As we get older, more secure financially and begin reducing the costs of supporting a family as the kids begin making their way in the world, many men of “a certain age” hearken back to the days of their youth. Some buy Harley motorcycles, some boats, but an increasing number think back to the cars they saw and admired when they were younger.
If you were interested in racing at that stage, then you probably spent time at a circuit “lusting” after those race cars - you could never have afforded those cars “in the day”, but now maybe you can!
Vintage Racing is primarily about old guys driving old cars - I saw my first Elva 7 (driven by works driver Tony Lanfranchi) at Brands Hatch in early 1963 when I was 17. Well, it took me 40 years, but eventually I got an Elva 7 - maybe the one Tony drove!
This all sounds very glamourous, but isn’t it dangerous and expensive? Not so - the essence of Vintage Racing is that we’re a bunch of old guys who KNOW that Sir Frank Williams isn’t going to call us up on Monday morning and ask us to drive for Williams F1. Unlike younger racers, who are often convinced they will live forever, Vintage Racers are glad when they wake up each morning! So we race the cars in a safe manner. What does this mean - modern safety equipment in old cars which are driven with respect for other drivers and absolutely NO CONTACT.
Winning is usually everything in racing - but not in Vintage - we are real “its the taking part that counts” guys. This sounds very utopian, but it isn’t really - go to a vintage race and see the huge variety of different cars racing - all with different power and different speeds. How could you claim to have won a race like that - the best driver may drive the slowest car.
If YOU want to find out about Vintage Racing, click YOUR flag:
