The Masters Le Mans Legends series is for sports-racing cars from the International Sports Racing Series, the FIA Sports Car Championship, European Le Mans Series, American Le Mans Series, Intercontinental Le Mans Cup and Le Mans Endurance Series. With cars eligible from the earlier SR1 and SR2 regulations and then the subsequent LMP1 and LMP2 regulations, there is a vast number of chassis race-ready for this exciting new series. In addition, there will be categories for IMSA sports cars of the equivalent period and GT1 and GT2 cars from the equivalent period.

The series will initially have a class structure split into three main eras: 1995-1999, 2000-2005 and 2006-2011. Each era will also be split into four categories for LMP1, LMP2, GT1 and GT2 to cater for the differing types of cars, giving everyone an opportunity to race for awards. Regulations will mirror those used in period.

The 2018 series will run at a maximum of six Masters Historic Racing events at circuits in Europe that can accommodate the speeds and safety requirements of the cars. The race weekend format in 2018 will likely consist of two 30-minute qualifying sessions and a 45-minute race, with mandatory pit stops in each race and penalties applied to professional drivers to equate the field.

In addition, ace sports car racer Nicolas Minassian will act as Series Director with responsibility for overseeing technical stability and promoting grid sizes.

I am delighted to work with Masters Historic Racing on this new initiative,” said Nicolas. “These are superb cars which captured the hearts of the fans and the drivers and with them being recent cars, they are fresh in people’s minds. This is the ultimate historic racing category and one I believe that has enormous potential with so many cars built from major motor manufacturers and low-volume race car constructors. I wish I could find a car for myself!

Masters Historic Racing’s Ron Maydon is very excited about the new series: “I have been looking at the bigger picture and what will be the next era of historic racing for a long time and we feel that this is the perfect series. These are fabulous cars and will undoubtedly thrill fans and drivers alike. We are delighted to be working with Nic Minassian on this project too as his name is synonymous with these cars.

“We will be running a pilot race this year at the Spa Six Hours meeting and then plan to build on that over the winter for our series in 2018 but we are announcing it now so that people have a long lead-in time to join the must-do historic racing class.”

The Masters Le Mans Legends series will run at the Spa Six Hours on September 15-17 and news of early entries to the series will come as race weekend approaches.

It’s 25 years since the dramatically-styled, mid-engined, two-seater supercar was first introduced, quickly becoming not only Jaguar’s fastest ever production car (an accolade it still holds today) but also the fastest production car in the world when clocked at a – then peerless – 212.3 mph.

Jaguar produced just 271 XJ220s between 1992 and 1994 in conjunction with its competition partner Tom Walkinshaw Racing – each one priced at a not inconsiderable £470,000. Such is their rarity that, until this summer’s planned gathering at the Silverstone Classic (28-30 July), never have more than a handful ever been seen together.

Now, working closely with renowned XJ220 specialist Don Law Racing, the organisers of the annual Classic are aiming to bring together more than 50 examples for an astonishing display and circuit parade at the end of July.

“We are inviting all XJ220 owners from right round the world to join us for what will be a really special celebration of an often overlooked supercar,” said Law. “We will be bringing along some special models including the Martini car and the MIRA crash test car, and we are also hoping to have one of the factory Le Mans cars here. The largest public gathering of XJ220s in the UK to-date is 20 – our aim for this summer’s Classic is to at least double that.”

The Jaguar XJ220 showcase will take place on the Saturday of the event, with a parade lap involving some specially invited guests who have close associations with the car’s design, development and on-track success.

“The Classic now has quite a reputation for staging these record-breaking parades but, even by our own very high standards, this promises to be something very, very special,” stated Nick Wigley, CEO of event organiser, Goose Live Events. “It all really started back in 2011 with the remarkable cavalcade of 767 E-types, which still holds an official Guinness World Record for a parade of Jaguars. Since then, we’ve seen massive numbers of Aston Martins, Porsche 911s, Ferrari F40s, Ford Mustangs and even grand prix cars all take to the track – and this year, we will add never-before-seen numbers of XJ220s to that incredible roster.”

Although originally conceived to feature a V12 engine plus four-wheel-drive, to meet emissions legislation and performance targets, the showroom XJ220 model arrived with a 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 developing 542bhp, delivered to the rear transaxle via a five-speed manual gearbox.

A racing version – called the XJ220-C – was introduced in 1993 to compete in the increasingly important GT class within international sportscar races. Later that year, one of these factory-entered cars driven by David Brabham, David Coulthard and John Nielsen won the GT category at Le Mans only to be controversially excluded by the French organisers.

“When I first saw the XJ220, I must admit I thought it was a sexy-looking beast, but as soon as we started testing it transpired to be difficult to drive,” Brabham recalls. “In fact, by the time we got to Le Mans pre-qualifying, it was pretty scary and tail-happy – not to mention slow.

“A much bigger rear wing was fitted for the race, all of a sudden bringing the car to life – but even then, the week was far from straightforward. Despite a variety of dramas, we fought back against all odds to win our class.

“To represent Jaguar at Le Mans was already something very cool, and to be up on the podium after the race was amazing, with a sea of fans down in the pit-lane below. My brother was one of the overall race winners with Peugeot, so it was a particularly special moment for the Brabham family, celebrating a double victory.

“And then, of course, we got disqualified…”

Launched in 1959, the DB4 G.T. was immediately celebrated as one of the rarest and most revered of all Aston Martins. Evolved from the production DB4 and introduced in the same year Aston Martin scored its historic outright win in the Le Mans 24 Hours, the DB4 G.T. was a true supercar of its day. Shorter, lighter, sleeker and with a more powerful version of the legendary 3.7-litre straight-six engine, not only was the DB4 G.T. Britain’s fastest passenger sports car, it was a born winner, scoring a debut race victory at Silverstone in the hands of Sir Stirling Moss. A total of 75 DB4 G.T.s were built between 1959 and 1963. Of these only eight were lightweight models. Most of which survive today, and values now comfortably exceed £3m.

Remaining faithful to the design of those original eight factory lightweights, each DB4 G.T. continuation will be built with Aston Martin Works’ unrivalled experience and exemplary attention. Employing a blend of old world craftsmanship and modern techniques, continuation cars benefit from improvements in engine performance, handling, braking and safety, with great care taken to ensure these enhancements build upon the original’s exceptional qualities while retaining its feel and character.

Underlining that authenticity are the continuation car VIN numbers, which carry on from the last original DB4 G.T. ordered – Chassis 0202R – for an unbroken bloodline and impeccable Newport Pagnell-built pedigree spanning half a century.

At its heart is a version of the celebrated Tadek Marek-designed straight-six cylinder engine with two spark plugs per cylinder, transmitting its 340bhp to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission and limited-slip differential, just as in the original DB4 G.T. Thanks to its shortened wheelbase the DB4 G.T. is a strict two-seater blessed with greater agility than the regular four-seater DB4. Its body follows the original construction, with thin-gauge aluminum panels fitted over a tubular frame. To improve the accuracy and consistency of the panels, the continuation car’s bodywork uses state-of-the-art digital technology, before being hand-finished in time-honoured tradition.

Fittingly for a car created to celebrate one of Aston Martin’s most illustrious competition models, the DB4 G.T. Continuation is built to be enjoyed on track. Aston Martin Works has created a two-year international track driving programme held at a number of the world’s finest race tracks, including the spectacular Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi. The ultimate arrive-and-drive experience, customers may also take advantage of Aston Martin’s dedicated driver training team. Comprised of expert instructors, including Aston Martin Racing’s multiple Le Mans class winner (and Goodwood Revival regular) Darren Turner, they will help customers master driving techniques from an era when track driving was more art than science.

Paul Spires, Commercial Director, Aston Martin Works said of the DB4 G.T. Continuation programme: “For over 60 years Aston Martin Works has devoted unrivalled skill and experience to preserving Aston Martin’s heritage. Now we are creating something for the future, with a special series of 25 continuation cars that celebrate one of Aston Martin’s greatest cars – the DB4 G.T. Lightweight.

“Built in our recently refurbished, state-of-the-art facilities in Newport Pagnell, the DB4 G.T. Continuation is hand built in the same location as its illustrious forebears, and marks the return of production to the historic home of Aston Martin for the first time since the last Vanquish S was completed in 2007. Combining the authenticity of a hand-crafted David Brown era car with sympathetic application of modern engineering advancements and performance enhancements, the DB4 G.T. Continuation is a fusion of classic design and contemporary methods.

“The result is a truly remarkable machine. One that offers 25 individuals the opportunity of commissioning a classic, built to modern day standards and ready to be enjoyed in an international track driving programme as bespoke and individual as the cars themselves.”

Dr Andy Palmer, Aston Martin President and CEO commented: “Aston Martin has a rich and vibrant heritage, as you’d expect from a company that has been building some of the world’s finest sports cars for 103-years. Of those the DB4 G.T. stands proud as one of the most coveted of all. It’s a mark of Aston Martin’s breadth of abilities that in the same year we launched the DB11 – our most advanced ‘DB’ production car ever – we can also embark on an adventure such as the DB4 G.T. Continuation. A project that taps into the unique passion and skills that exist within Aston Martin, I’m thrilled we have the imagination and capability to offer 25 enthusiasts the unique opportunity to commission their own piece of Aston Martin history.” 

First deliveries of DB4 G.T. Continuation will commence in QTR 3 2017.

By competing in the Group C Racing 2016 together with his Motorsport 98 team, Eric De Doncker had over and above all the intention of finding his bearings. The least one can say is that the outcome exceeded all expectations, as after the last two races of the season this weekend on the Paul Ricard circuit, within the context of the Dix Mille Tours by Peter Auto, the Belgian driver quite simply clinched the title in C1!  “By finishing 4th and 6th in the first two races of the season at Jarama, and even though I had not put in any test runs with the car, I soon realised that the performance was already on hand, Eric commented. In fact, I only experienced one retirement, at Spa, as the result of a loosened electric wire. As for the rest, the car’s perfectly fine-tuned work put in by Julien Daivier and Yannick Desmadryl, the Motorsport 98 technicians, clearly made all the difference. In the Le Mans Classic race, undeniably the season’s peak event on the circuit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, I finished in 2nd spot overall. Seeing the points system at the Sarthe counted double I found myself leading the championship, with as ultimate rival Tommy Dreelan, who races a fearsome Porsche 962 C, but also has a professional teammate, Aaron Scott. Everything would therefore be played for this weekend at Paul Ricard…”

A potentially explosive weekend, which started off with a scare when a sparkplug sheared off a thread of the Cosworth engine’s cylinder head … “Luckily once again the team were able to work miracles, and I was finally able to compete in two races with as main objective to finish and ensure scoring points, De Doncker added. This Sunday, during Race 2, when leaving the pits having been obliged to fit a new tyre due to a puncture, the engine cut out for a few seconds. I screamed as I thought it was a new electrical problem, but after analysis, it transpired to be the ECU that had gone into safety mode. My guys soon sorted out the problem, which allowed me to get going again, finish the race and grab the necessary points to claim the overall tittle!”

Trial run, and a master stroke for Eric De Doncker and his Motorsport 98 outfit… “As we celebrate this title, I wish to strongly thank Julien, Yannick, all the team members, my wife Catherine for her unfailing support and presence by my side, as also Geoff Richardson Engines, BMTR and Avon. This Group C Racing championship continues to evolve in the right direction under the leadership of Peter Auto, and its promoters for the future. From my side I still need to progress at the wheel of this Spice developing 600 bhp with its impressive downforce. This will be the objective for the 2017 season, in the course of which I have the firm intention of fully defending my title. With near on 25 cars present in the Var, competition is ever more important, which makes the challenge even more interesting.”

Hardly back from Paul Ricard, Eric De Doncker will be heading off for Zolder, where the final round of the NASCAR Whelen Euro Series is taking place next weekend, with a certain Jeff Gordon, an American motorsport icon, who will be acting as the Grand Marshal. For Motorsport 98, this will be another challenge within a highly competitive context. Action…

With more than one hundred entrants, and a battle that once again promises to be majestic between the legendary Ford GT40, Shelby Cobra and various Jaguar Type E, the event that has given its name to this weekend dedicated to these classic machines will definitely be worth experiencing again this year. If on the one hand the 12 Ford GT40, the muscle car reference over these last few years, will all be on the grid, the list – provisional – of entrants feature a few names that undoubtedly will excite the curiosity of the general public.

Starting off with that of the Austrian Gerhard Berger, tenfold winner in the Formula 1 World Championship, iconic Ferrari, Benetton and McLaren driver, who at the age of 57 has also decided to succumb to the world of historic races. And there is every chance we will hear a great deal about him, as during the Spa Six Hours he will be sharing the Ford GT40 #16 with the English specialist Richard Meaden, making this duo one of the favourites for overall victory. Even though Berger has never won the Belgian Grand Prix, it is worth remembering that in 1985, he claimed victory in the 24 Hours of Spa together with the Italian Roberto Ravaglia and Swiss driver Marc Surer, in a BMW. Gerhard is familiar with the highest tread of the podium at Francorchamps … You have been warned …

Other personality, of a totally different kind, expected on the grid: Prince Rahim Aga Khan, eldest son of the Aga Khan IV. Married to top model Kendra Spears, Rahim Aga Khan, 44 years old, is a well-known figure among the elite. Aficionado of motorsport, he will for the occasion be at the wheel of the Porsche 911 #43 which he will share no least with the renowned Swiss watchmaker Richard Mille. Fans of the genre will appreciate …

Several weeks after the highly popular Belgian Grand Prix, motorsport’s top discipline will be back in action at Francorchamps, unevenly interwoven.  These are in fact the single-seaters dating from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s from the highly official FIA Masters Historic Formula One Championship, a competition in which a Belgian driver, Loïc Deman, is clearly laying claim to the title with his Tyrrell 010 formerly driven by the Frenchman Jean-Pierre Jarier and the Irishman Derek Daly. A racing car that has remained famous for having been implicated, no doubt about it, in the legendary pile-up during the start of the 1980 Monaco Grand Prix!

With more than 650 racing machines of yesteryears out on the track throughout the three days, as also the one of a kind unique atmosphere in the paddocks, the Spa Six Hours prevails as the meeting of the year for the clubs and all the enthusiasts, and in particular orchestrated by the FBVA, Fédération Belges des Véhicules Anciens, more than ever active in the lounges of the Eau Rouge, allowing one and all to refuel memories. Ensure you pencil in the 16th, 17th and 18th of September in your diaries, so as not to miss out on a weekend full of ‘nostalgia’ and glorious machinery on the most beautiful circuit in the world…

Brown, having swept the ex-Dyson Racing 1986 Porsche to victory at the Le Mans Classic recently, repeated the feat in California to replicate his 2014 Monterey win – Stefan Johansson having also won in the same car in the corresponding event in 2012. It looked as though United Autosports would have two cars on the podium in the race, Richard Dean a solid third until he pitted the Mustang on the last lap with a broken third gear. In the Pre-Reunion’s second race, Brown started the 962 from pole on the 28-car grid but had to be content with second place at the chequered flag. Unfortunately Zak missed the Reunion’s 962 races today due to him needing to attend urgent business meetings at Pebble Beach.

The 1982 IMSA Camel GT Championship winning Porsche 935 began Saturday’s Reunion weekend race from an excellent sixth on the 49-car grid with Brown sweeping into fourth after the first corner. However, Zak was forced into retirement with a gearbox problem – an issue that caused the “JLP-3”, the ex-John Paul Sr/Jr Porsche, to scratch from the second race later that day.

Dean started the Scott Pruett 1986 IMSA GTO Championship winning Roush Protofab Mustang from the fifth row of the 1981-91 FIA/IMSA GTO/GTP grid for its first race today, made up two places on the opening lap and was fifth by lap two. Richard took the chequered flag fifth after nine-laps, his was the highest-placed Mustang in the 43-car field – finishing less than 25 seconds behind the race-winning Porsche 962C. Dean started the second race fifth but had the audacity to challenge the more modern machinery for third place at the first turn, Richard having to settle for fourth at the end of the opening lap. Ultimately Dean brought the Mustang home a fantastic third after a titanic battle over the last two laps to earn United Autosports a praiseworthy third podium finish of the double-header meeting.

Unfortunately due to Brown’s track absence today, the 1980 Williams FW07B did not get to race – Zak having qualified the previous day on the 1967-84 Formula One car grid which included former four-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion Eddie Lawson. The Reunion once again attracted a host of famous faces in the paddock including Sir Stirling Moss O.B.E., Sir Jackie Stewart O.B.E., Derek Bell M.B.E., Dario Franchitti M.B.E., and former United Autosports driver Johansson. Phil Burgan, who raced for United in the GT Cup Championship, was also an interested observer. The founder and CEO of Maria Mallaband Care Group Ltd supports United Autosports’ maiden European Le Mans Series campaign.

Zak Brown (USA). Born: Los Angeles, California, USA. Lives: London, England:
“The Rolex Monterey Reunion was another fantastic experience. A great variety of cars in every class and a superb opportunity to see lots of friends in the paddock that included one of United’s ex-racers Stefan Johansson and Dario Franchitti who I drove with on the ‘Highland Tour of Scotland’ last year. I absolutely adore the 962 and I was so happy to add another win with the Porsche after my recent Le Mans success. I was disappointed I was prevented from racing today but I wasn’t feeling 100% and I needed to be at a couple of business meetings. I’d love to bring over the Audi 200 quattro Trans-Am that we’ve just purchased for next year’s Reunion but whatever United will be back.”

Richard Dean (GB). Born/Lives: Leeds, England:
“It’s been another memorable trip to Monterey and to this unique event. Our team has worked very hard over here for over two weeks prepping our four cars. Our Pre-Reunion victory and additional rostrum was as much down to their hard work and it was a shame we didn’t get to race the 962 this weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed my races in the Mustang – the rear wheels are spinning in every gear – and that’s in the dry – and I was pleased with a rostrum in our last race. But we now quickly turn our attention to the next round of the European Le Mans Series in Southern France which takes place next weekend where we aim to keep intact out 100% winning record in LMP3 and extend our championship lead.”

Anglo-American team adds more desirable racecars to its already impressive “historic” collection Monterey signalled the final historic car race event of the year for United Autosports but work will continue apace on the restoration of three recent stunning additions to its already impressive stable. A 1974 Ford Cologne Capri RS3100, a 1984 Lancia LC2 and a 1988 Audi 200 quattro Trans Am have each been purchased this year – more of the world’s finest racecars being brought back to their original, optimum condition by United’s top engineers and skilled craftsmen.

The Ford is one of only three works Cologne Capri RS3100s built and scored two 1974 European Touring Car Championship victories at Zandvoort (Jochen Mass/Rolf Stommelen) and Jarama (Hans Heyer/Klaus Ludwig/Toine Hezemans). This chassis also scored a win in the ’74 Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft at Hockenheim (Ludwig) while Niki Lauda posted a sixth place (Norisring) in the DRM. The Martini Lancia was constructed ahead of the 1984 season and was campaigned for the better part of two seasons in the World Sportscar Championship. Following its debut at Monza, Bob Wollek qualified the car on pole at Le Mans and it led the race for 17 hours with Alessandro Nannini setting the fastest race lap. Nannini and Riccardo Patrese won the 1984 Kyalami 1000km before it was “retired” at the end of the ‘85 season.

This Audi 200 quattro won the 1988 Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) Trans Am Championship with Hurley Haywood as its driver. Audi was dominant in the series and also won the Manufacturers title with the first four-wheel-drive car to compete in the Trans Am championship. In 1988, Haywood took victories in Dallas and Detroit, with four further podiums at Long Beach, Brainard, Meadowlands and Mid Ohio. This particular Audi was also driven by Walter Röhrl and Hans-Joachim Stuck.

Testing, testing, 1-2-3 . . .
The team clocked-up almost 1,000 valuable miles in a recent LMP3 test at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium (10-11 Aug). All six of United’s European Le Mans Series squad were present, Matt Bell, Wayne Boyd, Alex Brundle, Christian England, Mike Guasch and Mark Patterson, sharing the driving of the two Ligier JS P3 sports-prototypes during the two-day, weather-effected test.

Upcoming Event . . .
United resumes its maiden ELMS campaign at Paul Ricard in France next weekend (26-28 Aug) – the team having won the LMP3 category in the opening three races. The team’s transporter departed from Leeds today for the 1,000-mile journey to Le Castellet.

Meanwhile, to celebrate 60 years since the Renault Dauphine first went on sale in America, Renault Classic dispatched a Dauphine to Bonneville Speed Week (13-19 August) where Nicolas Prost, driver for Renault e.dams in the FIA Formula E Championship, established a new class record 76.5mph* (123.1kph), proving that passion has no age.

The record-breaking Étoile Filante (meaning “shooting star” in French) is a prime example of how engineers sought to carry over aircraft technologies into automotive design during the aviation-infatuated period following the Second World War.

When war ended in 1945, Turboméca’s boss Mr. De Szidlowski, a leading expert in turbine engines, started making small power units for applications such as the famous Alouette helicopter. Very eager to raise public awareness on what he considered an immensely promising technology, he approached Renault with a high-profile concept in mind. Renault boss Pierre Lefaucheux went ahead and commissioned development of an experimental car from a highly experienced team of three: project manager Fernand Picard, exceptionally talented engine specialist Albert Lory, and engineer and test driver Jean Hébert. The outcome was the Étoile Filante, with a polyester body on a tubular structure and a turbine developing 270hp.

On 5^th September 1956, the whistle of the powerful turbine ricocheted around the salt lake of Bonneville, USA.  A few moments later, the world speed record had been broken. The Étoile Filante had reached 308.9kph (192mph) over a kilometre (0.6 miles), and 308.85kph (192mph) over 5 km (3.1 miles), a record that still holds today.  Despite its virtues, turbine technology proved ill-adapted to automotive applications, and neither Renault nor any other carmaker would take the concept any further. Even so, the Étoile Filante stands as an epoch-marking machine, in a class of its own.

Now, 27 years later, after a two-year restoration, it is part of Mazda North American Operations (MNAO)’s collection, and will return to the track at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion August 19-21, at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

As with the 1990 787 Group C, 1991 RX-7 IMSA GTO and 1992 RX-792P race cars in MNAO’s Heritage Collection, the experts at Downing/Atlanta took the responsibility to return the 767B to race-ready condition. Under the watchful eyes of Mazda racing stalwarts Jim Downing and Rick Engman, the car was taken down to a bare tub and rebuilt piece by piece. The team built the four-rotor 13J engine specifically for this car, and it delivers all the power, torque and noise it did when the car raced in-period.

Support of motorsports comes from the top within Mazda. According to president and CEO of MNAO and managing executive officer, Mazda Motor Corporation (MC), Masahiro Moro, “Mazda has a never give up attitude and it is exemplified in the 767B. The race track is the perfect environment to showcase our history of continuous innovation. We use our historic race cars, not as static reminders of the past, but rolling, screaming, fire-breathing brand ambassadors for the future.”

Ken Saward, design manager, MNAO, in Irvine, California, has worked with the Mazda Motorsports team for many years, and has been given the honor of piloting the 767B in Monterey. Saward brings many years of experience in Spec Miata and endurance racing to his new challenge.

