Alpine attraction
THE 37TH EDITION Kitzbühel Alpenrallye in Austria is set to take place on 5-8 June. Held against a breathtaking Alpine backdrop, the event aims to build on the 2023 running, which had the theme Timeless Passion. There will be four competition classes: Sport Plus, Sport, Classic, and Youngtimers & Exotic Cars, of which the Sport Plus category is for real purists, requiring analogue timekeeping for all its tests. The Sport category permits digital timing, the Classic class allows a more relaxed touring experience, while Youngtimers & Exotics is all about leisure driving and has no timed tests at all.
Also building on the 2023 route, this year’s 600km event kicks off as last year’s did at Johann’s airfield, and will include Austria’s highest peak, the Grossglockner. The rally ends with a picturesque tour into the Salzburg region and the event itself culminates with a concours and awards ceremony in historic downtown Kitzbühel, which will be closed off for the rally cars. See alpenrallye.at.
King visits Goodwood
Richard ‘The King’ Petty is to be one of the star attractions at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on 11-14 July. While the seven-time NASCAR champ – only Dale Earnhardt and Jimmie Johnson have as many titles – is waving to his subjects from Goodwood’s balcony, his legendary 1970 Plymouth Superbird will be driven up the hillclimb by son Kyle.
Red letter day for Bertha
The German Federal Ministry of Finance has issued a special 70c stamp to mark the 175th anniversary of the birth of Bertha Benz. The stamp is available at all Deutsche Post AG points of sale and shows Frau Benz’s portrait beside the Benz Patent Motor Car in which she undertook the first long-distance journey in automobile history in 1888.
Better Beaulieu
A five-month, £920,000 programme of phased works to overhaul the Brabazon Restaurant & Coffee Shop at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu was completed in early April. The facilites cater for more than 300,000 visitors every year. More info at beaulieu.co.uk.
Hesketh reunion
The 50th anniversary of Hesketh’s first F1 victory was marked at Silverstone on 20 April during the VSCC’s Spring Start. Organised by Valentine Lindsay, it reunited members of the team – including Lord Hesketh, Bubbles Horsley, draughtsman Graham Humphrys, mechanic Dave Sims, fabricator Nigel Rackett, engineer Nigel Stroud and designer Frank Dernie – with the Hesketh 308 in which James Hunt scored that win.
Vet
