• Full weekend of action at Shelsley Walsh, both on and off the hill
• Spectacular celebration of rally legends
• ERA R4D returns to compete at spiritual home
• Land Speed Record contender 'Beast of Turin' to roar up the hill
• Classic & Sports Car Concours d’Elegance set to return
• Live music and entertainment in the Courtyard
Great cars from across motorsport history will gather at Shelsley Walsh for the Classic Nostalgia meeting on 17-18 July. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the popular annual event, which features a spectacular blend of competitive action on the famous hill climb, historic-car demonstrations, classic-car displays, trade stands and vintage-themed entertainment.
Shelsley Walsh to celebrate rally greats
Twenty years since Richard Burns dramatically won the World Rally Championship in a final-round showdown, the late Englishman will be honoured with a selection of his cars – including the Subaru Impreza in which he won the 2000 Safari Rally.
Ralli22 will also be returning to Shelsley Walsh. Always a crowd favourite, the 40-strong rally class features an awesome selection of Group A, Group B and WRC machinery. They will include a number of rarely seen cars, such as an ex-Tony Pond Metro 6R4, ex-Colin McRae Ford Focus WRC, ex-Stig Blomqvist Saab, and an ex-Sébastien Loeb Citroen C4 WRC.
Legendary cars
Few motorsport series are as fondly remembered as Formula 5000, and historic racer Matthew Wurr will be demonstrating a thunderous McLaren M10B during the weekend. Powered by a 5-litre Chevrolet V8 engine, this car carried Peter Gethin to the 1970 British F5000 Championship. It was then used in speed events throughout the 1970s, and twice won the British Sprint Championship.
There will more V8-powered excitement thanks to the presence of the ex-Pedro Rodriguez BRM P154 Can-Am car. The Mexican ace drove chassis number two in three rounds of the 1970 Can-Am Challenge Cup – a series renowned for its ‘no holds barred’ action.
The McLaren and BRM will be joined at Shelsley Walsh by the 1911 Fiat S76 Land Speed Record contender 'Beast of Turin'. The flame-spitting 28.5-litre Fiat achieved a one-way speed of 132mph in Belgium in 1913 and is an amazing feat of engineering. ‘Beast’ by name, ‘Beast’ by nature – not just how it roars into action, but how it handles too…
ERA R4D returns to compete at its spiritual home
R4D is the most famous of all the ERAs and has a special place in the affections of enthusiasts – and in Shelsley history.
R4D was effectively a works development car. The car was built in 1935 as R4B, before being upgraded to a C-type specification a year later. It finally became R4D when a lighter chassis was introduced for 1938.
R4D was campaigned extensively both before and after the Second World War in the hands of Raymond Mays and achieved great fame, from racing in the British Grand Prix to breaking records at Shelsley Walsh including winning the very first British Hill Climb Championship in 1947. R4D set Best Time of the Day at Shelsley 16 times between 1935 and 1956, and will return for Classic Nostalgia with Nick Topliss behind the wheel.
Ex-Stirling Moss HWM to compete at Classic Nostalgia
The ‘Stovebolt Special’ has a remarkable history that takes in famous racing drivers, competition glory and Hollywood fame.
Founded by John Heath and George Abecassis, HWM set out in 1950 to race its Formula 2 cars all over Europe. Always run on a shoestring, its single-seaters achieved great results with mainly British drivers, and the team gave Stirling Moss his first-ever paid works drive.
In 1954, this particular car was shipped to Hollywood, painted red and driven by Kirk Douglas in the movie The Racers. Seattle resident Tom Carstens then bought it and replaced the four-cylinder engine with the all-new Chevrolet V8. Press reports at the time gave it the name ‘The Stovebolt Special’.
Current custodian Simon Taylor acquired it in 1999 and has since raced it all around the world. Simon doesn’t believe in trailering the car to events and will drive it from London to Shelsley to compete over the weekend.
Hill Climb heroes
Shelsley Walsh has a long history of talented female drivers, and there were none better than the late Joy Rainey. In 1986, Rainey set the Ladies’ Record at Shelsley with an impressive 28.32 seconds – a benchmark that remained untouched for 16 years. In total, she held the Ladies Record for 22 years.