Saward noted: “It’s unbelievable how motorsports and automotive technology has evolved over the past three decades. We see things that were once only found on exotic race cars now on affordable street cars. As a designer, our unique racing history really does inspire us to take chances with design for future cars. I couldn’t be more honored or thrilled that Mazda has entrusted me with this incredible piece of company racing history.”

Chassis History:
Chassis 767B-002 is powered by a four-rotor 13J putting out a healthy 630 horsepower. This chassis was first raced at the Fuji 1000 km in 1989, where it won the IMSA GTP class. Early in 1989, it acquired its iconic green and orange “Charge” livery, one of the products of the Renown company.

The full race record for the car is as follows:

1989 Fuji 1000 Km. JSPC (30 April), #202, 9th overall, 1st IMSA GTP, Yojiro Terada / Takashi Yorino / Yoshimi Katayama

1989 Le Mans WSPC (10-11 June), #202, 9th overall, 2nd IMSA GTP, Takashi Yorino / Herve Regout / Elliott Forbes-Robinson

1989 Fuji 500 Miles JSPC (23 July), #202, 7th overall, 2nd IMSA GTP, Yojiro Terada / Takashi Yorino / Yoshimi Katayama

1989 Fuji 1000 Km. JSPC (8 Oct.), #202, 10th overall, 1st IMSA GTP, Takashi Yorino / David Kennedy

1989 Suzuka 1000 Km. JSPC (3 Dec.), #202, DNF, gearbox, Yojiro Terada / Takashi Yorino / Yoshimi Katayama

1990 Fuji 500 Km. JSPC (11 March), #202, 9th overall, 1st IMSA GTP, Yorjiro Terada / Yoshimi Katayama / Pierre Dieudonne

WSPC = World Sports Prototype Championship
JSPC = All-Japan Sports Prototype Championship

A previous double Monterey Reunion winner is the ex-Dyson Racing 1986 Porsche 962. Stefan Johansson won at Monterey in this car in 2012 while Los Angeles-born Brown, who has been attending the Reunion since 1990 and driving in the event for the past six years, took the 962 to victory himself in 2014 from pole-position. Dean, meanwhile, steered the Porsche 962 to third place in a Pre-Reunion Group C race last year. Price Cobb (USA), Rob Dyson (USA) and James Weaver (GB) raced the 962 in the IMSA Camel GT Championship between 1986-88, the Porsche winning on its race debut in the Six Hours of Riverside in ’86 while Cobb claimed third place in the Monterey Triple Crown Camel Grand Prix at Laguna the same year. Brown started from pole, won and set the fastest race lap in class in the 962 at the Le Mans Classic in June this year.

Another project lovingly restored by United Autosports and at Monterey for a third consecutive year is the Scott Pruett 1986 IMSA GTO Championship winning 1985 Roush Protofab that was raced in both Ford “Capri” and “Mustang” guise. Pruett took this car to victory at Laguna in 1986. The 1981 Porsche 935 “JLP-3” is regarded by many as the most successful 935. Not only is it the only car ever to win both the Daytona 24 and Sebring 12 Hour races in the same year (1982), the Porsche scored five consecutive race wins and 16 podium finishes in 26 races. Raced by John Paul Sr. and his son John Paul Jr., the 935 won the 1982 IMSA Camel GT Championship.

Marketing and sponsorship guru Brown will be aboard the 1980 Williams FW07B Cosworth DFV at the Reunion, an ex-Alan Jones chassis that never actually contested a Grand Prix in North America. However, in the eight GPs the Patrick Head designed car raced in, it won four (Spain [non-championship], France, Britain and Australia) and helped Jones claim the 1980 F1 World Championship – the first World Championship for Williams.

In addition to Brown racing the Porsche 962 in the Le Mans Classic (8-10 July), Zak conducted parade laps at the Silverstone Classic (29-31 Jul) in a 2001 McLaren MP4-16A, a former British Grand Prix winning machine in the hands of Mika Häkkinen. Since its formation, United Autosports has competed in a variety of championships around the world. It currently leads the European Le Mans Series in its maiden year of racing an LMP3 sports-prototype – a category expected to be included in IMSA sanctioned sportscar racing in North America in the near future. The team, the sole UK-based Onroak Automotive agents that design and manufacture the Ligier JS P3, has won the first three ELMS races and also finished second and fifth in the inaugural “Road to Le Mans” event in June.

The Rolex Monterey week gets underway on Friday (12 Aug) with the Monterey Race Car Classic in downtown Monterey. Approximately 30 race cars from among 300-plus cars competing in the Monterey Pre-Reunion (18-19 Aug) leave the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca under full California Highway Patrol escort to Alvarado Street for a two-hour festive show. The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, along with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, shifts into gear on Thursday 18 August with each race group on track. Practice and qualifying sessions for all 15 race groups continue on Friday in 20-minute sessions. On Saturday and Sunday (20-21 Aug), the 15 groups are divided into A and B sessions. The A groups have two races on Saturday, while the B groups have two races Sunday.

Zak Brown (USA). Born: Los Angeles, California, USA. Lives: Carmel, Indiana, USA/London, England:
“I’m really excited to be returning to Monterey for the Pre-Reunion and Reunion events. These two weekends are the pinnacle of historic racing and I love bringing the cars here to race round the iconic Laguna Seca track. We had a good year last year with the Lola T332 and we are hoping to replicate that success again this year.”

Richard Dean (GB). Born/Lives: Leeds, England:
“The whole team loves the Monterey historic race weekends. It’s an event we always have to have on the United Autosports calendar. Driving these historic vehicles round the Laguna Seca track is a great experience. Fingers crossed we can get some good results with the four cars we have out there.”

* Zak Brown and Richard Dean are available for interviews over the Pre-Reunion and Reunion weekends to discuss in greater detail the above cars and also the services that United Autosports can now offer in terms of race car renovation, restoration and on-event race services.

Celebrating the world’s oldest sports car endurance race, Hexagon is putting together a panel of famous endurance drivers for its July 5^th event to be held at its flagship Finchley showroom.

Richard Attwood is one the UK’s most talented and revered single seater and sports car racing endurance drivers. He competed in 17 World Championship Grand Prixs, racing for BRM, Lotus and Cooper, scoring one podium and 11 championship points.

At the same time as he was racing in F1, he began an extremely successful sports car endurance racing career, driving everything from a Ford GT40 in 1964 at Le Mans, to several Ferraris including the 250LM and 330P3/4. Signed to the Porsche works team in 1969, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1970 in a Porsche 917K, coming second in 1971.

First run in 1923, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is the world’s oldest endurance race for sports cars and forms one part of the famous Triple Crown of Motorsport, the others being the Indianapolis 500 and the Monaco Grand Prix.

Taking place on the Circuit de la Sarthe over a mix of closed public roads and a dedicated racing circuit, the track features landmarks such as the high speed Mulsanne straight and iconic Porsche Curves.

Raising money for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity and the Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals Charity, the evening will feature not just famous faces but star cars too, with appearances from a host of period endurance racers and an auction of motorsport memorabilia.

Paul Michaels, chairman of Hexagon Classics, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to confirm that Richard Attwood will be one of our guests at our charity evening this July. The word legend is often overused, but there’s no better way of describing Richard. He’s synonymous with Porsche at Le Mans but has had an incredible career in F1 too – I can’t wait to hear his many stories. And I can’t wait to announce some more famous names for our panel too. Watch this space.

“Most importantly, though, this evening will raise money for a charity that is very close to my heart. My granddaughter owes her life to the care she received while at Great Ormond Street and I am so happy that we will be able to give something back to this great hospital – and the Royal Brompton & Harefield Hospitals too – helping them to continue their incredible work. Last summer’s celebration of Ayrton Senna raised £72,000 and we have every intention of eclipsing that incredible figure.”

Hexagon’s 24 Hours of Le Mans celebration evening will take place on July 5^th at 730pm at Hexagon’s flagship north London showroom located at 82-92 Great North Road, London, N2 0NL.

In keeping with tradition, the annual Audi Tradition program starts up with the Techno Classica vintage car show in Essen (April 6 to 10). As in past years, Audi Tradition will be in Hall 7 at the world’s biggest exhibition of historic automobiles. The motto at the Audi stand will be “Rarities.” And the spotlight will shine on rare cars and motorcycles that made company history. A special treat for automotive experts will be the Audi quattro Spyder and the Audi Avus quattro. The premium brand presented these two concept cars for the first time 25 years ago.

In the 1930s, the Silver Arrows from Auto Union and Mercedes-Benz dominated the international racing scene. And in 1936, the Auto Union Type C was the benchmark by which all racing cars were measured. It was at the wheel of this car that the up and coming young driver Bernd Rosemeyer rose to superstar status in only one season. Out of four of the big prizes credited toward the European Championship, Rosemeyer took home three. He won the title and the German Hillclimb and Road Racing Championship to boot. And he finished as the victor ahead of his teammate Hans Stuck, who prior to that had been considered unbeatable on hills. Audi Tradition is bringing the replica of this racing car to the Goodwood Festival of Speed (June 23 to 26) in England and the Classic Days show at Dyck Castle near Düsseldorf (August 5 to 7). And the Auto Union Type C will also be running at the historic Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb in England (July 16 to 17). Hans Stuck won this race 80 years ago.

Other perennial attractions in the Audi Tradition program of events are the Danube Classic (June 23 to 25) around the Audi location of Ingolstadt, and the Heidelberg Historic show (July 21 to 23) near Neckarsulm. At the Danube Classic, Audi Tradition is taking part with an entire “armada” of historic cars. Playing leading roles this year will be models made by the NSU brand: Visitors to the classic car show can expect a lineup including a Prinz 1000, a Prinz TT and two Ro80 examples. This time a pre-war rarity will be running its laps around Heidelberg – the replica of a Wanderer Streamliner. The original car was driven in the 1939 Liège-Rome-Liège long-distance race, the most difficult of its era.

Rally fans will find a highlight waiting for them at the Eifel Rallye Festival in Daun (July 21 to 23), the largest event of its kind in Germany. Audi Tradition will be there, showing the Audi Group S prototype. The car was developed for the 1987 season, but was never driven in a race. Two of the Audi Sport quattro S1 “winged monsters” are running at the event. In just such a rally race car, Walter Röhrl will be driving for Audi Tradition in this year’s Rossfeld International Edelweiss Hillclimb in Berchtesgaden (September 23 to 25). The AUDI AG history department is also making a special appearance at the ADAC Sachsenring Classic (June 10 to 12) on the motorcycle race track in Hohenstein-Ernstthal. Audi Tradition is running the freshly restored DKW UL 500 racing machine from 1939 for the first time there. Also in on the action will be the Audi 90 quattro IMSA GTO from 1989. It is one of the most unusual racing cars in the history of Audi Motorsport.

And last but not least, the brand with the four rings will be showing its colors at the Bodensee Klassik (May 5 to 7), the Kitzbühel Alpine Rally (June 1 to 4), the Schloss Bensberg Classics (July 1 to 3), the Ennstal Classic (July 27 to 30), the Sachsen Classic (August 18 to 20) and at the Hamburg Stadtpark Revival (September 3 to 4). The season finale will be the two model car exhibitions at the Audi Forums in Neckarsulm (November 6) and Ingolstadt (November 27).

Just the right machine for Wolfgang Kaufmann to wreak havoc among the GT3 entries: „This car brings back some of the spirit of the old VLN“, Kaufmann describes his affection for the 935 K3 997. „instead of an off-the-shelf racecar, this is a bespoke, self-developed vehicle with its own distinct character.“

For this homage to Group 5, Kremer Racing collaborated with Holger Zimmermann’s firm Zimspeed.
For the team, this new Porsche 935 K3 997 will also mean a departure from the SP-Pro class it has been competing in for some time, and a switch over to Group H.

