JACKY ICKX, "MR. LE MANS", IS THE AMELIA'S 2019 HONOREE

JACKY ICKX, "MR. LE MANS", IS  THE AMELIA'S 2019 HONOREE

In his biography of Enzo Ferrari, Brock Yates summed up Jacky Ickx in one perfect phrase writing Jacky Ickx has " . . . the heart of a lion".      "There is something heroic about Jacky Ickx," said Bill Warner, founder and Chairman of the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. "When things are at their worst Ickx is at his best. Grace under pressure doesn't begin to describe him. He's a racer whose abilities, reputation and record stand with the greatest of all time."       Five-time Le Mans winner and 2007 Amelia Honoree Derek Bell said of Ickx, "For me he was the Ayrton Senna of his time".      The centerpiece of Ickx's racing career is six victories in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Yet that's just the headline. His versatility is legendary. Ickx is the 1967 European Formula 2 Champion and owns eight World Championship F1 victories (and three non-championship wins) plus second place in the 1969 and 1970 F1 World Championships. Ickx scored 37 individual race victories in the World Sports Car Championship and back-to-back World Sports Car Championships in 1982 and 1983. In America he won the 1979 Can-Am Championship, the 1969 Sebring 12 Hours with Jackie Oliver and the 1972 Daytona "24" with Mario Andretti. The versatile Ickx also logged victory in the 1977 Bathurst 1000 and the 1966 24 Hours of Spa, a class win and second overall in the Nurburgring's grinding 84-hour Marathon de la Route plus his legendary victory in the brutal 10,000-kilometer 1983 Paris-Dakar Rally -- "the war without bullets" -- for Mercedes-Benz.   "It is an honor to have 'Mr. Le Mans' as our 2019 honoree," said Warner, "Especially on the 50th anniversary of the first of his six Le Mans victories." Amelia Concours d'Elegance's 2019 Honoree Jacky Ickx is a six-time Le Mans winner, 1979 Can-Am Champion, a Formula 1 victor and a Daytona, Sebring and Paris-Dakar winner.

MINI IN THE PARK - Sunday 12th August - Santa Pod Raceway

MODIFIED - CLASSIC - SUPER CLEAN - STYLED  What ever type of Mini Owner you are we want you to join us at The Pride of Ownership Display!  Open to all Mini owners this is the laid back sister of Show 'n' Shine and Concours. It's simply about displaying your Mini and your style in a display where all the Mini personalities come together! On the day, the top 20 specially selected Minis will be invited to take part in the Pride of Ownership parade in the Live Action Arena and one owner will be crowned the winner!  Want to enter follow the link below -  only 40 minis will be selected so it's important you enter now! Entry closes Friday 13th July.  ENTER NOW

GET YOUR MITP 2018 TICKETS

ADVANCE BOOKING OFFER JUST £18* (£22 ON THE GATE) Don't forget, two children under 14 go FREE with every adult ticket! Weekend camping tickets also available for just £25*