Rainey will be remembered at Classic Nostalgia via the presentation of a ‘Fastest Lady’ trophy, gifted to Shelsley Walsh from her personal collection, while her long-time friend and regular co-driver Mark Riley will demonstrate the Cooper Mk9 that was raced in the 1950s by her father, Murray. Her beloved 1904 single-cylinder Oldsmobile will also be displayed.
Stephen Hepworth will take the wheel of the four-wheel-drive Hepworth FF, 50 years since his father David became the first driver to break the 30-second barrier at Shelsley Walsh, on his way to winning the 1971 British Hill Climb Championship.
Classic & Sports Car Concours d'Elegance
On Sunday, the popular Classic & Sports Car Concours d’Elegance will return to Classic Nostalgia. It is open to all cars built before 1985, and the judging will be headed up by motoring journalist and regular Shelsley Walsh competitor Simon Taylor.
Entries are welcome from any concours-worthy car, with priority given to those with significant provenance and rarity. There will be four classes to be judged: Pre-World War 2, 1949-1959, 1960-1985 Saloons, and 1960-1985 Sports/GT, plus a Spirit of the Day award for an entry that may not be in top concours condition but outstanding in its own special way.
Enter your pre-1985 classic
There will be preferential ‘pole position’ parking for all pre-1985 vehicles – allowing owners to pre-book a place right at the heart of the event
For more information, click here
Car clubs
Classic Nostalgia is the perfect event at which to hold an annual car club gathering in the most picturesque setting. All registered clubs can reserve their own designated display area in the heart of the event. An award will be given to the best presented club stand.
Shelsley looks forward to welcoming the following car clubs to Classic Nostalgia: The Porsche Club GB, Porsche 914 UK Register, MG Car Club, MG Midget & Sprite Club, MG Register, Austin Healey Club, TVR Club, Morgan Sports Car Club, Mercedes Benz Club, Alpine Renault Car Club, Riley Register, Club Lotus, Marcos and West Midlands Driving Club.
Who doesn’t love a party?
2021 marks the 10th anniversary of Classic Nostalgia and 116 years of hill climb history at Shelsley Walsh, staged continuously (wartime excepted) since 1905. Get your dancing shoes on for a party in the Courtyard with main-stage interviews and live bands throughout the weekend.
Trade stands
In addition, there will be a fashion competition for the best and most authentic vintage outfit, and trade stands selling everything from clothing and accessories to motoring books, art, photography and memorabilia. It’s been a tough year for many small businesses, so as a way to help the recovery process, Shelsley has reduced trade stand pitches by nearly 50%.
Admission:
Date: 17-18 July 2021
Event address: Shelsley Walsh, Worcester, WR6 6RP
Entry Price: Visiting car club/classic car owners day entry £15.00, weekend £30
General admission £20 per adult in advance or £25 on the gate
Children under 16 Free
Times: 8am each day, till approx. 5pm
Please note: No Dogs Allowed
Book in confidence – COVID-19 SECURE
The event organisers will have all necessary precautions in place to safeguard visitors and will fully comply with the UK Government and Public Health England guidelines at the time. If the event has to be cancelled due to coronavirus, your tickets will automatically be valid for the following year, unless a refund is requested within 30 days of the event cancellation.
The perfect venue
First used in 1905 and in continuous use ever since, Shelsley Walsh is the oldest motorsport venue in the world that still features its original course. Competitors will be following in the wheeltracks of motorsport greats such as Raymond Mays, Hans Stuck and the late Stirling Moss. As part of his long association with the venue, Moss was patron of the Shelsley Trust, which helped to secure the 99-year lease on the hillclimb during the mid-2000s.
Known throughout the motoring world for its unique atmosphere, Shelsley allows enthusiasts to get close to the action as well as the cars and drivers. General admission tickets for Classic Nostalgia are ‘access all areas’, allowing visitors to walk around the paddock and rub shoulders with racing legends.
Click here to book in confidence – COVID-19 SECURE
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Midlands Automobile Club