„I have been fortunate enough to get to drive the original Jägermeister Kremer Porsche 935 K3, and I have won the Oldtimer Grand Prix on the Nürburgring with that car“, Kaufmann recalls his encounter with the powerful turbo Porsche, „so to be able to run the 2016 Nordschleife season with this car, with its old-school looks and state-of-the-art technology, is a big deal for me. With its distinctive design, the car stands out among the GT3 and Cup cars. I hope the fans around the track will agree the Kremer 935 K3 997 is something special.“

In extremely bad weather, the car made its firs roll-out at the Hockenheimring. More testing at that track will follow before the car will finally hit the Nürburgring for the first time in mid-March. „Now we are working on compliance and on the setup, and then we will hopefully be able to put on a good show in the 2016 VLN championship“, Kaufmann says.

With such a car at his disposal, can it get any better? „Well, this car with a big turbo engine, that would do the trick“, Kaufmann smiles. Dreams are free…!

Already during practice, Andy Bovensiepen managed to qualify the BMW ALPINA B6 GT3 second in the GT3 class. Overall he qualified ninth, behind the LMP1 sport prototype cars of Audi, Pescarolo, Oreca and Saleen.

For hours, the race in the GT class was characterised by Mike Skeen / David Roberts in the Audi R8 duelling the Red Bull BMW ALPINA B6. Initially, the Audi held the lead, but the BMW ALPINA got faster and faster, catching up to the same lap after 3 quarters into the race. Afterwards, events overturned rapidly: In the last half hour of the race, the Audi had an unplanned stop to fix a loose front splitter, resulting in Quester / Bovensiepen taking the lead in the GT-class.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t meant to last long: when Quester tried to lap two Porsches, the two Porsches collided and entered a spin. Quester, in a split-second reaction, tried to avoid a collision, yet one of the two hit the front right wheel of his BMW ALPINA, ripping off the track arm mount. The following 10-minute repair set the Red Bull B6 GT3 back to the third position.

At first, both drivers and the team, who had worked flawlessly for 24 hours, were clearly disappointed to have lost the overall victory in the GT class – which was definitely within reach – so close to the finish.

Andreas Bovensiepen comments: “Given this was our first appearance in America, we can be proud – the GT3 was one of the fastest GT cars. On the straight, we achieved a top speed of 302 km/h in the sport prototypes’ slipstream, a speed never before achieved by the B6 GT3 on any race track so far. Maybe in the next Daytona Classic 24h race, we’ll have the chance to garner the overall GT victory with the Red Bull ALPINA.”

Driven by John Paul Jr. and Sr., that was the first car to double up in the Florida endurance classics, when it won both the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring Fueled by Fresh From Florida in 1982.

While he was entered but did not compete at Daytona in 1981 after his father’s Porsche JLP-2 expired two hours into the event, John Paul Jr. raced in his first Rolex 24 in 1982. Joining the father-son team was Rolf Stommelen, who was seeking to join Pedro Rodriguez, Peter Gregg and Hurley Haywood as the lone four-time overall winners of the event.

Somewhat awed by the competition, Paul Jr. turned to his new teammate.

“Before the race I asked Rolf, ‘Who’s the team to beat here?’ He answered, ‘We are.’

“He was incredibly cocky, but he was very good,” Paul said of Stommelen.

The 1982 event was the beginning of the challenge to the domination of the Porsche 935, which had won the past four runnings of the Daytona classic. The year saw the introduction of the IMSA Camel GTP class, with GTP including the new Lola T600 and March 82G, along with exotic Porsche 935 variations which formerly were scored in the GTX class.

Defending race winner Bobby Rahal won the pole in Jim Trueman’s new Red Roof Inns Chevrolet-powered March. The Pauls qualified fifth.

Danny Ongais and Hurley Haywood took turns in the lead early in the race. The JLP Porsche went to the front on the 60th lap – two hours into the event – and led the rest of the way. Haywood pressured Stommelen into the evening into the Bayside Disposal Porsche 935 he shared with Al Holbert, but a transmission mounting failure at 1:30 a.m. dropped the car out of contention.

The JLP Porsche cruised to victory, with its lone problem a cut tire resulting from Paul Jr. running over a bottle early on Sunday morning.

“We had absolutely no problems at all,” Paul Jr. said. “We never added oil to it, never even opened the hood.”

The trio won by 11 laps, averaging a record 114.794 mph.

Seven weeks later, the team had a tougher challenge at Sebring, but the same result for Paul Sr. and Jr. The No. 18 Porsche led the final five hours, with the Rahal/Trueman March finishing second, on the same lap.

Paul Jr. went on to win the Camel GT championship, capping the career of JLP-3. Since its debut midway through the 1981 season, that car won nine of 26 races, including 16 podium finishes. It had a five-race winning streak that began at Pocono in September 1981 through Daytona and Sebring, with the streak ending at Road Atlanta in April of 1982.

The Classic 24 features six period-correct run groups rotating through a full 24 hours of racing on the 3.56-mile Daytona road course. The run groups, which include various classes of similar-era race cars, each take to the track four times throughout the 24 hours. The competitors in each class covering the most total distance in their group’s four one-hour sessions will be crowned Classic 24 at Daytona champions.

The Porsche 935 JLP is one of three classic cars Brown’s United Autosports is bringing to Daytona. It will also bring the No. 16 Porsche 962 driven to several major IMSA GTP victories by Dyson Racing, and the No. 11 1985 Ford Mustang Cobra campaigned by Roush/Protofab in IMSA GTO competition.

Dieter Quester, whose accolades include the 1977 champion’s title in the European Touring Car Championship driving the Gösser BMW ALPINA CSL, will use this opportunity to take the wheel of a BMW ALPINA again, after many years. This time, it will be the BMW ALPINA B6 GT3, winner of the ADAC GT Masters 2011, which he will pilot together with Andy Bovensiepen. Daytona novice Bovensiepen feels well prepared for the longdistance race, with an overall victory in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in 1998 and two victories in the B6 GT3 (Dijon 2014) under his belt.

Red Bull could be won as a sponsor for the race. The USA are a key market, both for Red Bull and for ALPINA.

Duller Motorsport will deploy the BMW ALPINA B6 GT3 in cooperation with ALPINA. This is a good omen for Quester, who has been able to win various long-distance races around the globe for Duller. This time, the competition will include renowned pilots, such as Jochen Mass, Andy Wallace, Hurley Haywood, Brian Redman, Bobby Rahal, Arturo Merzario, Derek Bell and Danny Sullivan. “It’s going to be an exciting race, since our GT3 will have to compete against LMP1 and LMP2 cars as well as with Daytona prototypes.

“I am greatly excited about this race – the atmosphere at the high speed oval is great, especially during the night turn“, says Quester.

Andreas Bovensiepen is confident: “With the ALPINA B6 GT3, we will bring a fast car to the race.” After all, the race car from Germany’s Allgäu region has been active in racing internationally since 2009, garnering 26 victories so far. In Daytona, the B6 GT3 will debut in a historic race. The B6 GT3 will race in the GT class, model years 2003 and up.

For more information, please visit www.classic24hour.com

TECHNICAL DATA BMW ALPINA B6 GT3

Race car compliant with FIA GT3 regulations
Engine: 90° V8 naturally aspired
Capacity: 4941 cm³
Max output: 570 hp
Torque: 530 Nm
Performance data: 0-100 km/h in 3.9 s, Top speed 285 km/h
Transmission: Sequential Xtrac 6 speed transmission
Rear axle drive with Drexler differential lock
Weight: 1,230 kg
Tyres: Michelin, 30/68-18 in front, 31/71-18 in rear
Suspension: KW
Brakes: Performance Friction
Fuel tank capacity: 120 litres
Purchase price: EUR 300,000 (+ VAT)

About ALPINA

For 50 years, ALPINA Burkard Bovensiepen GmbH + Co. KG, a family-owned business, has been producing exclusive automobiles based on BMW models and maintains a close and trusting partnership with BMW AG.

In 1983, ALPINA was accredited as an automotive manufacturer by the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (“Bundeskraftfahrtamt”). The combination of sophisticated and powerful drivetrains, dynamic handling, excellent long-distance comfort and best in class fuel efficiency is the hallmark of automobiles made by ALPINA. Each BMW ALPINA automobile is manufactured in collaboration with BMW production facilities where components engineered and supplied by ALPINA are installed – this ensures that the highest possible quality standards are achieved. Further manufacturing steps, the final assembly, test drive and pre-delivery check of every automobile take place at the company’s headquarters in the southern German region of Allgäu. Many loyal ALPINA customers choose a handcrafted interior, tailored to their individual demands which is made by experts in the ALPINA upholstery workshop using the finest materials.

Approximately thirty percent of today’s 230 employees work in research and development. At their disposal is a state-of-the-art engineering and development centre which offers the latest high-tech engine testing and diagnostic equipment. The demand for exclusive, personalised vehicles is growing globally, helping ALPINA achieve record sales in 2014 with over 1,700 vehicles delivered worldwide.

Since 1979, trading premium wines is the company’s second line of business. ALPINA’s customer base includes the top one thousand restaurants and hotels as well as private wine enthusiasts from all around the world.

“We have gone on record recently in saying that the entry list for the second edition of the Classic 24 Hour at Daytona presented by IMSA exceeded even our expectations and hopefully the motorsports world will agree,” said HSR President David Hinton. “The caliber of the historic race cars and the massive mix of legendary stars and historic sports car racing drivers is second to none. This is truly an amazing representation of historic sports car racing machines and the men and women who compete in them and we can’t wait to get back to Daytona in just a few short weeks.”

In total, the 2015 Classic 24 Hour at Daytona presented by IMSA features entered teams from 15 different countries on four continents.

The diverse background of the international drivers turning out for the Classic 24 Hour should be equally impressive. While minimal additional entries will be accepted – HSR currently has dozens of hopefuls on a wait list – all teams will be able to add drivers to their officially entered race cars in the weeks leading up to the race. A lineup of drivers that is already packed with past and current sports car racing stars will no doubt grow over the next month.

​The list of current and legendary drivers confirmed for the Classic 24 includes Jochen Mass, Bobby Rahal, Danny Sullivan, Gijs Van Lennep, Jurgen Barth, Andy Wallace, Elliott Forbes-Robinson, Eric Curran, Leh Keen, Scott Sharp, Jim Pace, Gunnar Jeanette, Dieter Quester, Didier André, Jean Marc Gounon, Jules Gounon, Zak Brown, Richard Dean, Jeff Zwart, Cooper MacNeil, Shane Lewis, Jack Baldwin, Mike Skeen and many more.

The equally impressive racing machines these drivers and other Classic 24 competitors will race in the Daytona event is a rolling collection of top sports cars and prototypes from the past 50 years.

The Classic 24 features six period-correct run groups rotating through a full 24 hours of racing on the 3.56-mile Daytona road course. The run groups, which include various classes of similar-era race cars, each take to the track four times throughout the 24 hours. The competitors in each group covering the most total distance in the shortest amount of time in their group’s four sessions will be “crowned” Classic 24 at Daytona champions.

Group A – 1960 – 1972: The oldest and perhaps most memory-stirring division, Group A features such legendary race cars as the Ford GT40, Lola T70, Chevron B8, Ferrari 365 GTB, Lotus Elan, Alfa Romeo GT Jr., several 1960s-era Corvettes and Mustangs, including a Shelby GT350, and a strong field of early Porsche 911s. A debuting entry not frequently seen in the United States is the French-built Matra MS630.

