Classic cars, Vintage Racing, Classic Rally

Aston Martin DB2 Team Car At Bonhams Auction

nospam@example.com (ClassicRallies) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:54:19 +0100

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Bonhams is pleased to announce that the iconic Aston Martin DB2 Team Car ‘VMF 65’ is to headline at the 11th annual Bonhams auction of Aston Martin and Lagonda Motor Cars and Related Automobilia – the only auction in the world solely dedicated to this iconic marque. The auction will be held on 22nd May 2010 at Aston Martin Lagonda Limited Works Service, Newport Pagnell.

‘VMF 65’ – the ex-Works 1950 Aston Martin DB2 Team Car, Registration no. VMF 65, Chassis no. LML/50/9 – is a British Racing Green gem, as raced by such legendary and leading drivers as Stirling Moss, Peter Collins, Roy Salvadori, Tony Rolt, Lance Macklin, George Abecassis and Eric Thompson.

This prestigious competition Coupe was built in 1950 to contest that year’s Le Mans 24-Hours endurance race. It was one of a team of three DB2 Coupes representing the David Brown-owned marque – the others being ‘VMF 63’ and ‘VMF 64’. In those days, it was not unusual to drive the cars to the race – ostensibly to run-in the engines – and en route to the circuit driver Jack Fairman missed a corner on a French road and ‘VMF 65’ overturned. The car was too badly damaged to participate in the 24-Hours, but subsequently made its racing debut on 26th August, driven by Eric Thompson in the Daily Express One Hour Production Car Race at Silverstone.
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H&H at 2010 Race Retro Auction

nospam@example.com (ClassicRallies) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:46:13 +0100

Following on from its successful return to Race Retro last year, H&H has already attracted a host of exciting entries for 2010. However, the catalogue for this prestigious auction will not close until Monday February 23rd so there is still time to present your property be it a motor car, motorcycle or piece of automobilia to a truly international audience.

Significant Motor Cars:

1975 Ford Escort MKII RS1800

One of the famous Works-supported Championship-winning Haynes of Maidstone liveried cars as driven by John Taylor and later Malcolm Wilson (among others). Still retaining the same bodyshell with which it finished its period career, this ultra-rare Works-supported RS1800 has been extensively restored over recent years and boasts an enviable mechanical specification (original Terry Hoyle block etc).
Estimate: £90,000 - £110,000

1971 Ford Escort MKI RS1600

One of two RS1600 cars that Historic Motorsports of Daventry assembled to what some have described as the ultimate rally specification yet achieved for a MKI Escort, ŒWRV 207K‚ was last piloted in anger by Stig Blomqvist and co-driver Ana Goni on the 2007 East African Safari Rally. Having taken some 870 hours to prepare, ŒWRV 207K‚ finished the grueling 4,500km event in sixth place overall, while its sister car ŒWPU 242L‚ claimed outright victory.
Estimate: £55,000 - £65,000
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Patrick Head to be celebrated by Grand Prix Masters

nospam@example.com (ClassicRallies) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:08:07 +0100

Patrick Head, one of the most respected Grand Prix designers of the modern era, will give his name to a new class division within the Grand Prix Masters historic race series this season.

Head's name will adorn the class for Post-1978 Formula One cars, in the series run by Masters Historic Racing, and he becomes the first non-driver to be honoured in such a way. The other classes within Grand Prix Masters are named after legendary drivers Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart, Emerson Fittipaldi and Niki Lauda. “The Patrick Head Class” is now open to ground-effect and flat-bottomed Formula 1 cars produced between 1978 and 1985, an era when Patrick’s design team at Williams Grand Prix Engineering were constantly producing ground-breaking new designs.

Head, still very much Williams F1’s Director of Engineering, has a superb record in the sport having joined Frank Williams as Chief Designer in 1976. His first design was the excellent FW06, a car very much part of the Grand Prix Masters races in recent years; and he later created the classic FW07, which took the team's first World title in 1980 with Alan Jones; both these designs are eligible for GPM in 2010.

