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2026 Le Mans Classic Series: Key Changes Unveiled

So, from 2026 the Le Mans Classic will form part of the Peter Auto Le Mans Classic Series and will run annually. They say: In response to ever-increasing demand, Le Mans Classic will become an annual event from 2026. It’s an historic change, in response to the public’s enthusiasm, to offer drivers and collectors more opportunities to race, and to enable all generations to experience the magic…

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June 2025: Historic/Classic UK Motorsport Events

The season is well underway and events are planned for every weekend, so for this post I’ll try to pinpoint what I think will be the best events to attend. They aren’t all “festival” type events but hopefully they will have interesting grids on the best circuits. 31 May/01 June Masters Historic Festival Brands Hatch is perhaps the most popular UK circuit, with good viewing and, for the…

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MRL Donington Historic Festival 2025: Highlights and Changes

Last year we learned that Shaun Lynn’s company Aythorpe Promotions Limited had taken over Motor Racing Legends. Given they only had around one week, any changes to the format or organisation of the event were unlikely, and so it proved. This year the evidence of new ownership was everywhere to be seen. Whilst the new series for GT3 Legends was allocated pit garages, the other series were…

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Why Clean Cars Matter in Club Racing Championships

In the movie Days of Thunder, the character Harry Hogge told his driver “he didn’t slam you, he didn’t bump you, he didn’t nudge you… he *rubbed* you. And rubbin, son, is racin’.” In the world of NASCAR the rubbing and nudging is pretty much the norm. Cars are running in close proximity with no chicanes or tight corners where braking and acceleration provide an opportunity to overtake, so a…

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May 2025: Historic Motorsport Events in the UK

May 2025 is a busy time in the world of Historic Motorsport in the UK, the month that really kicks off the season. 2-4 May Donington Historic Festival It’s a year since Aythorpe Promotions took over the reins at Motor Racing Legends. Except for the addition of the GT3 Legends series, there have been few obvious changes, but with the new season comes a new, dare I say “more professional”,…

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Celebrating 50 Years of the Jaguar XJ-S

“Jaguar….. built the XJS to compete with luxury vehicles, such as the Aston Martin DBS, Jenson Interceptor and Mercedes SL.”https://www.kwecars.com/a-brief-history-of-the-jaguar-xjs/ 10 September 2025 is the day! When we can wish a very Happy 50th Birthday to the XJ-S. Although reading some of the history surrounding the birth of the XJ-S*, it is hard to believe that the car had a total…

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April 2025 Events

A few things happening in the world of Mallettracing this month. o5 April The annual VSCC Spring Start at Silverstone: Vintage and Historic racing, including FISCAR (Fifties Sportscars). Races: The return of the High Speed Trial. FISCAR will be with us for the 50s Sports car Race. Front Engined Racing Cars. Rear Engined Racing Cars. ODM. VSCC Specials. Vintage Scratch Race. Allcomers…

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Motor Racing Legends Acquires HRDC Racing

Background I received two e mails today, one from Motor Racing Legends (MRL) and one from the Historic Racing Drivers Club (Julius Thurgood). They both carry the press release explaining the reasons for the acquisition. “Motor Racing Legends owner, Aythorpe Promotions Limited, has broadened its portfolio in historic racing with the acquisition of HRDC. The move sees Motor Racing Legends’…

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March 2025 Classic Car Events

Racing and general classic car events for the month of March: Silverstone International March 8/9 The Classic Sports Car Club kicks off its season on the International Circuit. Two days of action with the following races: Race 1 – Midland Restorations Classic Race 2 – The Verum Builders Open Races 3 & 5 – Adams and Page Swinging 60s* Race 4 – SuperPro Modern Classics and Advantage…

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The VSCC Pomeroy Trophy Event - Silverstone 22 April 2025

“It’ll just waft around the circuit” so said George Shackleton when sitting in his XJ6 whilst waiting to be scrutineered. George’s car is a typical example of the varied, not to say eclectic, collection of vehicles taking part in this annual event. Of course every year produces the same types of vehicles so it’s not unusual. In George’s case, he was possibly out wafted by Dougal Crawley in his…

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What's on in February?

Well, that’s the end of January and the start of a hopefully less damp February. The month kicks off with the Car Collective’s Cars and Coffee at Jackson and Phillips’ garage in Leighton Buzzard on the 2nd, at 10am. Circuit racing gets under way with the VSCC‘s Pomeroy Trophy at Silverstone on 22nd. This rather eccentric event has cars of all ages, not just pre war, competing to be crowned the…

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Old Fashioned Fun

The Vintage Sports Car Club New Year Tests took place at Brooklands Museum on 26th January 2025. This rounded off a week of pretty heavy storms for the UK so it was a nice surprise to arrive at the venue with just clouds overhead, although that would change. An entry list of 68 cars, 14 being shared, there were plenty of brave souls to entertain the spectators. Cars ranging from road going…

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Happy New Year

Well that’s it. All over for another year, so time to get thinking about the next 12 months. 2025 Anniversaries: A lot of car related milestones coming up, giving me a good excuse to post some car pictures. Jaguar is 75 years old, having changed its name in 1950. The XJS has been around for 50 of those years. With its flying buttresses and long bonnet, the car appears at last, to be receiving…

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"And so this is christmas........

And what have you done?” – [John Lennon]. Well it seems I’ve had quite a full year since January when I started this blog. No longer looking forward to racing my car I was looking for other ways to stay involved with historic motorsport and classic cars. So I started writing about events, historic motorsport issues that interest me and events that I was attending, or planned to attend. Since…

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Motor Racing Legends - Vision for2025 and After

I received the below e mail from Motor Racing Legends. I have repeated it in full. We have often thought that organizers would do well to work together and this is the first time I’ve seen it made public. Motor Racing Legends – Our Vision for 2025 and AfterDear Competitors, Dear Preparers, Dear Members of the Motor Racing Legends Community, As you know, Motor Racing Legends has recently entered…

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Testing Times with the VSCC at Bicester:

“There are three cars in my class and I’m currently sixth!” So said Ian Morgan the driver of car no 1, a Ford Model T, as he exited the first test (Blakeney’s Bend) at the VSCC winter tests event at Bicester Heritage. Ian Morgan accepting his first test error. There were ten tests set out around the perimeter of the old airfield, where drivers were tasked with weaving between various marker…

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Showtime!

The Lancaster Insurance Classic Car and Bike Restoration Show 8 to 10 November 2024 “Everytime I drive it, it makes me smile” Celebrating its Twentieth birthday this year, the Honda S2000 is one of the newer classics. It seems to have an enthusiastic following in the form of the UK S2000 Owners Club which originated in 1999. Talking to the team on the stand at the Lancaster Classic Car and…