[John Turner]

Those of you who purchase or read Autosport may have noted a small piece on page 85 of last Thursday's issue. The VSCC are expanding their popular Spring Start meeting at Silverstone to 2 days. The meeting will include a special one off sports car race to celebrate the centenary birth of the well- known British racing driver, the late George Abecassis, who was also co-founder of HWM. The race which has been put together by the combined efforts of George’s son, David, FISCAR and the VSCC is by personal invitation only and features classes for cars actually driven by George and those of a similar type, thus:

Class 1 – Alta and Alta engine HWM Sports cars
Class 2 – HWM Jaguar sports cars
Class 3 – Aston Martin DB2/3/3S
Class 4 – Austin Healey 100s (100/4, 100M & 100s)
Class 5 - Healey Silverstone

It is particularly appropriate that amongst the entry list is George’s grandson/David’s son, Jonathan, in his Healey 100/4.

This will be a rare mix of rare cars and we are hoping that it will provide a spectacular grid for this race which will take place on Saturday, 20th April. Alongside all the usual VSCC paddock displays we also hope to have a small selection of those ex Abecassis cars and HWMs that will be unable to race, and that this will also be a celebration of the HWM marque, too.

This meeting should be one of the highlights of the coming historic racing season in the UK and the VSCC have organised this 2 day meeting to include:-

The GP Itala and Lanchester Trophies Race for Vintage Racing Cars
The Amschel Rothschild & Patrick Lindsay Memorial Trophies Race for front-engined Pre-1961 Racing Cars T
The Fox & Nicholl Trophy Race for Standard & Modified Pre-war Sports-Cars
The Silverstone Trophy Race for Special Pre-war Sports-Cars
The VSCC Regularity Trial (30 minutes)
Short Scratch and Short Handicap Races for Pre-war Cars
HGPCA Pre-1966 Grand Prix Cars
1950s Sports Racing Cars
HRDC pre-’65 historic GT and Touring cars
The 500OA Commander Yorke Trophy Race
Pre-war Aston Martin Race
FJHRC Front-engined Formula Junior Race

All in all it’s looking like a superb event.