Head has been at the centre of the 16 World titles won by Williams in three decades at the very pinnacle of the sport. The designs created by Head and his team include the later years of the Grand Prix Masters eligibility list, including the ground-effect cars of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

"There is no one better than Patrick Head to typify the innovation and fresh thinking of this dramatic era of Grand Prix racing," said Christopher Tate of Masters Historic Racing. "We are thrilled that he has kindly agreed to his name being used for this class. Patrick's achievements in three decades at the top of Grand Prix racing are remarkable, and we hope he will find time to come along to one of our races."

More details are available from www.themastersseries.com

39th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale

nospam@example.com (ClassicRallies) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:44:50 +0100

The Barrett-Jackson Auction Company helped raise nearly $4.5 million for various charities during the 39th Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale Jan. 18-24, 2010. Funds were gathered from the sale of 17 vehicles consigned by event sponsors, charities and generous Barrett-Jackson customers. Barrett-Jackson does not collect fees or commissions on vehicles sold for charity, which amounted to nearly $400,000 in waived fees.

Barrett-Jackson kicked off its charitable efforts in Scottsdale with the Childhelp Drive the Dream™ gala on Jan. 16. This star studded event was attended by over 700 people. Through a commitment for matching funds by Westminster International Humanitarian Trust, Childhelp was able to raise well over $1.5 million with more funds still pouring in. The charitable efforts of Barrett-Jackson continued throughout the week with multiple charity cars being auctioned. Many of them were captured live on SPEED.

“Barrett-Jackson has a strong commitment to helping charities raise money by providing time during our auction and waiving our commissions and fees,” said Craig Jackson, Chairman/CEO of Barrett-Jackson. “This year, our sponsors like Ford, General Motors and SPX, as well as our customers, really stepped up and donated some great collector cars for auction. Our customers have great hearts and show it by bidding on charity cars for worthy causes.”

The leading charity car was a 2011 Ford Mustang GT glass roof pace car donated by Ford Motor Company that sold for $300,000 to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. On Feb. 14, 2010, the new pony car will be the first Ford vehicle in 40 years to pace the famed Daytona 500. Another top charity car was a 2008 Chevrolet Corvette coupe limited edition #427 sold for $200,000 by General Motors. Before the hammer fell, four other bidders donated an additional $50,000, increasing the total charity amount to $250,000. All proceeds from the sale were donated to the American Red Cross to help fund relief efforts in earthquake-stricken Haiti.

One of the most rousing charity sales took place when Darrell Gwynn’s 1990 Coors Extra Gold top fuel dragster replica crossed the block. The initial winning bid sky-rocketed to $200,000, but the new owner asked that the car be re-entered into the auction immediately and his bid donated to the benefiting charity, the Darrell Gwynn Foundation. The dragster then sold for $110,000, only to be donated back and sold again for $100,000, making for a total donation of $410,000.
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A Ferrari 250 GT SWB at the Tour Auto Optic 2000

nospam@example.com (ClassicRallies) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:29:54 +0100

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After the Ferrari 250 "Tour de France" in 2007, the OSCA in 2008, the Jaguar MkII and Ford GT40 in 2009, the Tour Auto Optic 2ooo celebrates in 2010 the 50th anniversary of the first victory of the Ferrari 250 SWB in the Tour de France Automobile. For this chrome and aluminium star adulated by the public, the organiser Peter Auto has big ambitions and hopes for a unique gathering of SWB for the Tour Auto Optic 2ooo start on April 19, 2010 in the Jardins des Tuileries in Paris.

Already ten entered, but the inscriptions remain open with special conditions –including an automatic outclassing– reserved for 250GT SWB drivers. Among the ten cars already entered, is the one driven to victory by Willy Mairesse in the 1960Tour de France. Flashback to the period when the Cavallino ruled over the French race…

September 1960, an armada of nine Ferrari 250 GT SWBs line up for the start of the ninth after-warTour de France. Enough to dishearten the competition, as the new Berlinetta is of the lineage of the Ferrari 250s which have already ruled over the French race for four years. Boasting a brilliant V12 3 litre engine, this new version has a chassis shortened by 20 cm and beautifully designed aluminium bodywork. At the finish, after a 5000 kilometre expedition via the Ventoux, Spa and Nürburgring: is the awaited victory, with a bonus triple win!
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John O’Quinn Collection at RM Auctions Automobiles of Amelia Island

nospam@example.com (ClassicRallies) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:13:49 +0100