Group B – 1973 – 1982: Evoking the same emotion and memories of Group A with a little more turbocharged power and wide-body aerodynamics, Group B has attracted four Porsche 935s, six BMW CSLs, two Greenwood Corvettes, a Dekon Monza, several Porsche 911 RSRs and Carreras and big-bore Mustangs, Camaros and Corvettes. This group also features several of the ultra-quick and classic Chevron, Lola and March open-cockpit sports prototype race cars.

Group C – 1983 – 1993: The prime of the GTP and Group C era is at the heart of this run group. A strong lineup of six Porsche 962s will share the class spotlight with two Jaguar XJR-5s, a Jaguar XJR-7 and a Porsche Fabcar. Several production-based race cars are also in Group C as is the debuting Aston Martin AMR-1 prototype that raced at Le Mans.

Group D – 1994 – 2002: Historic but familiar, the highlight machines in Group D include several Riley & Scott Mk IIIs and Daytona Prototypes, a Lola B2K, Crawford DP03 and GT Porsches, Corvettes, Vipers and even a TVR T400R. A debuting entry of note in this class is the Saleen S7R GT1.

Group E – 2003 – 2012: This group lets ALMS and Le Mans prototypes that couldn’t race at Daytona in their day a chance to take to the high banks. Two Audi R8s, a pair of Pescarolo 01 LMPs and a Porsche RS Spyder highlight the group that also includes three Oreca FLM09s and several different Daytona Prototypes. GT cars are plentiful too and include several Porsche 996, 997 and 991 models, two LMS Audi R8s and a Camaro, Ferrari F430 and Nissan GTR. Another entry not frequently seen in the U.S. is the debuting BMW Alpina B6 GT3.

Group F – HSR Cars: This group produced some of the closest and most competitive racing in last year’s inaugural Classic 24 at Daytona. Home to HSR classes that are not represented in the other five other groups, Group F also lets competitors with race cars that were never eligible to compete at Daytona a chance to build a little history of their own on the legendary track in the Classic 24. Offering a mix of machinery from six different decades, this group is also home to the oldest car in the Classic 24, a 1962 Lotus Super 7.

About HSR: Historic Sportscar Racing (HSR) was formed in the mid-1970s with an event at Road Atlanta. There was one goal then and it remains true today: to celebrate the race cars from our past. As a “time machine” of sights and sounds, HSR provides a venue for competitors and spectators alike to share in the wonderful history and excitement created by the cars that competed at race tracks around the world. HSR currently sanctions seven vintage and historic racing events at some of the world’s most renowned race tracks, including Road Atlanta, Sebring International Raceway, Daytona International Speedway and the Grand Prix of the Americas. The complete schedule and full event information can be found on HSR’s website at www.HSRRace.com. The Classic 24 Hour at Daytona, presented by IMSA, has a dedicated website at www.Classic24hour.com.

Entry list here

“These vehicles have written motorsport history and have gained in value, at times markedly, in recent years,” says Jens Walther, President & CEO of Porsche Motorsport North America in Santa Ana/California. “The historic motor racing scene has an extremely strong following in the USA, but many of these vehicles can also be seen on European race tracks. An increasing number of owners are now recognising how important it is for future gain that such vehicles undergo a true to original restoration.”

The figurehead for the new business service is the now completed restoration of a Porsche 917K. The legendary victorious car of the 1,000-kilometre race at Spa in 1971 experienced its roll-out at Porsche Motorsport North America and can now be admired at the “Rennsport Reunion”, the world’s largest event featuring historic Porsche race cars held from September 25-27 at Laguna Seca in California. The race car was also successfully campaigned in the USA, for instance at Watkins Glen, before it was finally put into storage at the museum in Zuffenhausen. In 2009, the vehicle was painted in the famed Gulf colours and exhibited in the museum. In 2012, Porsche Motorsport North America was commissioned to restore the race car to its 1971 condition and get it back on the track. This task was implemented using a variety of resources, such as the Porsche Museum archives with its extensive collection of documents, as well as in consultation with witnesses of that time and, of course, by relying on the experience and broad knowledge of older and former Porsche employees. To firmly anchor this expertise at Porsche and pass it on to future generations of staff is another important goal that Porsche is pursuing with the new area of business.

In addition to restorations and repairs, Porsche also offers a comprehensive service for owners of historic race cars to take their vehicles racing. This includes, for example, the replacement of safety-relevant parts. Especially now, this is an issue with many Group C vehicles that were built 30, 40 years ago. When it comes to safety, and only then, deviations from authenticity can be made. For instance, old safety belts are not fitted. In order to fulfil every customers wish, Porsche aims to establish a network of vintage car restoration and repair specialists already known in the historic motorsport scene. This ensures that customers receive the greatest possible guarantee of supply in all matters. Jens Walther: “The owners of these vehicles want assurance that their cars are track-worthy and that they can also rely on us if something breaks. We want to give them this assurance.”

Another focus in the portfolio is the maintenance of historic race cars. As with current motor racing customers, Porsche not only takes care of supplying parts, also at race tracks, but is available for customers with advice and assistance in all technical matters. After the completion of the new Porsche Experience Centre (PEC) in Los Angeles, which is expected mid next year, customers are also offered the chance to store their historic vehicles on site. Between race meetings, they are maintained by experts, transported to the circuits if desired, and sent back to PEC afterwards. There, they are exhibited in a first-class Porsche environment for visitors to enjoy – until the next race.

“I’m very pleased that we can now also offer our motorsport customers a comprehensive service for their historic race cars,” says Porsche Head of Motorsport Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser. “At our Weissach Motorsport Centre and at Porsche Motorsport North America we have specialists for every task in this field. The 917K, which now returns to the race track after more than 40 years, is a perfect example of how we implement this expertise and preserve it for the future.”

United’s co-owners Zak Brown and Richard Dean will be joined by 1988 PPG IndyCar World Series champion Danny Sullivan in its driver line-up. Sullivan made his IndyCar debut in 1982 and went on to score 17 wins in a 170-race World Series career. The 1985 Indianapolis 500 race winner also contested the 1983 FIA Formula One Championship with Tyrrell. In 1994, Danny competed in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM) and finished third in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He returned to IndyCar racing for one final year in 1995 but retired from open-wheel competition after breaking his pelvis at the Michigan International Speedway. Sullivan is also no stranger to the Daytona International Speedway, having made 10 appearances in the Daytona 24 Hours between 1979-1999 recording three top-four overall placings, best results being second place twice (1986 & ’98) – the most recent also resulting in GT1 category honours.

The Porsche 962 is chassis #120 and won on its debut with Dyson Racing in the 1986 Six Hours of Riverside. Additional wins were earned that year at Charlotte and Sears Point. Further victories came at Watkins Glen the following year and in Miami in 1988. The 962 was later heavily modified by Dyson with high-downforce nose and air tunnels under the car designed by noted aerodynamicist Dick Yagami. The Porsche engine produced an impressive 800 horsepower with a top speed of 215mph at full turbo boost. This Porsche placed second in the ’86 season closing three-hour race at Daytona (Rob Dyson/Price Cobb), third in the 1987 Daytona 24Hrs (Dyson/Cobb/Vern Schuppan) and ninth in the race the following year (Dyson/Cobb/Schuppan/James Weaver). Others to race the IMSA GTP Porsche include Drake Olson, Johnny Dumfries, Scott Pruett and John Paul Jnr.

The “JLP-3” is regarded as the most successful of all Porsche 935s and was the first racecar to ever win both the Daytona 24 and Sebring 12 Hour races overall in the same year. The 750+ bhp Porsche also collected the 1982 IMSA Camel GT Championship title for team and driver John Paul Jnr. In its two year, 26-race ‘career’, the “JLP-3” scored 16 podiums including nine victories. Derek Bell, Mauricio de Narvaez and Rolf Stommelen raced this car in addition to John Paul Snr and Jnr.

Another project lovingly restored by United Autosports like the two Porsches, is the Scott Pruett 1986 IMSA GTO Championship winning 1985 Roush Protofab. Originally built for Trans-Am as a Ford Capri in December 1984, it was campaigned by Roush Protofab in 1985 by Willy R. Ribbs and then by Scott Pruett who won the 1986 IMSA GTO Championship with the car in Ford Mustang guise. Pruett finished seventh overall, and first in GTO, in the ’86 3Hr race at Daytona.

The Classic 24 features six period-correct run groups rotating through a full 24 hours of racing on the 3.56-mile Daytona road course. The run groups, which include various classes of similar-era racecars, each take to the track four times throughout the 24 hours. The competitors in each class covering the most total distance in their group’s four sessions will be “crowned” Classic 24 at Daytona champions.

Daytona will not be a new venue to United Autosports as it linked up with Michael Shank Racing to contest the 49th Rolex 24 At Daytona in 2011 with Brown, Mark Blundell, Martin Brundle and Mark Patterson driving a Riley-Ford to an excellent fourth place, a mere 3.752secs behind the winner and just 0.75secs off third place, marking the team’s first race in North America in style.

Zak Brown (USA). Born: Los Angeles, California, USA. Lives: Carmel, Indiana, USA/London, England: “I heard that the debut of this event was fantastic last year so I was keen for United Autosports to attend given that the cars we’re bringing over have a lot of successful Daytona history and it’ll be nice for us as a team to go back there. These cars will be mega around Daytona and it will also be a lot of fun for Richard and I to be racing with Danny Sullivan, a very long time friend and a fantastic racer and champion.”

Richard Dean (GB). Born/Lives: Leeds, England: “I love Daytona. I first went there in 1985 with my father, Tony. Dad raced in the USA during the early 1970s and contested the Can-Am Challenge Cup, often transporting a Porsche 908/02 in a converted English bus. I competed in the Daytona 24 Hours in 1998 (Lister Storm) & 2010 (Porsche GT) and most recently, was Team Manager for the United Autosports with Michael Shank Racing entry for the Rolex 24 in 2011.
 
“The three cars we are taking will each present an amazing spectacle around the banking and I imagine will be quite a handful to drive too with that amount of horsepower. I well remember being at Daytona in ’85 with Dad watching these types of cars in period. Danny Sullivan joining us should be fun, he is a quality driver and a great character. I know the team will enjoy working with him and I am sure Danny will love the cars we have for him to drive.”

Danny Sullivan (USA). Born: Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Lives: Pebble Beach, California, USA: “I have known Zak for a long time. He was a determined racer before finding his path and leading the industry in the marketing field. I am very much looking forward to the event with my old friend. I’ve never driven any of Zak’s cars that he’s bringing over but have raced various 962 cars a number of times. I’ve also driven a friend’s 935 around Laguna Seca for a couple of laps but Daytona will be the first time I’ve ever raced one. I’m looking forward to going back to Daytona – the entire race meet should be a great experience.”

The outstanding on-track moments of the weekend included the first gathering in history of all six original Shelby Daytona Coupes – on the 50^th anniversary of the organisation’s World Sportscar title – and the honouring of the career of legendary racer, team boss and constructor Bruce McLaren.

Race highlights included the annual RAC TT Celebration race for early-1960s GT cars, which was won by the JD Classics-prepared Jaguar E-type of former British Touring Car Champion Gordon Shedden and Chris Ward, and a back-to-front victory in the St Mary’s Trophy for 1960s saloons for the mighty Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt of ‘Mr Le Mans’ Tom Kristensen and Henry Mann.

Seventeen-year-old Peter de la Roche, on his first visit to Goodwood, secured victory in the Earl of March Trophy for post-war 500cc single-seaters, taking the lead at the final corner of a scintillating race, while success in the Lavant Cup, held exclusively for 1950s Ferrari sports prototypes, went the way of James Cottingham’s Ferrari 500 TRC.

The 75^th anniversary of the Battle of Britain was commemorated with a poignant on-track moment on Sunday afternoon that featured 94-year-old Wing Commander Tom Neil, a Royal Air Force veteran who saw active service during the battle, and with an evocative 12-Spitfire flypast.