04/07/18   REMARKABLE LINE-UP FOR MIKE BREWER’S CAR CLINICS, PRESENTED BY HAYNES PUBLISHING      • New support for TV’s Wheeler Dealer shows at the Silverstone Classic  • Austin 7, ‘Frogeye Sprite’, MGA and Porsche 356 under the spotlight     • Comprehensive selection of world-famous Haynes manuals on sale • All tickets must be purchased in advance     One of the most famous names in motoring will be in the spotlight at this month’s spectacular Silverstone Classic (20-22 July) with today’s announcement that Mike Brewer’s hugely-popular Car Clinics will be presented by Haynes Publishing. Founded by John Haynes OBE, Haynes Publishing has been the power behind the world's leading illustrated workshop car and motorcycle manuals for more the 50 years. Its range of essential guidebooks will be well-known to the vast majority of the 100,000 attending the magical three-day festival, notably the owners of the 10,000 classic cars that make up the dazzling in-field displays. Enhancing its revered reputation, Haynes Publishing will not only be presenting the Car Clinics hosted by TV personality Brewer from the Discovery Channel’s ‘Wheeler Dealers’ programme but will also have a comprehensive stand from which visitors can purchase manuals. Adding to the collaboration, an Austin 7 ‘special’ and an Austin Healey ‘Frogeye’ Sprite are among the captivating cars coming under Brewer’s expert eye during breaks in the unrivalled roster of retro races. Both of these treasured models have significant pertinence to Haynes. While still at school, in 1956 a young John Haynes wrote and published his book on building a ‘special’ based on an Austin 7. Then, ten years later, the first ‘proper’ Haynes Owners Workshop Manual followed the strip-down and rebuild of a Frogeye, complete with the practical step-by-step photography that has become so synonymous with all Haynes manuals. What’s more, the two models coming before Brewer both have great stories to tell. Nick-named ‘Simplicity’, the Austin 7 (photo: below top) was built as a competition special in 1930 by Jack French and today is still regularly seen in VSCC organised sprints and hill climbs, while the Sprite (photo: below bottom) is arguably the most important in existence having won its class at the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1959. Other notable cars being reviewed on Brewer’s stage include an ex-works MGA with RAC Rally and Mille Miglia pedigree, an interesting 1954 Ford Consul MK1 (photo: below middle left) now armed with a 2-litre Ford Zetec heart plus a beautifully restored Porsche 356 (photo: below middle right) – a fine example of the first production model produced by Porsche in 1948, which is celebrating its 70th birthday at this summer’s Classic. “We could hardly have found a more apt – nor able – partner for our Car Clinics than Haynes Publishing. It’s a legendary company whose manuals have become a godsend to all those lucky enough to have a classic car in their garage,” said Nick Wigley, CEO of Goose Live Events, organiser of the Silverstone Classic. “In recent years, Mike’s highly informative and entertaining clinics have become a big hit with Silverstone Classic visitors and he certainly has some wonderfully interesting cars to review later this month.” Like so much of the amazing off-track entertainment at the world’s biggest classic motor racing festival, admission to Mike Brewer’s Car Clinics presented by Haynes Publishing is totally free to all ticket holders along with access to both racing paddocks, open trackside grandstands, vintage funfair rides, the Yokohama Chelsea Skills zone, 4x4 rides, streetcar shootout showdowns, Terry Grant’s stunt driving shows plus a host of fun-fuelled family activities on the JET Village Green. Tickets must be purchased in advance and adult admission is priced from just £45 with considerable savings on offer for both families and those spending the full weekend at Silverstone. Hospitality and camping options are also available. Full details can be found on the officialwww.silverstoneclassic.com website.

SILVERSTONE CLASSIC - LEGENDS OF MODERN F1 COMPLETE 70th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

