Old is gold - a weekend with the vscc

The phrase ‘vintage racing’ often conjures up images of pre-war cars that spend more time in the paddock or car park, surrounded by octogenarians that can recite chassis numbers and build dates more readily than they can complete a lap of Silverstone circuit. 

I’ll be the first to admit, vintage racing has never really been of any great interest to me from anything other than a purely photographic standpoint - the open cockpits, the wonderful patina and all-but-guaranteed ‘racing scars’ on display make for bountiful photographic opportunities - but the technicalities and racing itself always seemed as if they’d be somewhat dull; surely people aren’t mad enough to still drive these behemoths (or shockingly diminutive machines, in some cases!) as they were intended?

Thankfully, the Vintage Sports Car Club (VSCC) exists to both prove naysayers such as myself entirely wrong, and also to give drivers that are crazy enough to still pilot these relics a chance to do so among fellow like-minded teams and drivers.

Crazy (or perhaps incredible bravery, most likely a mix of the two) is definitely a theme with vintage sports car racers. Seatbelts are often an afterthought if they’re installed at all, chain-drive is commonplace, brakes work occasionally, and external gear-changes, unconventional pedal placement and steering wheels that would be more at home at the helm of a ship than attached to an automobile steering box are all par-for-the-course. 

Whilst there was a strong presence of pre-war machinery, the recent VSCC ‘Spring Start’ event at the hallowed grounds of Silverstone showed that the organisation was a home, or at least part-time host for far more than those stereotypical Edwardian contraptions. 

Not only were the pre-war VSCC grids well subscribed, but the Spring Start also featured guest races from the Historic Grand Prix Car Association (HGPCA) for both pre-61 and pre-66 GP cars, FISCAR and the 500 Owners Association, along with demonstration/exhibition runs from the Hesketh Foundation, Formula 5000 and a gaggle of Frazer-Nash cars on the Saturday. 

The 500OA grid is well worth a mention - tiny 500cc motorbike engines, started by external motors that are taken out into the assembly area, diminutive cars and a distinct lack of safety equipment makes for truly entertaining racing, with competitors showing no aversion to leaning precariously out of their cars in high-speed corners, whilst spinning-out and car-to-car contact occurred throughout both qualifying and the races themselves, showcasing the impressive commitment from the drivers on the grid.

The Hesketh demonstration on Saturday - featuring James Hunt’s car from the 1974 season - was attended by both Lord Hesketh and Anthony ‘bubbles’ Horsley, with the car creating a cacophony of noise ringing out around Silverstone at the hands of Callum Grant. Sunday saw further aural delights from the Formula 5000 demonstration at lunchtime, which was a great precursor to the HSCC ‘Derek Bell Trophy’ which graced Silverstone on the 4th of May.

Despite all of this excitement, and the sheer amount of racing pedigree out on track, it would appear that Vintage racing is UK Motorsport’s best-kept secret. Whether it’s the ‘stuffy’ stereotype associated with pre-war cars, or whether it is something else entirely, we were shocked to see that the stands and spectator areas were largely devoid of any crowds (with exception of the BRDC Grandstand) which seems frankly criminal to us. These are legendary cars, being driven as intended around circuits such a Silverstone, and whilst the VSCC itself has a loyal following, it still surprised us that there weren’t more spectators, particularly given the HGPCA guest grids alongside the main event. 

Perhaps it’s down to advertisement and promotional issues - very little mention was made of the guest grids in any advertising that we saw - or perhaps it’s simply down to the aforementioned stereotypes and expectations of a vintage sports car event. The other issue is the longevity of events such as these; whilst there is some noticeably younger drivers getting involved across the various grids and disciplines, the average age of driver would still almost certainly be in the 55+ category. This might well be OK for now, but for the vintage racing industry to stay alive, more and more young blood will be needed in the coming years - a scenario repeated across various heritage sectors - and yet short of passing cars down through families, we’re not quite sure how to address the issue. Clearly vintage racing (as a whole, not specifically the VSCC) needs an image refresh, or perhaps some blue-sky thinking is required to draw younger enthusiasts into the scene.  

Either way, we can safely say that the experience at the VSCC Spring Start event has converted us, and it won’t be the last VSCC or vintage event we attend this year. Make sure you enjoy events like these whilst they last - they may not be around forever!