Track displays included a collection of over 50 ‘Series’ Land Rovers and more than 25 US ‘Gassers’ that lit up their tyres with a series of spectacular burn-outs each morning, while the Earls Court Motor Show central concours celebrated Ferrari through the ages.

Off-track, the 60^th anniversary of the Fish Finger was marked with an authentic trawler while 50 years of Youthquake was marked with a 3D billboard featuring live models in Miniskirts.

Bonhams’ Saturday sale of historic cars and automobilia resulted in £763,000 being achieved for Keith Richards’ Bentley ‘Blue Lena’ while the Revival High Street featured period stores from Tesco, Kenwood, Bendicks and more, and the March Motor Works presented by BMW Group took the form of a trendy London Mews garage and celebrated coachbuilt specials from BMW, Rolls-Royce and MINI.

Lord March said: “The 18^th Goodwood Revival drew a record sell-out crowd, who not only witnessed some of the most iconic racing cars ever built dicing wheel-to-wheel, but also celebrated the career of motor racing legend Bruce McLaren, saw – for the first time in history – all six original Shelby Daytona Coupes together on track and joined an incredibly poignant and fitting tribute to the bravery of all those who fought in the Battle of Britain. My sincere thanks to everyone who came for their support and enthusiasm for the event, which continues to be cherished by enthusiasts of motor racing and vintage culture across the world.”

If on the one hand the eponymous event, held on Saturday between 16.00 and 22.00hrs, will be bringing together some hundred GT and Touring cars, the traditionally large crowd of spectators definitely will not want to miss out on the FIA Masters Historic Formula One Championship, the highly official competition reserved for F1 single-seaters from the ‘70s and the ‘80s! All the more so as this year a Belgian driver, Loïc Deman, will be laying claim to the crown at the wheel of his former Jarier and Daly Tyrrell 010 Candy. No less than …around thirty F1 are awaited in the Belgian Ardennes during this unbelievable weekend, be they Ligier, Arrows, Williams, Surtees, Ensign, March, Hesketh, McLaren, Alfa Romeo, Theodore, Trojan, Lotus, Shadow or Fittipaldi. Besides Loïc Deman, other Belgian drivers will be on hand, with Jean-Michel Martin (Tyrrell 09), Christophe D’Ansembourg (Williams FW07/C), Marc Devis (Arrows A3/3) not forgetting Paul Grant (March 761).

The Grand Prix enthusiasts will be doubly spoilt, seeing the Historic Grand Prix Cars Association will be offering decades of legends, with machines ranging from the Talbot Lago T26SS 1937, prior to the birth of the Formula 1 World Championship, through to the Scarab Offenhauser of the 1960 500 Miles of Indianapolis, via the various Ferrari, Maserati, Lister Jaguar, Cooper, Lotus, Brabham, Aston Martin, BRM, Lola, etc.

For the out and out fans of Le Mans and the Word Endurance Championship, the FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship will be the pole of attraction, with such top references as the various Lola T70 and McLaren M1 A and B.

Numerous series abound for the sparkling GT cars, with the Masters Gentlemen Drivers Pre-‘66 GT (AC Cobra, Jaguar E-Type, Bizzarrini, TVR, Lotus Elan and Elite, etc.), the Historic Motor Racing News Pre-’63 GT (Ferrari 250 SWB, Aston Martin DB2 and DB4, etc.), but also the prestigious Woodcote Trophy and Stirling Moss Trophy, intermixing sports and GT cars from between 1946 and 1961, with on track various Jaguar C-Type and D-Type, Lotus XI and 17, Cooper-Bristol, Lister Knobbly, Mercedes 300 SL Coupé and 300M Gullwing, Aston Martin DB2 and DB3, Maserati 300 S, Ferrari 246 S…).

A programme favourably completed by two 100% Touring competitions, with the Masters Pre-‘66 Touring Car Championship (from the Mini Cooper S through to the Ford Galaxie) and Historic Motor Racing News U2TC (with this time a grid comprised out of some thirty Ford Cortina, BMW 1800 TISA, Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA, etc.). As for the British Sports- GT & Saloon Challenge and Historic Sports Car Club, they will be offering a wide and mixed variety of machinery.

The FBVA hyperactive partner!

This major weekend taking on the form of an incredible time machine is organised in close collaboration with the Fédération Belge des Véhicules Anciens (FBVA), which has made of the Spa Six Hours its top annual rendezvous for clubs and collectors. Exhibition of vehicles in the area opposite the F1 stands, various laps of the circuit, Maison de la FBVA located in the infrastructure of the Eau Rouge, numerous initiatives and activities; the programme promises to be spectacular and will allow the general public to enjoy the odd break between races.

A public that will not fail to stroll around the Shopping Street in the endurance paddock, perhaps on the lookout for an ideal souvenir. Books, clothing, model cars and other varied items, it brings together the ambiance of the greatest historic meetings that can be felt and inhaled…

Last but not least entry to the Spa Six Hours will set you back 20 Euros on the Friday, 30 Euros on the Saturday and 30 Euros on the Sunday. However a three-day ticket is available at the advantageous price of 40 Euros, whereas there is free entry for children under 12 years. And as for the parking, all vehicles over 25 years old will not need to fork out a single Euro.

So almost time to head off to Francorchamps for this undisputed event as autumn sets in on the 18th, 19th and 20th September…

The highest quality of competitive racing involving classic racing cars, some valued in their millions of pounds sterling, piloted by household names from all realms of motor sport, provided a breath-taking spectacle. Add to this the participation of the visitors who embraced the dress code of 1966 or before with enthusiasm, and the result is an extraordinarily memorable experience for everyone. Also central to the success are the Revival partners of whom Rolex has been a key member for twelve years, providing the essential Driver’s Club, described by one leading driver as “the heart of the paddock”.

Rolex Driver of the Meeting Award 2015

The climax of the event this year was, as has long been the custom, the prize- giving staged on the roof of the Race Control building. Anchoring the process Goodwood host Lord March presented the top three winners of each of the weekend’s sixteen races before turning his attention to the Rolex Driver of the Meeting nomination.

Since 2004 when Rolex first partnered the Revival, the company has provided this award for the driver deemed to have both performed well and entertained the crowds the best during the weekend. In his introduction to announcing the winner, Lord March said that this had been an exceptional weekend and a great coming together of all involved including staff and visitors.

The Rolex Driver of the Meeting Award was presented to Chris Ward who enjoyed a particularly successful weekend’s racing, entertaining the crowds in all his three races. After receiving an especially engraved Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust from Rolex UK Managing Director Richard de Leyser, Chris Ward said: “This is a total surprise. It’s been a great weekend, Lord March has the best classic car racing weekend of anywhere in the world and I’ve really enjoyed it hugely.”

Homage to great driver whose legacy lives on

At each Revival meeting, it has been the custom to recognize the life and times of one of the ‘greats’ of the motor sport world. For 2015 the chosen Tribute was for the late Bruce McLaren, the legacy of which is the extraordinary, world-famous McLaren Automotive.

The New Zealander had multiple qualities being a talented race driver, a very successful engineer and a constructor of very competitive racing cars. Adding more colour and a strong sense of heritage to the Revival, the tribute was staged on each of the three days of the meeting. Among the drivers who took part was Sir Jackie Stewart OBE: “Bruce first and foremost, was a very nice man, wonderful, very generous with his time. He was not only a nice man but was also a good driver and as it turned out, he was a very good constructor too.”

Lord March said of the New Zealander: “Bruce McLaren was a talented engineer and a world class racing driver. He was highly skilled, meticulous and always fun.”

Revival Status Confirmed by Top Drivers

Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, one of the event’s most seasoned Goodwood regulars, three times World Formula 1 Champion, commented: “This event is the best! It’s tradition and yet it’s got performance and the best collection of great cars in the world.” The Rolex Testimonee has a long association with the company that started before he won his first Formula 1 World Drivers Champion in 1969. He was signed to Rolex in April 1968.

Also a seasoned Revival fan and former Rolex Driver of the Meeting award-winner, Frank Stippler had high hopes of completing his 2015 Revival with a win in the RAC TT Celebration race on Sunday, but it was not to be. Despite qualifying the 1964 AC Cobra he shared with Michael Squire on pole position even though it was his first experience of driving the 4.7 litre sports car, in a fiercely competitive one-hour race, the pair were to finish a creditable third. With an estimated value of some £150 million of classic racing cars, the Celebration had the crowds watching the spectacle in awe.

Talking about the Revival, Frank Stippler said: “This is without any doubt the most outstanding event, far in front compared to any other historical event, I mean it’s not only the race, it’s the surroundings and it’s the spectators as well, they are part of the game and they are so enthusiastic. On the lap of honour, I had time to look at the crowds and I could see in their eyes they were engaged and very excited. They were waving and shouting at this little Italian car (Alfa Romeo 1600 GT), it’s a big luxury to get such a lap of honour, it’s yes, very emotional.”

Unique Concept with broad appeal

There can be no doubt that in the Revival, Goodwood has conceived and nurtured a unique event with huge, broad appeal. By focusing on the values of tradition, elegance and prestige, Lord March has drawn together the many strands of a bygone era, but one that resonates with all, and all ages. These are the very values that Rolex pursues, making this partnership one to be highly valued.

Each staging of what is affectionately called “The Revival”, has been hailed the best so far. Yet Lord March and his remarkable team managed to enhance the experience each year and 2015 looks set to achieve another superlative. But most important of all, the appeal of the Revival embraces all the family, not just the car enthusiast, with total success.

Speaking in the Rolex Driver’s Club after a practice session, the record nine-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner and Rolex Testimonee Tom Kristensen said: “It is a great privilege to be invited here, it is an adventure going into the heritage of these cars. From the perspective of being competitive and experiencing the period of the 50s and 60s, there’s nothing better than this event.”

“Rolex and the Revival are about passion, tradition and innovation. Heritage should be added. These values become more and more important to you because as time goes by – it’s story telling – a way to get you back to that period.”

Action On Track

In addition to official practice sessions for the Revival races, Friday saw a “Track Moment” Tribute parade to mark the extraordinary talents of the late racing driver, team owner and engineer, Bruce McLaren. The Revival crowds were treated to a parade of some thirty racing cars to have been driven or created by the New Zealander. Among the drivers paying homage to McLaren whose legacy lives on in what is now known as McLaren Automotive, was Rolex Testimonee Sir Jackie Stewart OBE.

Official practice sessions for all sixteen races were completed on the first day of the Revival providing an impressive spectacle for the crowds. Notable among the results, 2009 Rolex Driver of the Meeting Award winner Frank Stippler managed to place the 1964 AC Cobra he is sharing with Michael Squire, on pole position for the RAC TT Celebration race to take place on Sunday.

The Spirit of Goodwood

The Freddie March Memorial Trophy, a 90-minute race celebrating the spirit of Goodwood and the only race to be staged on the first day, started at 18.10 hours. This meant the 1950s sports cars taking part ranging from Austin Healey 100S’ to a Mercedes-Benz 300SL via Jaguar C-types and other valuable period historic racers, finished as the sun set over the West Sussex hills. Each car had two drivers so a pit stop was essential, but the race was hit hard by heavy rain and this had a dramatic effect on the order.

At the chequered flag after 52 laps, the result was a decisive victory by the 1954 Cooper-Jaguar T33 driven by Derek Hood and Chris Ward.

The stage is set for a full day of spectacular racing on Saturday with some of the finest race cars of times gone by being driven by some of the foremost racing drivers.

Created to offer a true blue riband service to heritage car owners and collectors, and drawing on the unrivalled knowledge of a committee of authoritative Aston Martin experts, the pioneering Assured Provenance certification programme is administered and run by the brand’s world-renowned in-house heritage car facility – Aston Martin Works.

