenty more going on this year’s Race Retro, which runs for three days from Friday, February 22 to Sunday the 24th. Tickets are now on sale for Race Retro, powered by Motor Sport, with free parking available for all visitors.

For the latest updates of what's on and ticket information, visit www.raceretro.com