Showtime in Boston
The Boston Classic Car Club (BCCC) Annual Show is one of our favourite local events, because it’s free to enter and variety is guaranteed. This year’s bash will take place at Hubberts Bridge (PE20 3QU) on August 13.
John Simpson, chairman of the BCCC, told us: ‘We’ll have about 500 vehicles taking part. Sarah Crabtree is doing the prizegiving, and the Dream Belles will be performing music from the forties through to the seventies. There will be plenty of catering and an autojumble too. Classic car entries are free but must be booked in advance; log on to boston classiccarclub. org.uk for more.’
DEVON TEASE
It's 18 years since the Devon Branch of the Morris Minor Owners’ Club launched the Exmouth Classic Vehicle Show, and the group’s Nickie Tilley promises that this year’s event is set to be a cracker. ‘We wanted our event to be informal by not requiring vehicle owners to book in advance or have set arrival and departure times. We don’t impose an age-related cut-off date for exhibiting vehicles and instead of an entry fee, visitors can make a donation to the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.
‘The recipe has been a big success, which is why lots of local clubs share the day with us, including the BMW Car Club, Crash Box & Classic Car Club, UK PT Cruisers Club and Torbay Old Wheels Club.’ It’s all happening on August 13 at the Imperial Recreation Showground, Exmouth. mmoc.org.uk/events
Festival atmosphere for Silverstone
The Silverstone Festival (rebranded this year from the previous Classic) is probably the UK's biggest classic car event. This year is set to be extra special; Silverstone celebrates its 75th birthday in 2023 and, to mark the occasion, a glittering array of significant GP cars will take to the track, including a grid of 60 racers that will compete three times over the weekend, August 2527. Alongside this, will also be marked.
As always, lots of other anniversaries will be celebrated including 110 years of Aston Martin, 75 years of NASCAR, Porsche and Lotus, 70 years of the Corvette, 65 years of the DB4 and 60 years of the DB5. Lamborghini, the Lotus Cortina and the Porsche 911 are all 60 this year, Ford is 120, and MG and Triumph celebrate their centenary. The Caterham Seven and Austin Allegro turn 50.
As well as non-stop track action – and we mean on-the-limit racing, not parade laps dressed up as competition – more than 120 clubs have stands. Jowett, Bristol and Fairthorpe will rub shoulders with Volvo, Alfa Romeo, Morgan and Lotus.
It would be easy to baulk at the £69 minimum cost of a one-day ticket (rising to £95 for the Saturday or Sunday), but club members can claim a useful discount, and a three-day pass at £145 (before any reductions are applied) is very good value for money when you look at what you get in return.
