Spectacular launch for classic motor racing festival
The world’s largest classic motor racing festival has been launched in spectacular style. In front of 250 journalists, photographers and film crews, the 2011 Silverstone Classic burst into life yesterday (4 May) as some of the 800 cars expected at the event took to the famous track in glorious spring sunshine.
Event Director Nick Wigley revealed that this year’s event – marking the 21st anniversary of the first classic racing festival at Silverstone – will be the biggest and best yet.
“The numbers are astonishing. We will have more than 1,000 competitors racing more than 800 cars spanning the full spectrum of motor racing history right up the nineties. We are promised a number of exciting cars that are seldom seen racing in the UK including a newly restored black and gold JPS Lotus 72 grand prix car while an awesome Lancia Martini LC2 Group C sports car is due to star in an atmospheric dusk race on the Saturday.
“We are planning two special races celebrating the 50th anniversary of the glorious E-type Jaguar, with up to 58 examples starting one of the headline races on Saturday evening. We hope to create a world record with a cavalcade of 1,000 road going E-types taking to the track and we have more than 120 car clubs taking part with more than 7,000 classic cars on display,” he said.
Under the banner ‘Rocking and Racing’, the three-day event promises a feast of entertainment for race fans and their families. There’s a full programme of 22 races for all manner of historic and classic machinery over the weekend – and there’s a celebrity charity event in identical race-prepared Morgans featuring star names from TV, radio and music – while the evenings are packed with live music: three top tribute bands on Friday followed by classic acts Suzi Quatro, 10cc and Wishbone Ash on Saturday.
On Sunday, spectators will be encouraged to take things a little easier and bring a picnic to the paddock while listening to the Amadeus Orchestra, Tetra Electra and Tenors Un Limited.
Other attractions include air displays, hot air balloons, a funfair, shopping village, steam rally and even lawn mower racing. To ensure no visitor goes hungry, festival catering will be provided by Jamie Oliver’s Fabulous Feasts. Because there’s so much going on, a fleet of iconic London Routemaster buses will be laid on to ferry spectators around.
Best of all it’s ‘access all areas’ – the displays, the live music, the fun fair and, of course, grandstand seats for the racing are all included in the entry ticket.
“This is our second year running the Silverstone Classic. In 2010 we showed what a fantastic feast of entertainment the three-day festival offers. The fans obviously agree as we have seen unprecedented advance ticket sales, already up 168 per cent on last year and there’s still more than two months to go,” said Wigley.
“A great day out is guaranteed… but why stop at one day. With ample camping available at Silverstone plus the live music in the evenings, make it a weekend to remember,” he added.