RM Auctions consigns a series of cars from the renowned John O’Quinn Collection to its upcoming ‘Automobiles of Amelia Island’ event, March 13th and ‘Collector Cars of Fort Lauderdale’ event, March 26th – 28th

RM Auctions, the world’s largest collector car auction house, is honored to announce the consignment of a wide range of motor cars from the estate of Mr. John M. O’Quinn to its upcoming sales in Amelia Island and Fort Lauderdale, Florida in March.

A lifelong motoring enthusiast, John O’Quinn was regarded as one of the most prolific car collectors in the United States. From 2003 up until his tragic death in October 2009, he built one of the country’s most impressive collections featuring more than 1,000 automobiles. In addition to its incredible diversity, the O’Quinn Collection was best noted for featuring one of the world’s largest collections of Duesenbergs with 23 examples in total.

“John O’Quinn was a great guy and true car enthusiast. His untimely death was truly a loss for the collector car community and he will always be remembered for his incredible passion for the hobby and love of cars,” said Rob Myers, Chairman and Founder, RM Auctions.

“We are honored to have been entrusted with the task of selling part of the magnificent O’Quinn Collection at our upcoming Florida auctions and look forward to sharing his remarkable passion and collecting legacy with other enthusiasts,” added Myers.

Building on RM’s reputation as specialists for the auction of estate and private collections, the company will proudly offer some 55 examples from the renowned O’Quinn Collection at its Automobiles of Amelia Island event, March 13th, including two highly prized Model J Duesenbergs. Approximately 150 additional examples from the collection have been consigned to RM’s Collector Cars of Fort Lauderdale sale, March 26th – 28th, many of which will be offered without reserve. The selection features a diverse range of automobiles from American and European classics to sports cars and concept cars.
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Saab team formed for 2010 Roger Albert Clark Rally

nospam@example.com (ClassicRallies) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:53:40 +0100

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A squad of Saabs will tackle the 2010 Roger Albert Clark Rally in celebration of Saab legend Eric Carlsson winning the 1960 RAC Rally in a two-stroke Saab 96.

Inspired by Saab enthusiast Jim Valentine, at least four Saabs will be on the start list when the Roger Albert Clark Rally starts on 25 November. If all goes to plan, Carlsson and his 1960 co-driver Stuart Turner will be there to see the cars away, 50 years on from their famous victory on the rally that is now re-created by the Roger Albert Clark.

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Valentine has been a loyal supporter of the event in his two-stroke Saab 96 and is now encouraging other Saab owners to commit to the event. Three others have confirmed plans to enter and Valentine reckons there could be as many as eight cars if everyone who has expressed an interest in competing is able to finalise plans. In the first four cars Nick Pinkett and Patrice Wattine in early two-strokes and Richard Simpson in a later V4-engined 96 will join Valentine in the team.
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2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival Tickets

nospam@example.com (ClassicRallies) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:59:41 +0100

We received many email asking how to buy tickets for Goodwood Festival of Speed 2010 and Goodwoood Revival 2010.

The Earl of March, patron of the UK’s most celebrated motor sport meetings – the Goodwood Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival – is delighted to announce today the provisional 2010 dates for these hugely popular annual events.

The 2010 Goodwood Festival of Speed is provisionally scheduled to take place over the weekend of 2-4 July, subject to final confirmation of the rest of the motor sport calendar.

For 2010 the unique Goodwood Revival is provisionally scheduled for the weekend of 17-19 September.

For ticket information please go to Online Ticket Booking or contact fos@goodwood.co.uk

Graham Robson interview - The Daily Mirror 1970 World Cup Rally video

nospam@example.com (ClassicRallies) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:46:37 +0100

After the first ever intercontinental rally the London-Sydney in 1968 there was widespread enthusiasm for an even more difficult test. With the Football World Cup being held in Mexico in 1970, it was the perfect opportunity to hold a parallel, much tougher challenge the World Cup Rally.