LEGENDS OF MODERN F1 COMPLETE 70th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS      • 100 Grand Prix cars to honour 70 years of Silverstone Grands Prix    • Icons as raced by Senna, Button and Hill in recent F1 history     • High-speed Formula One track demos at Silverstone Classic • All tickets must be purchased in advance     Grand Prix cars from all seven decades of Silverstone’s remarkable history will be celebrating the circuit’s landmark 70th anniversary at next month’s Silverstone Classic (20-22 July) with news that a very special Legends of Modern Formula One showcase has been added to the sparkling birthday party bill. As already confirmed, an evocative parade of ERAs, Maseratis and Talbots from the very first Silverstone International Grand Prix back in 1948 will be joined by thrilling retro races packed with stunning F1 icons from the fifties, sixties, seventies and eighties. Now, completing the anniversary celebrations, Legends of Modern Formula One will feature a great selection of significant F1 cars from the following three decades. These include turbo-, V8- and V10-engined machines as raced in period by world champions such as Ayrton Senna, Jenson Button and Damon Hill. The all-embracing collection ranges from a Toleman-Hart TG184 dating back to 1984, when a young Senna and Johnny Cecotto were the team’s drivers, to a Ferrari-powered Sauber C30 in which both Kamui Kobayashi and Sergio Perez scored world championship points during the 2011 F1 season. A number of equally impressive Grand Prix cars from BAR, Jordan and Lotus are also included. This eye-catching gathering will not only be displayed in the National Paddock throughout the three-day festival but will also be revving up for dramatic high-speed track demos on Friday and Saturday, thus giving reminiscing visitors a wonderful chance to see – and emotively hear – these great cars back in action.    “The addition of Legends of Modern Formula One ensures all seven decades of Grand Prix racing are well represented in our celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of Silverstone’s very first Grand Prix in 1948,” said a delighted Event Director, Nick Wigley. “In total, we will have close to 100 Grand Prix cars at this year’s Classic – a very fitting tribute to Silverstone’s remarkable 70-year milestone.”  All those keen to experience this incredible tribute to Silverstone’s illustrious history must buy their tickets in advance. Adult admission is priced from just £45 and considerable savings are on offer for both families and those spending the full weekend at Silverstone. Hospitality and camping options are also available. Full details can be found on the official www.silverstoneclassic.comwebsite.

Modena Cento Ore 2018 A Standing Ovation for the 2018 edition of the "Rally of the Year"

Modena Cento Ore 2018

A Standing Ovation for the 2018 edition of the "Rally of the Year"

It’s all over!

The awards ceremony on Saturday evening has brought the 2018 edition of the Modena Cento Ore to a close.

During the awards ceremony, it was fulfilling to see how the competitors celebrated together the triumphs of some and the defeat of others after the race was over.

There again, if you were really determined to find fault with the Modena Cento Ore, the only flaw that comes to mind is that there can only be one winner.

First place this year -  but it’s nothing new - went to the English pair Philip Walker - Miles Griffiths in their 1964 Jaguar E-Type, who are becoming a familiar sight on the podium.

Among the ladies, Daniela Ellerbrock - Jackie Rohwer in their 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA left the other competitors standing, whereas Joelle Housseau - Aude Moreau dominated the regularity section in a 1972 Ferrari Dino 246 GT.

The top step on the podium for the regularity section was taken by crew 104: Ernst Schroeder - Philipp Ruppell in their 1961 Porsche 356 B

AC Owners Club were the first team in the regularity section rankings, captained by the 1959 AC ACE Bristol owned by Bertie Gilbart-Smith - Simon Kelly. The winners had a fabulous story behind them:

Bertie Gilbart Smith has owned the car since 1964, when it left the workshop in Scotland after maintenance work carried out by a young mechanic who worked at the family-run garage, Sir Jackie Stewart. It’s worth mentioning that this car drove here all the way from England, a total  of 1600 Km before the race even started, with a similar journey back home awaiting them in the days to come.

As always, it is interesting to take a look at the “index of performance”, i.e. the adjusted ranking, that places one of the loveliest cars to enter the Modena Cento Ore 2018 in an incredible third place: the 1952 Ferrari 212 Export Berlinetta Touring driven by Martin Halusa and Susanne Halusa.

It has been an incredible edition, once again confirming how the Modena Cento Ore has become a major event despite its relatively tender age.

The level of the cars taking part was worthy of one of a world level Concours d’Elegance with just one major difference: the Modena Cento Ore gives these cars the opportunity to be admired in motion, becoming a perfect motoring museum on tour to the most beautiful places in Italy.

Some feelings are difficult to express, but the showing of the video of the cars speeding over the high speed oval at Monza met with such applause that it can only be interpreted as a unequivocal sign that Monza and its high speed track were the symbols of this 17th edition of the rally.

The final ranking also indicates that no single model had a clear advantage over the others: the more powerful cars fared better on certain tracks; the more agile cars did better on others, whilst the uphill special stages allowed others still to shine.

The fact that at the start of the last circuit trial, after four days of racing, only 0.4 seconds separated the cars holding first and second place is exemplary.

