The Bentley Drivers Club’s popular annual race meeting — an institution on the British motor-racing calendar – once again produced a day of fantastic club racing on the National circuit at Silverstone on Saturday August 5.
Regarded by the Club as “more than just a race meeting,” the event mixed on-track action and the more sedate Bentley track parade with socializing and browsing the myriad paddock attractions on a sunny summer’s day.
Bentleys of all ages — many raced by Club Members — shared the entry list for the nine-race program at the historic Northamptonshire venue with Morgans, Austin-Healeys, MGBs, Triumphs, ACs and Lotuses.
The BDC celebrated victories for two of its members, as newly licensed Bert Degenaar, competing in only his third race ever, took top honors in the Padgett Motor Engineers Bentley Handicap Race at the wheel of Club colleague Ewen Getley’s 1924 Bentley 3/4½ (above, Peter de Russet-Hall photo courtesy of Bentley Drivers Club), and in the P&A Wood Bentley Race for Pre-1966, Post-1966 Cars & Pre-War Team Challenge, Simon Worthington chalked up a convincing overall win — plus Post-1966 spoils — by 6.5 seconds with his 1990 Turbo R. Fellow BDC Member Michael Higginbotham took 2nd overall while winning the Pre-1966 class with his 1948 MkVI Special.
Elsewhere, Jonathan Abecassis scored two victories at the wheel of his rapid Austin-Healey 100/4. His first was a narrow win shared with Richard Woolmer in the two-driver FISCAR race, then he followed it up with a solo success in the Bic Healey Trophy & MG, Morgan Challenge. Oli Bryant and Keith Ahlers (Plus 8s) took a win apiece in the AR Motorsport Morgan Challenge doubleheader.
This year’s meeting also featured the traditional and popular lunchtime track parade of more than 80 Members’ Bentleys. Among the fabulous array of cars on show, ranging from vintage Blowers to the more modern Continentals and all models in between, was a Bentayga believed to be making its UK track debut. A display of a dozen classic Bentleys, all judged winners at the BDC’s recent Concours d’Elegance at Sudeley Castle, added their own pristine touch to proceedings in the paddock.
Ron Warmington, BDC Chairman, commented: “Yet again we enjoyed a fabulous day’s racing, coupled with a fantastic array of Bentley models in the parade, on what is always one of the highlights of our Club’s social calendar. And I was delighted to see plenty of Members and spectators enjoying the many attractions and stalls in the paddock. We are proud of our meeting’s reputation for being one of the best family events on the club racing calendar, and long may that continue.”
The Race Winners were:
Race 1: AR Motorsport Morgan Challenge: Oliver Bryant – Morgan Plus 8
Race 2: Equipe GTS; Tom Smith – MGB Roadster
Race 3: P&A Wood Bentley Race for Pre-1966 and Post-1966 Cars & Pre-War Team Challenge
Overall & Post-1966 – Simon Worthington – Turbo R; Pre-1966 – Michael Higginbotham – MkVI Special
Race 4: FISCAR: Richard Woolmer/Jonathan Abecassis – Austin-Healey 100/4
Race 5: Valet PRO Allcomers Handicap Race: John Taylor – Crosslé 95
Race 6: Bic Healey Trophy & MG, Morgan Challenge: Jonathan Abecassis – Austin-Healey 100/4
Race 7: Padgett Motor Engineers Bentley Handicap Race: Bert Degenaar – Bentley 3/4½
Race 8: AR Motorsport Morgan Challenge: Keith Ahlers – Morgan Plus 8
Race 9: Barry Hopkinson Ltd Allcomers & Bentley Race (Post-1966): Steven Dickens – Mallock MK29
For more information please contact: Stuart Newman, BDC Communications Manager, via stuart.newman@bdcl.org
