Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, 25/03/2006
“Variety is the Spice of Life”
The fourth annual running of the show once again saw a very broad array of historic
motor sport gathered within the halls of the National Agricultural Centre at Stoneleigh
Park to the south west of Coventry. The show encompasses virtually every aspect of what
one might be able to do with one’s historic vehicle, whether it be from the restoration
aspect, or the type events open for your participation, not just at a national level, but on a
worldwide scale. If you were not a current owner of a historic vehicle, then there was
vendor area with a selection of affordable vehicles from private sellers on offer to tempt
you into the fold.
“Four Halls with Four Themes”
The exhibition halls each had their own main themes, thus making it easier for visitors
who had a specific field of interest to know where they wanted to be. The main entrance
took attendees straight into Hall 2, which was the province of event organisers,
engineering, sales and restoration companies. Here could be found a wide array of
interesting cars including a Ferrari 500 Mondial on the Top Hat stand, whilst Jim Stokes
Workshop had a 156 “Sharknose” Ferrari re-creation in rolling chassis form and an Alfa
Romeo half track vehicle as part of their display. The adjacent Hall 1 was the province of
historic rally cars and organisations, together with the art gallery and accessory vendors.
The main focus of Hall 3 was dedicated mainly to motorcycles and related accessory
stands, whilst Hall 4 was where the autojumble area was located in slightly less
salubrious surroundings. This hall also held the driving test and trials courses at the far
end open to atmosphere, with plastic sheeting helping to keep a degree of warmth in the
main area on a raw weekend.
“Inside Out”
The show wasn’t only confined to the four main exhibition halls, but also spilled to the
outside area, with a group of historic race transporters greeting visitors at the main
entrance, including the famous metallic blue Ecurie Ecosse example and an ex-Tyrrell F1
closed transporter. There was also action, with a celebration of the historic Group B rally
cars which ran between 1982 and 1986, with examples like the Ford RS 200 and Renault
5 Maxi Turbo running on a special stage on the Saturday and Sunday, alongside which
was a historic kart display circuit. Aside from this there was further competitive action with
a motorcycle trials course and a driving test course in an open to atmosphere area at the
end of one of the halls, necessary to dissipate the exhaust gases! For attendees who
wanted to participate in a little competition there was a slot car track available to test your
skills against others.
“Events”
As noted within the halls there were numerous stands promoting events for historic
vehicles, which seem to grow every year, surely the calendar will soon reach saturation
point, but it seems that resurrecting historic gatherings just continues to gather
momentum. One of the most attractive of these was a stand promoting a 40th
anniversary re-run of the London – Sydney Marathon in 2008, complete with an outback
backdrop, a faithful copy of the 1968 event winning Hillman Hunter and a stuffed
kangaroo.
The British Midlands may not have the Charisma of Paris for Retromobile, but this show
dedicated to historic motor sport seemed to attract foreign visitors as well as the home
crowd, judging by the registration plates in the car parks, and varying accents heard
around the halls.
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