Tomorrow, the Ferrari 250 SWB “SEFAC”, one of the six Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupés ever made (and purchased directly from Carrol Shelby), will go back under wraps in the garage, as will the Jaguar E Type Lightweight and the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 “Daytona” Group 4, formerly Ecurie Francorchamp, together with the much loved and spectacular Barchette Sport, represented by two 1957 Maserati 250S.

For us, and for the public fortunate enough to watch them drive by, the image of the speed and the roar of the engines of these exceptional vehicles will be a lasting memory...This makes us very proud.

A special prize was assigned to the team of mechanics, who were also undisputed stars of the Modena Cento Ore.

Richard Walbyoff and Sarah Walbyoff took home the “Mechanical Miracle 2018” award for being capable of finding the V8, arranging  shipment and replacing it on Mark Freeman and Mike Ellis’ 1965 AC Shelby Cobra 289.

All in the space of just one night, of course, in less than optimum conditions.

Everyone in the room paid a special tribute to the members of the Canossa Events team who certainly spared no efforts both during race days and prep days.

Special thanks to the local Police Force, for being as kind, approachable and efficient as always.

A radiant Luigi Orlandini, CEO of Canossa Events, oversaw the final speeches and promises to meet up again next year for a new, fantastic, incredible and very fast edition of the Modena Cento Ore.

One last, exhilarating moment awaited the winners as they had the chance to go up to the top of the Ghirlandina tower, the symbol of Modena, which is usually closed to the public, for a panoramic view of the city.

The endless succession of “Thank you Luigi”’s for the wonderful time spent together, received the morning after the end of the race was the best confirmation of the pleasant experience that the event has become...

The socially-responsible choices of the Modena Cento Ore

Once again, the association with Panathlon Club of Modena was confirmed with Scuderia Tricolore supporting the sports projects for disabled children.

As well as the traditional donation that the Scuderia made directly to Panathlon Club of Modena, Claudio Lucchese, the President of Florim, the company that hosted the final evening, also donated the equivalent amount usually charged for the rental of the venue to the charity.

Canossa Events reinstated their commitment to the environment with its ongoing application of the CarbonZero protocol during its events, and will fully compensate the residual emissions of CO2 of the Modena Cento Ore 2018 by planting new trees in the Tuscan Emilian Apennines.

The Modena Cento Ore is still the only ‘zero emissions’ event of its kind.

Once again, the numbers of this year’s Modena Cento Ore are record-breaking:

• 107 cars registered, (101 at the starting line), out of a total of more than 250 applicants
• 18 countries were represented, with 202 competitors from all around the world: England, France, Germany, Switzerland and other countries in Europe, as well as United States, Brazil, and New Zealand…
• 19 motor vehicle manufacturers were represented, shared out evenly between the Italians (Ferrari and Alfa Romeo), English (Jaguar, Lotus, and Ford), Germans (Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and BMW), and Americans (AC Shelby Cobra, Ford and Chevrolet)
• 11 Special Stages on roads closed to normal traffic, 3  GPs and 1 super special stage for the speed section
• 10 average speed trials and 13 timed trials for the regularity section
• 4 legs arriving in different cities

Impressive motorcycle stunt duo join us in 2018 for Sywell Classic: Pistons & Props

The Two Brothers Stunt Team were the first team in the UK to have a fully dedicated drift bike, the team now have three dedicated drift bikes pioneering the drift bike scene in the UK today! The bikes have a 10” stretched rear swing arm, which is the main obvious modification. They also have lots of other little tweaks to make drifting just that little easier. Such as the flat tank for sitting on in the high chair position whilst drifting, when in the high chair position the rear foot brake cannot be reached so the bikes have an extra rear brake underneath the clutch lever called a handbrake. The bikes run a full crash cage for those moments when it goes wrong! In the show you will see the guys drift with amazing accuracy, drifting around volunteers and performing various tricks. Although the guys can drift standard bikes, the drift bikes are just so much fun and the Two Bros Team can be a lot more accurate and flexible with the bikes, which makes for a adrenaline filled, noisy, smokey show! See the display at Sywell Aerodrome on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd September. Single Day and Weekend Camping tickets are now available to purchase from www.sywellclassic.co.uk

