Silverstone Classic, even with its status as the world’s largest retro racing festival, isn’t all about the racing. It also features as an integral part a mammoth gathering of car clubs, providing an incredible showcase of classic cars on the track’s infield that fans can walk among and observe up close. Plus, in certain special cases, the clubs even provide a range of notable parades of their cars on the Silverstone circuit for fans to enjoy. And this year’s event, taking place on July 26 to 28, is already set to surpass last year’s record for the number of car clubs in attendance. In 2018 an unprecedented 128 were present; currently 136 are registered to be on display at Silverstone this year.
In recent annual Silverstone Classic events, more than 10,000 privately-owned classic cars have been exhibited at the heart of the three-day show, and the number is likely to be topped this July. And time is running out to join them, as the deadline to register for the car club display is the end of this month, May 31. Registration can be done via a simple online process. Display packages for the Saturday only have already sold out—a limit on each ticket-type is required due to the complex logistics involved in accommodating so many car clubs in the available space over the full festival weekend. But a restricted number of Friday, Sunday and weekend packages, in the last case for both two and three days, remain on sale, subject to availability.
Clubs that register are offered an advance ticket package which includes two adult general admission tickets as well as an infield vehicle display pass that allows those arriving in classic cars to park on their club’s allocated stand and feature in the infield show. Famous marques such as Aston Martin, BMW, Ferrari, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Lotus, Morgan, Porsche and Triumph are all well represented among the clubs attending the 2019 Classic and they will be joined by new faces. Leading these is Vintage Racing Ouest Motorsport, whose members are bringing a collection of around 20 eye-catching automobiles from France.
Capri and Mini clubs are also notable additions as they mark their respective model’s 50th and 60th anniversaries this year in impressive style at the Classic with special celebration packages, which also are available only until the end of this month. Underlining the habitual international flavor of the Classic, one Capri indeed is being driven all the way from Warsaw to be at the event. This year’s Classic will in addition celebrate Bentley’s centenary, while Abarth also has big plans to honor its 70th anniversary at the event.
Many of the clubs at the Classic also get to pay homage to key marque and model milestones with dedicated anniversary on-track track parades during the weekend, which are squeezed into the schedule between the packed program of races. In recent years there have been record processions of E-type Jaguars, Ferrari F40s, Porsche 911s, Jaguar XJ220s, and McLaren supercars. In total, more than 40 special track parades have taken place and the roster includes the Austin-Healey 3000, BMW Z1, De Tomaso, Fiat Coupe, Honda S2000, Mazda MX-5, Middlebridge Scimitar and Triumph TR6.
Images courtesy of Silverstone Classic
