Russell Holden and his family on the 2024( left) and 2025( above) Veteran Car Runs
AUSTRALIA
Russell Holden Russell is a leading light in Australian veteran car circles, the first ever non-US board member( and a past president) of the Horseless Carriage Club of America. He’ s also a professional restorer, aged 66, with five veterans currently undergoing work at his premises deep in the wine district of Mudgee, some three-and-a-half hours west of Sydney.
“ We generally leave from the USA, after doing the Hershey Swapmeet and the Hershey Hangover Tour,” he says.“ We have two daughters in London and enjoy catching up with them. Our youngest Andrea drives the cars, so we share the driving on the event, which is a great family thing. We also take the time to visit other countries while we’ re based in the UK for this few weeks.”
The two cars entered by the Holden clan comprise a 1902 Thomas 8hp owned for 25 years and a 1903 Knox, which has been recently acquired.
The Thomas is well prepared, as you might imagine, and Russell says it“ sits on the road very nicely and has plenty of power”. Nonetheless, after many years of tackling events in the USA, and despite much preparation, on its 2024 VCR debut a damaged radiator sidelined the car 12 miles from Brighton – surely the ultimate cruelty!“ Needless to say, finishing in 2025 was extremely pleasing,” he adds.
Meanwhile, the Knox has undergone lots of shakedown driving in the UK in the weeks ahead of the Run to get it as fighting fit as possible. Russell intends to keep this one in the UK, entrusting it to local specialist Tom Parrott.
“ It’ s a new purchase that we’ ve had to‘ sort’ and learn to drive in the weeks leading up to the event,
but that’ s all part of the adventure; when you have a passion for pre-‘ 05s you enjoy their individual quirkiness and personality.
ITALY
Adone Balasso For everyone involved in organising the Run, and trying to build interest every year, Adone’ s story is incredibly encouraging. The 54-year old from Vicenza, Italy first experienced the event in 2015 as a visitor to what was then the Regent Street Motor Show, and enjoyed it so much that he returned year after year.
Eventually, he yearned to get off the sidelines and take part, and when he mentioned this to his friend and fellow enthusiast Franco Boero, Franco decided to make the dream a reality. Without ever having driven one, Franco bought a 1904 Oldsmobile Curved Dash from a UK dealer, and in 2025 with minimum
Adone Balasso at the finish of the 2025 Veteran Car Run
www. veterancarrun. com F / veterancarrun. I @ veterancarrun 37