Organisers John Sprinzel and John Brown secured sponsorship from the Daily Mirror and planned a unique high-speed event, lasting six weeks and covering 16,000 miles from London to Mexico City via some of the most varying, tortuous and difficult terrain on three continents.

Serious works teams such as Ford and British Leyland spent tremendous amounts choosing and developing new cars, completing months-long route surveys, and analysing every detail of diets, oxygen provision, and the number of crew members. Despite all this planning, out of an entry of more than 100, only 23 cars made it to the finish.

It was then, and remains now, the toughest rally of all time.

Thanks to VelocePublishing for sending us this video.

RM Auctions offers 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO for private treaty sale

nospam@example.com (ClassicRallies) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:22:14 +0100

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RM Auctions, the global leader in the collector car market with a specialization in the sale of Ferraris, is representing the 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO (chassis no. 4675 GT) – one of the most coveted cars in the world, for private treaty sale.

In addition to its impressive motor car auction results at prestigious locations around the globe, including the sale of seven of the top 10 Ferraris ever sold at auction, RM generates an average of $50 million in private treaty transactions year over year.

“The Ferrari GTO is unquestionably one of the most iconic and coveted cars in the world,” says Max Girardo, Managing Director of RM Europe. “This is truly a rare occasion for collectors to acquire such an important piece of automotive history and we are pleased to be chosen by 4675 GT’s current custodian to represent it on the open market.”

The 1963 Ferrari 250 GTO (chassis no. 4675 GT) is one of only 36 250 GTOs originally produced and one of a limited few with Series II GTO bodywork. In addition to being considered one of the most beautiful cars ever built by Ferrari, the GTO was tremendously successful in competition, securing multiple World Championships for the Modenese car builder.
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Awards for the Castle Combe Racing Club

nospam@example.com (ClassicRallies) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:32:59 +0100

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The Castle Combe Racing Club, responsible for organizing the race meetings at the Wiltshire circuit, continues to add to its collection of awards after receiving a number of further accolades.

Having achieved third place in the Motor Sport Association's 'Motor Club of the Year' competition in 2008, the club went one better in 2009 by grabbing the runner up award. A cheque for £500 and an impressive trophy were presented to the club's President, Howard Strawford, at the recent Autosport International show at the NEC by Allan Dean-Lewis, Head of External Affairs at the MSA.

With competition from more than 800 other clubs, Castle Combe was singled out for its initiatives with cadet marshals, recruitment & training of existing marshals and its new for 2009 concept to introduce more doctors to motorsport, which attracted more than 30 new medics.

Special recognition was also given to the strength of the club's three local championships which produced full grids, despite the recession. The club's unique race starter rebate scheme which gives 'cashback' to regular competitors was a strong contributing factor to the health of its entries.

For the second year running, the club also gained the 'Club of the Year' award from the Association of South West Motor Clubs.
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Bentley Drivers Club 61st Annual Race Meeting at Silverstone

nospam@example.com (ClassicRallies) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:24:56 +0100

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The Bentley Drivers Club will return to Silverstone for its 61st Annual Race Meeting on 7th August 2010, continuing its unbroken run of annual BDC events at the circuit, from 1949 right through to the present day. In 2010, however, the Bentley Drivers Club will be celebrating a very special anniversary… 30 years of the mighty Bentley Mulsanne.

“We hope to illustrate the full 30-year heritage of the Bentley Mulsanne at Silverstone on 7th August,” says Sebastian Welch, Competitions Captain of the BDC, “from the earliest models of Mulsanne produced in 1980, through to the brand-new 2010 Mulsanne being built at Crewe – a breathtaking, modern-day flagship for the marque.”