The first official authentication programme to be provided in-house by Aston Martin, the new scheme offers four levels of verification to take into account not simply all-original examples, but also sports cars that have been modified by Aston Martin itself over the years.

As part of the painstaking procedure of examination and authentication, all cars submitted to the process will undergo a digital scan which will be verified and held in a secure archive for future reference.

Every car will be assessed at Aston Martin’s internationally renowned heritage restoration, service and repair facility – Aston Martin Works at Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire – where they will undergo a thorough visual and mechanical investigation. These details, along with a full provenance record, will then be presented to the newly created Sanctioning Committee for its deliberations.

Successful cars will then be awarded one of four levels of Assured Provenance ranging from Platinum to Bronze depending on their condition, history and significance.

The Sanctioning Committee evaluating each car and delivering its verdict comprises renowned experts from Aston Martin including Aston Martin Works’ staff.

Owners of successful cars in the Assured Provenance process will be supplied with a hand-crafted presentation case comprising a richly illustrated photographic record book, all-important Heritage Assured Provenance certificate, USB with digital data and two sets of dashboard and sill plaques.

The official verification and authentication certification scheme involves a two-stage fee: one to initially enter the car for consideration and a further fee should the car be successful.

Paul Spires, Managing Director of Aston Martin Works, said: “The values of many Aston Martin heritage models are now such that a formal, officially sanctioned and operated, provenance certification scheme is a natural development for the brand.

“As with everything we do here at Aston Martin Works we will take the utmost care to painstakingly assess each car submitted to this process, thereby allowing the Sanctioning Committee to make a fully informed decision about the cars put forward for consideration.”

The first cars being submitted for authentication will be received within the next few weeks, with the first meeting of the Sanctioning Committee set to take place this month.

Over 5700 VIP guests attended Salon Privé over the three days, and in excess of 5000 public visitors enjoyed the Pirelli Prestige & Performance Competition on Saturday, which made this 10^th anniversary event the most successful to date.

Enjoying the three-day extravaganza for himself, the 12th Duke of Marlborough was impressed. “I am thrilled at how well the first year of the Salon Privé Supercar Show went. It was fantastic to see such a huge range of amazing cars and to welcome so many enthusiasts. I very much look forward to next year’s event and hosting the show for years to come.’’

With in excess of 11,000 visitors attending, this year offered something for both classic and modern car enthusiasts. The two competitions celebrated the beauty and passion of automotive design and engineering, with an amazing array of vehicles. Spanning everything from pre-war tourers to the latest super and hyper cars, the Concours events tempted some truly sublime vehicles into visiting the Cotswolds, as Salon Privé moved to its new home of Blenheim Palace.

Complementing the two competitions, Boodles Ladies’ Day, a longstanding highlight of Salon Privé, proved a roaring success, with fabulous fashion and style complementing the automotive backdrop. A procession of Koenigseggs, led by Christian von Koenigsegg himself, escorted the ten best-dressed women to the winner’s rostrum, where Alexa Watson was awarded with the top prize of a Classic Circus Pendant from sponsor Boodles.

With further sponsors including Chubb Insurance, Lillie Square, Pommery, Pirelli and EFG, guests enjoyed a quintessential English day out with lobster and champagne while daily parades of classic and supercars travelled Blenheim Palace’s ground. There were endless rarities to witness as well, including the second ever UK viewing of the three hypercar track cars together – the Ferrari FXX K, Aston Martin Vulcan and McLaren P1 GTR.

Meanwhile, there was a host of concept cars on show, including the Ford GT which won the award for Best Concept and Prototype, alongside the world’s finest classic car dealers displaying their wares.

The Salon Privé Sale, held in conjunction with Silverstone Auctions, held on the Friday evening, was as popular as ever, with over £5m worth of automobiles sold. Highlights included a 1968 Aston Martin DB6 Vantage Volante, which sold for £900,000 and a 2010 Porsche 911 997 GT2 RS at £315,000.

The event also welcomed the automotive design talent of tomorrow with judges for the Royal College of Art competition including McLaren’s Frank Stephenson, Land Rover’s Richard Woolley and Infiniti’s Simon Cox as well as Dale Harrow from the RCA. Other examples of stunning art were also found in the expanded Luxury Retail Village & EFG Art Fair, which offered a variety of luxury lifestyle products beyond cars.

Andrew Bagley, Salon Privé managing director commented: “In our first year at Blenheim Palace, we couldn’t be more thrilled. The Chubb Insurance Concours d’Elégance welcomed the best of the classic car world, while The Pirelli Prestige & Performance Competition attracted a whole new audience to the spectacle of Salon Privé – all of whom loved the parade of super and hypercars.”

Chubb Insurance Concours d’Elégance

In spite of stiff competition, the sublime Jaguar XK120 Jabbeke, owned by Mr Kurt A. Engelhorn stole the show on the Thursday of Salon Privé. Impressing the judges, it triumphed over what some considered to be the favourite, the stunning 1937 Delahaye 135MS Cabriolet. However, it wasn’t all bad news for the Delahaye, as it received the coveted People’s Choice award and a special award for Most Elegant.

An amazing roster of cars were awarded their respective best-in-class winners, including the Bentley 4 1/4 Sedanca Coupé in Pre-war Luxury & Touring, the Ferrari 250 GT/L Lusso, owned by Dave Back in Pininfarina & The Prancing Horse, the Lancia Sport Prototipo Zagato in Competition Cars and the Ferrari 275 GTB 2 Long Nose Alloy in Fixed-Head Coupés from the 50s & 60s.

Another fabulous Ferrari swooped to victory in the Gentlemen GT Drivers – To the Track & Back class, with the Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta ‘Tour de France’ beating rivals including a 1973 Porsche 2.7RS and 1965 AC Cobra 289.

Special awards went to the 1938 Lagonda Rapide V12 Drophead Coupé, which was honoured with the award for Best Interior, the unique 1955 Goldmanini for Most Sensitive Restoration and the 1930 Bentley Speed Six, which was deemed the Most Iconic on the day.

Commenting on the day, Simon Mobey, Chubb Insurance European Private Clients Manager said: “The event has been nothing short of spectacular and, without doubt, the move to Blenheim Palace has elevated Salon Privé into a truly world-class Concours and Supercar event. It’s perfect – serious cars and collectors, but in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.”

Some nine Lister racing cars, including five ‘Knobbly’ models, have been entered into the fiercely competitive Sussex Trophy on Sunday September 13^th for world championship sports racing cars built between 1950 and 1960.

In Goodwood’s own words the racers featured in The Sussex Trophy are “big, powerful cars, perfectly suited to Goodwood’s fast, sweeping curves, and which always produce a stunning spectacle.”

The nine Listers will compete in an expected 31-car field racing against other period machines including several examples of the Jaguar D-type and Maserati Tipo 61 ‘Birdcage’ as well as the Ferrari 246S Dino and Aston Martin DBR2 among others.

The privately-entered Listers include one Lister-Jaguar ‘Flat Iron’, three Lister-Jaguar Costins, three Lister-Jaguar ‘Knobblys’ and two Lister-Chevrolet ‘Knobblys’.

Lister has produced a limited run of ten continuation ‘Knobbly’ cars. The reborn ‘Knobbly’ is built to the very same specification as the original 1958 ‘Knobbly’, using the late Brian Lister’s original drawings and manufacturing jigs.

All ‘Knobbly’ models are built to meet relevant FIA racing regulations and are powered by a race-prepared Jaguar D-Type 3.8-litre straight-six, producing 330bhp. Although all ten are now sold out overwhelming response from enthusiasts and the historic racing community has meant that Lister is considering a number of final special editions.

Lister Motor Cars chairman Lawrence Whittaker said: “Revival is without doubt one of the highlights of the historic motor racing calendar and with nine Lister cars, including five ‘Knobbly’ models, competing in the Sussex Trophy against some very capable competition, it’s going to be a very exciting weekend indeed.

“The Lister ‘Knobbly’ continues to prove extremely popular with the historic racing community, which certainly helps to explain the fantastic reaction we’ve had to our fully sold-out run of continuation ‘Knobblys’. Watch this space for more news on some final editions.”

If the meeting is given the name Spa Six Hours, it is in honour of the endurance race that traditionally starts on the Saturday on the dot of 16.00hrs. A race reserved to pre-1965 cars, all a reference in their own right. And this year once again there will be in excess of … 100 muscle cars going head to head, defying the undulating Ardennes circuit and its elements, if one recalls the sequence of events during the 2014 edition. At the front of the grid the Ford GT40 can inevitably be seen as the top favourites, and for the 2015 edition, they will be … 12 to battle it out for overall victory!

Teamed up with his fellow countryman Tony Wood at the wheel of the #6, the Brit Martin Stretton will attempt to add a fifth win to his record at the Spa Six Hours, but he will need to cross swords with other top teams, such as Gläsel-Kelleners-Ellerbrock, Meins-Lillingston Price, Henderson-Henderson-Fisken, Walker-Jordan-Griffith, Voyazides-Hadfield, McInerney-McInerney-Reuben, Lynn-Haddon, etc. It is worth mentioning that this year a Belgian driver will be behind the wheel of one of these prestigious GT40, none other than … the Managing Director of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Pierre-Alain Thibaut in person, who will be teamed up with Wolfgang Kaufmann and Afschin Fatemi at the wheel of the #15!

To counter the Ford, we obviously have the Jaguar E-Type in their most appropriate versions, with the Lightweight of John Clark, Howard Redhouse and Richard Shaw, the Low Drag manned by Jason Minshaw, Rob Hall and Martin Melling, not forgetting the muscle car of John Minshaw and Phil Keen. As for the Shelby Cobra, they will do everything in their power to regain the upper hand from the GT40 brigade, with Summers-Donaldson-Cottingham, Hart-Hugenholtz-Van der Lof and Chiles-Chiles-Ingram in the leading roles. It is also worth keeping a close eye on the nimble Lotus Elan 26R, of which the Shapecraft version of Schryver-Schryver-Twyman, or the Grant Tromans and Richard Meaden machine, who will be joined by a certain … Marino Franchitti, younger brother of Dario Franchitti, winner notably of the 12 Hours of Sebring.

The Spa Six Hours is also the opportunity to appreciate some truly exceptional and extremely rare cars, such as the Aston Martin DB4 GT DP214, the Morgan +4 SLR, the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupé, the Gilbern 1800 GT, not forgetting the monstrous Ford Galaxie and Falcon Sprint and their ‘NASCAR’ look…

Even if they are not prophets in their own land when up against the best international specialists, the Belgian drivers at home in historic events will once again be on hand this year. Apart from P.A. Thibaut, we have Christian Dumolin-Stephan Meyers-Christophe Van Riet (Ford Mustang MK1), Philippe Lambilliotte (Lotus Elan 26R), Gaëtan Woitrin (Ford Shelby Mustang 350 GT), José Close (with the Frenchmen Raymond Narac and Michel Lecour with Porsche 911), Kristoffer Cartenian (Ford Mustang Notchback), Luc Geebelen-Xavier Martens (Porsche 911), Serge Libens-Jean-André Collard (Austin Healey 3000 MK2), Eric Duthoit (Jaguar E-Type), Diederik Ceyssens-Geert Boels (Porsche 911), Paul Lejeune-Grégory Paisse (Triumph TR4), Eric De Doncker-Patrick Henry de Frahan (Ford Shelby Mustang 350 GT), André Van Dyck-Freddy Van Sprundel (Ford Mustang Notchback), Maurice Damseaux-Eric Damseaux (Mini Cooper S), Eric Everard-Christian Bouriez-Christian Lange (Ford Mustang), etc.

As you will have realised these Spa Six Hours definitely act as High Mass on the international historic scene, with only very few specialists not present in the paddock, and where the Spa-Francorchamps grandstands will be awash with enthusiasts during the third weekend of September.

