RACE PREVIEW
In ’ 37 the TT was run on the British mainland for the first time , Gianfranco Comotti ( Talbot- Darracq ) winning at Donington Park . Louis Gerard ( Delage ) won there in ’ 38 but following WW2 the venue closed until Leicester builder Tom Wheatcroft reopened it in ’ 77 . The race continued , on the roads at Dundrod in Northern Ireland , then Goodwood and Oulton Park , before finding a new home here at Silverstone - as a touring car enduro - in 1970 .
Continental Europe remained a hotbed of motor racing , where the Targa Florio , introduced in 1906 , and Mille Miglia [ 1000 miles ] from ’ 27 spawned the evolution of ever faster cars . The grand marques of the day , Alfa Romeo , Bugatti , Maserati and Mercedes- Benz constantly pushed the boundaries of innovative engineering and exotic materials in their quest for success .
Friday 09:31 - 09:58 RACE 4 Saturday 11:25 - 12:05
Motor racing was increasingly popular in Britain too . Centred on Brooklands and Donington , plus the classic speed hillclimb at Shelsley Walsh , events were wellattended . Sporting marques such as Aston Martin [ whose current Formula One factory is at Silverstone ], MG , Riley and Talbot were challenged by artisan engineers of the calibre of Archie Frazer Nash , with extraordinarily fast chain-driven lightweights and Geoffrey Taylor ’ s Altas .
Examples of many of these marques will be seen in MRL ’ s Pre-War Sports Car race this weekend . As you watch the action unfold think of the heroes who took them into battle more than 80 years ago … Archie Frazer-Nash would be proud to see his proteges in action , as the marque celebrates its 100th Anniversary . Fred Wakeman is a specialist in his TT Rep , let ’ s hope that a recent injury to his shoulder won ’ t set him back . Fred will be harried by the Le Mans Classic dominating Talbot AV105 Brooklands of Michael Birch , ( impossible to miss in its striking bright green ) and his team-mate , Gareth Burnett in the rare 1939 Alta Sports . The RAF blue car has won both MRL Pre-War Sports Car rounds at Donington Historic and Snetterton Historic 200 so far this season and he will be keen to get his hands on the BRDC 500 . We welcome a fantastic line-up of Aston Martins , including Jonathan Lupton and co-driver , Aston Martin GT supremo ,
Darren Turner . Darren ’ s career as a racing driver is extensive and impressive , with no fewer than three Le Mans victories under his belt , and he has been enjoying a season of something completely different in the 1930 Team Car . John Burton ’ s Jaguar SS carries eyecatching bodywork , built as a one-off , narrow bodied car in period . The Bentley-boys , as ever put up an impressive showing , Hugh Apthorp brings the famous ex-Forrest Lycett 3 4 1 / 2 . The BRDC 500 will be a fabulous celebration of a pioneering era of the sport .
MARCUS PYE
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