While the Bentley Mulsanne will be a strong theme of the August meeting, there will additionally be an enormous variety of Bentleys from all eras, racing flat-out on the Silverstone circuit. Plus plenty of other marques, too… The meeting will include a round of the Thoroughbred Sports Car Championship and of the Morgan Challenge Race Series, while the Allcomers’ race attracts not only Bentleys but Aston Martins and Jaguars, through to the Ginetta G4 and the Kurtis 500S. In total, there will be 10 races at this ever-popular meeting.
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Lister Jaguar Showcased at Race retro 2010

nospam@example.com (ClassicRallies) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:12:27 +0100

A delectable line-up of Lister Jaguars – the Cambridge-built sports cars that took the big manufacturers on at their own game and won - will be showcased at this year’s Race Retro, held at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry from 12th to 14th March.

Examples of the earliest models – including founder Brian Lister’s first car, through the classic Lister ‘knobbly’ and Costin-bodied models and onto the 1990s’ Storm, which saw the name’s revival, will be reunited with the man behind the marque.

Their appearance coincides with a book written by highly-regarded Jaguar enthusiast Paul Skilleter, which chronicles the company’s sports cars, their founder Brian Lister and their successes during the late-1950s.

Closely associated with driver Archie Scott-Brown, Listers originally used MG and Bristol engines, but the switch to Jaguar engines and the shape of the car, dubbed ‘knobbly’, brought the company unparalleled success and exposure.

A later model, designed by then-leading aerodynamicist Frank Costin shepherded in a new cleaner, wind-cheating appearance, but didn’t repeat the success of earlier models.

Those earlier models proved successful in the fledgling historic motor sport scene, but the Lister name was revived in the 1990s with an all-new (but still Jaguar-powered) sports car. Laurence Pearce’s 600bhp Lister Storm ran at Le Mans and at Daytona, bringing home both the FIA GT Drivers’ and Teams’ Championship in 2000.
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White sets pace at Targa Wrest Point

nospam@example.com (ClassicRallies) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 10:16:51 +0100

Tasmanian Jason White is looking like the man to beat in this year’s Targa Wrest Point, upstaging his rivals in his Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera Type R on the opening day on the stages south of Hobart.

West Australian, Dean Herridge, is in second place, 26 seconds behind the Burnie driver, impressing in his Subaru Impreza WRX STI.

Another from the West, Steve Jones, is third, a further 12 seconds back, and he will be looking to charge home on Sunday in his Nissan GT-R. Reigning Targa Tasmania champion, Tony Quinn, also in a Nissan GT-R, was on the pace early, but slipped back to fourth as the opening day unfolded, over a minute in arrears of White.

Eight-time Targa Tasmania winner, Jim Richards, could not match the pace of his younger rivals in their Japanese machines, and is back in fifth place in his Porsche 911 GT2.

Leading the Classic Overall competition is John Ireland and Michael Robot in a 1977 Porsche 911, 53 seconds in front of Peter Eames in his 1974 Porsche 911. Bill Pye is third in his Porsche, after a fascinating day’s competition.

“I’m surprised to be leading actually, because I thought we’d dropped quite a bit of time on the second run through the Tahune stages, but our pace on other stages has been quite good,” Ireland said.

“The car has been sticking to the road like a leech in the rough sections, and we’ve managed to maintain a comfortable pace throughout the day. Anything can happen tomorrow, but I’m hopeful of getting to the finish in Hobart still in the lead.”

The Showroom category for stock-standard production cars is being headed by Tasmanian Tony Warren, just six seconds clear of motoring journalist, Dean Evans, both driving Mitsubishi Lancer Evo.

The second running of Targa Wrest Point is being run over 14 Targa stages, with a total competitive distance of 210 kilometres. Weather conditions on the first day of the two-day rally have been perfect, with dry roads and no chance of rain.
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The Maya Classic Rally to start soon

nospam@example.com (ClassicRallies) — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:22:44 +0100

7 Countries in 21 Days - A classic drive in Central America, from Panama to Mexico - February 12th to March 5th 2010.

The Maya Classic Rally is a 21 day adventure traversing seven amazing countries in Central America taking the participants from Mexico City to Veracruz in Mexico.

The route takes you through Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico.

The driving ranges from stunning mountains, to Caribbean seas and from the cacti studded deserts to cultivated lowlands. Here, there is the full range of fabulous scenery and local life laid out before you.