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40TH FILM ANNIVERSARY FOR BEAULIEU’S VETERAN BUS

40TH FILM ANNIVERSARY FOR BEAULIEU’S VETERAN BUS

Beaulieu’s popular Veteran Bus which has driven thousands of visitors around the attraction is celebrating 40 years since its star appearance in the classic film The Thirty Nine Steps.

The much-loved replica of a 1912 London bus made its film debut recreating an early 20th century London street scene in the 1978 film adaption of John Buchan’s novel. The impressive replica of a London General Omnibus Company B-type double-decker was the perfect prop in the film which starred Robert Powell, John Mills and David Warner.

Powell played Richard Hannay who was working to foil an assassination attempt of a foreign power by secret agents in the lead-up to World War I. One of the most dramatic moments sees Powell hang from the hands of Big Ben and the Veteran Bus is a key feature, seen transporting Edwardian-style passengers around Parliament Square below and stopping for them to watch the action unfold.

The Veteran Bus was one of six National Motor Museum vehicles which featured in the film – including the 1909 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, one of Beaulieu’s most prized cars which also carried celebrities to the Royal Premier of the film in Leicester Square. 

This was not the only time the Veteran Bus featured in a film, having also appeared in 1975’s Love Among the Ruins, a period TV drama starring Katharine Hepburn and Laurence Olivier and set in Edwardian times.

The build of the Veteran Bus was commissioned by Edward, Lord Montagu, in 1973 to transport visitors between the newly-opened National Motor Museum and Palace House, his home which he opened to the public. It still carries visitors on the same daily journey today.

The open-top body was constructed on the chassis of the then modern Ford K Series tipper truck. With sturdy wood and steel bodywork construction and polished brass fittings retaining an authentic look, it kept its Ford six-litre, six-cylinder diesel engine and five-speed gearbox. This fascinating creation recaptured the sights and sounds of early bus travel but was rugged and powerful enough for the job.

Its builders, SJ Mitchell Limited of Biggleswade, also built an accurate replica of Beaulieu’s 1909 Humber 8hp driven by Sally Ann Howes’ character Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a full-scale recreation of Lady Penelope’s Rolls-Royce ‘FAB 1’ from Thunderbirds using a six-wheeled Bedford coach chassis and a life-sized replica of the Apollo 8 space capsule.

The B-type London bus landmark design ushered in a new age of improved reliability for motor buses, while its mass-produced standard components simplified repairs. Over 2,500 examples of this successful bus were built, replacing the last of London’s horse-drawn buses. This rugged machine also had an important role in World War I, when over 1,000 B-types were used to transport troops to the front line.

Beaulieu’s workshop engineers have kept the Veteran Bus running for 45 years of service, modifying and improving its braking system, steering and parts of its body structure. In 1995, the worn-out original engine was replaced with a new, old stock ‘crate’ unit which had been destined to power a diesel generator. The beefed-up version of the six-cylinder engine is slow-revving with a heavy-duty crankshaft but meets the demands of low-speed motoring.

Fully road-legal, the Veteran Bus can be seen on the open road being driven to and from its MOT test each year. With no windscreen or cab doors, a warm coat for the driver is a necessity!

Unlimited rides on the Veteran Bus are included in a general admission ticket to Beaulieu, which includes entry to the National Motor Museum, World of Top Gear, Palace House, 13th century Beaulieu Abbey and the stunning grounds and gardens. Tickets can be bought in advance online. For tickets or more details see www.beaulieu.co.uk or call 01590 612345.

Join the conversation on Twitter @Beaulieu_Hants, Facebook at /nationalmotormuseum and Instagram @national_motor_museum.