Rendezvous for a further communiqué taking in an overall presentation of a meeting where surprises, always good ones, will inevitably be abundant …

Forbes-Robinson – best known simply as “EFR” – won the 1982 Trans-Am title and captured overall Rolex 24 wins at Daytona in 1997 and 1999. He is still active in sports car racing and currently serves as an IMSA Steward and the Race Director for the IMSA Cooper Tires Prototype Lites series. He also assisted HSR in 2014 with the inaugural Classic 24 Hour at Daytona driver orientation program and will fill the same role again this year.

“I am really looking forward to it,” Forbes-Robinson said. “After running the Le Mans Classic in France last year, and seeing how that went and how popular it was, I am so glad we are doing it here. The Classic 24 Hour at Daytona has already developed into a spectacular event.”

Forbes-Robinson, who was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2006, will co-drive Huang’s Oreca FLM09 Prototype Challenge (PC) race car in the Classic 24 Hour. One of the more contemporary entries in the race, and prepared by Savannah Race Engineering, the Oreca was driven to victory a little over a year ago by Sean Rayhall and Luis Diaz in the Oak Tree Grand Prix PC feature race at VIRginia International Raceway.

“The Classic 24 is a unique opportunity for me to drive with EFR, a sports car racing legend, at the historic Daytona International Speedway,” Huang said. “Having raced in the actual Rolex 24 At Daytona in 2004, which was red flagged due to torrential rain, I am confident the Classic 24 will be considerably more fun! And seeing all the cars from multiple eras in one place is icing on the cake. Can’t ask for better.”

- 1989 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Jochen Mass was a high-profile participant in the inaugural Classic 24 Hour last year and the Grand Marshal of this past January’s Rolex 24 At Daytona. He is preparing for yet another visit to the World Center of Racing in November for this year’s Classic 24 where the German sports car racing legend and Formula 1 race winner will again co-drive the No. 13 Heritage Motorsports-prepared 1974 Porsche 911 RSR with Mike Banz.

- Just weeks after entering a Dyson Racing Porsche 962 and the legendary JLP-3 Porsche 935, Zak Brown and United Autosports have added a third Classic 24 entry. The European-based team is also bringing a 1985 Roush Ford Mustang IMSA GTO race car to Daytona. Brown is the only driver currently listed on all three entries but some notable additions to the team are expected when United Autosports announces its Classic 24 driver lineup next week.

- Eric Curran is in the midst of a tight battle for the IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship but the Prototype driver has still found the time to enter the Classic 24. Curran, a Massachusetts native who now lives in Sarasota, Florida, will co-drive a Hudson Historics-prepared 2009 Coyote Daytona Prototype with William Hubbell at Daytona. His first order of business, however, is winning the IMSA TUDOR Prototype title. With just two races left at Circuit of The Americas and Road Atlanta’s Petit Le Mans in the next 30 days, Curran and teammate Dane Cameron are only two points out of first place in the Prototype point standings.

- Another sports car racing legend to recently enter the Classic 24 is Austrian Touring Car icon Dieter Quester. Still going strong and actively racing at 75-years-old, Quester is bringing an Alpina B6 GT3 to Daytona. Quester will co-drive the BMW-based GT3 race car, which will be adorned with a familiar Red Bull livery for the Classic 24, with Andreas Bovensiepen, CEO of Alpina and an accomplished race car driver and automotive enthusiast.

The list of current and legendary drivers confirmed for the Classic 24 now includes Jochen Mass, Bobby Rahal, Hurley Haywood, Gijs Van Lennep, Patrick Long, Elliott Forbes-Robinson, Eric Curran, Scott Sharp, Jim Pace, Dieter Quester, Zak Brown, Jeff Zwart, Shane Lewis, Mike Skeen, Gunnar Jeanette and many more.

The equally impressive racing machines these drivers and other Classic 24 competitors will race in the Daytona event is a rolling collection of top sports cars and prototypes from the past 50 years.

The next event for HSR is the Atlanta Fall Historics at Road Atlanta, September 18 – 20.

“The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is a perfect stage on which to celebrate 100 years of BMW,” stated Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO, BMW of North America, LLC. “The BMW brand and the legend of The Ultimate Driving Machine® was forged on and continues to be refined on racing circuits all over the world. In the United States, Laguna Seca has played a starring role. This year, our BMW Z4 GTLM racing cars finished 1-2 in IMSA competition there – almost 40 years to the date a BMW 3.0 CSL won our very first race on the classic circuit. BMW is delighted to be able to share our passion for great automobiles and motorsport with the world next year.”

Bavarian Motor Works has an enormously rich history. The patriarchs of the brand, Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto instilled a robust DNA in the company in 1916 through the combination of their respective businesses. Beginning as an aircraft engine manufacturer, adding motorcycles in 1923 and automobiles in 1928, a century later BMW has become one of the most respected, innovative and popular brands in the world.

“We are honored that BMW will celebrate its milestone anniversary at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion,” said Gill Campbell, CEO/General Manager of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. “Ludwig Willisch and his management team have been enthusiastic supporters of historic racing here in Monterey, right down to having Ludwig drive in the 1975 BMW 3.0 CSL. It will be a truly international gathering.”

More than 900 entry applications will be received for the limited 550 positions when requests for the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is open October to February. For many, the Rolex Reunion is a motorsports museum springing to life, as authentic cars from as far back as the pre-war era fire up and tackle the challenging circuit.

Following the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca will remain the center of BMW focus for a second consecutive week as the circuit will host the BMW Car Club of America’s annual Oktoberfest and the BMW Rider’s Association Annual Rally on August 24 – 28.

The Monterey Classic Car Week, the most important annual gathering of premium classic racing and road cars in North America, has broken all records in 2015.  The Monterey magic was working at full revs for not only were the cars the stars, but a vast number of legendary racing drivers reading like a ‘Who’s Who’ of the motor sport world, was in attendance to add further spice to what has become one of the most significant motoring events in the global motoring calendar.

The ‘Week, which concluded yesterday with the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance staged at the former home of the US Open, the famous Pebble Beach Golf Links, has been acclaimed by many authoritative commentators from around the world. Three times FIA Formula 1 World Champion and Rolex Testimonee, Sir Jackie Stewart OBE speaking at Pebble Beach: “What we have here is an outstanding series of events that are a great celebration of the car over many decades. Long may it thrive”.

For Rolex the Monterey Classic Car Week got underway in earnest on Thursday 13th August with the Tour, a feature introduced in 1998 and partnered by Rolex, since 2007. The event is now of greater significance since participation could help when the result of the final event, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, may be influenced in the event of a tie, by one car’s performance in the Tour.

This year nearly 200 varied but highly valued classics took part in the 80 mile (129 kilometers) drive, ranging from a 1902 Panhard et Lavassor TB1 saloon to unusually, a Mercedes-Benz yet to go on sale – the AMG GT-S. But, it is the classics that dominate the entry much to the delight of the thousands of enthusiasts lining the route, filming and waving as the valuable classics drive serenely by.

Tour entrant Bill Kuettel took passengers in his rare 1928 Lincoln Cabriolet this year so that they could share the excitement of the experience. Through pine forests and scrubland, the Lincoln headed East on the historic 17 mile drive in bright sunshine to the first stop at Clint Eastwood’s Tehama Country Club where entrants were able to take refreshments while admiring each other’s classics.

The Tour then headed West before turning South onto the famously scenic Pacific Coast Highway 1 to Big Sur for the second stop. Rolex fan, 85 year old Bill was wearing his 25 year old Rolex Cellini and also spoke fondly of his 18 K yellow gold Rolex Oyster Perpetual.

Bill then drove the Lincoln to the lunch stop on Ocean Avenue in Carmel where the entrants were practically mobbed by a huge crowd, keen to become part of what has become a great celebration of the car from all ages. Lunch in the sunshine was followed by a return to the start in Pebble Beach by 2.00pm, all knowing they had taken part in a very popular and significant, part of the Monterey Classic Car Week.

The Quail is regarded by many as a jewel of the week and is a crucial element of the Monterey programme. Rolex has been the Official Timepiece of The Quail since 2005. The day, which is by paid admission only, takes the form of a well-dressed, very large garden party with fine food accompanied by displays of a wide variety of beautiful classic cars from around the world.

Amongst the attendees, former Formula 1 Grand Prix star and proud Rolex owner Jochen Mass summed up The Quail: “It has developed over the past ten years to be the most important event of the week. It is a special and unique setting.” Mass admitted that his favourite Rolex is his Cosmograph Daytona whilst also mentioning his Submariner.

There is a always wide variety of exhibits at The Quail and this year was no exception. A recent creation, called an Auburn-Bugatti Delahaye Boattail Seepdster, drew particular attention. The stunning, artistic aerodynamic creation is the brainchild of Terry Cook.

An ex-Le Mans original Ford GT40 race car that had won the Rolex 24 At Daytona which was displayed alongside the latest Ford GT, was also a draw, while a Maserati 200SI once raced in 1956 by Sir Stirling Moss, also caused a stir.

The race day at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on Saturday was another action-packed, scorching hot day for the many thousands of classic race (and road) car fans. While the whole Monterey Peninsula was awash with priceless supercars of today, a rich mix of racing cars from all eras including pre 1940s up to IMSA GTP & GTO classes from 1981 to 1991, were competing. Also a new feature this year was a race featuring Formula 1 cars from 1967 to 1984.

The Rolex-supported event was a bonanza for all car enthusiasts with close racing a feature of all classes. Also marking the 50th anniversary of the Shelby Mustang, there were parade laps completed by a collection of Carroll Shelby’s iconic Ford Mustang performance cars to mark this important milestone.

Rolex Testimonee Sir Jackie Stewart took part in a very amusing question and answer session with US racer Scott Pruett at an event called “Picnic in the Park”. The session, chaired by BRDC member and former race driver himself Murray Smith, caused great amusement as both drivers recounted tales of their careers in the top echelons of international motor sport.

In perfect weather conditions, nearly 200 classic cars entered for the Concours were viewed by a capacity crowd from the early hours of Sunday 16th through until the presentation of the category awards culminating in the most prestigious, The Best of Show Award, in the late afternoon. Staged on the 18th fairway of the famous Pebble Beach Golf Links beside the Pacific Ocean, the event takes the form of a garden party with attendant displays and classical music.

The quality of the entrants, many of them priceless, is very high. Such a large number of very rare and immaculate classics, presents a challenge to the many judges. This year, they chose a rare Isotta Fraschinio Tipo 8A manufactured in Milan in 1924.

The owner, Jim Patterson of Louisville, Kentucky, acquired the car at Retromobile, Paris in early 2014. Since then the very impressive car was subject to a comprehensive restoration programme, involving every nut and bolt and the result clearly convinced the judges.

Mr Patterson who has a collection of “several dozen cars”, plans to take the Isotta Fraschinio to more Concourse events. A Rolex devotee of many years, Mr Patterson has in his collection two of the time pieces one of which is an example of a ‘vintage’ President Day-Date 18 K yellow gold.

Among the international roll-call of stars attending the Monterey Classic Car Week, were from the UK: Rolex Testimonee Sir Jackie Stewart OBE, Sir Stirling Moss OBE, DerekBell MBE, Brian Redman and Alain de Cadenet. US stars included Bob Bondurant, Scott Pruett, Bobby Rahal, Hurley Heywood, Danny Sullivan, Lynn St James, Skip Barber, Tony Adamovicz, John Morton, David Donohue (Grand-Am’s Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype class), Bill Auberlen and New Zealand’s Howden Ganley.

As the Official Timepiece of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Rolex maintains its shared motivation: a passion for endurance, innovation and tradition, with total success.