In the Fast Lane – Chelsea AutoLegends
Derek Bell at Chelsea AutoLegends
Cars are the scourge of modern civilization, responsible for everything from suburban sprawl and urban decay to environmental devastation and rampant climate change. But as annoying as all that might be, nothing compares to the frustration caused by thousands of fluorescent jacket-wearing cyclists enjoying a traffic-free event in the nation’s capital.
Eighty-five-thousand of the blighters took to the streets of London yesterday, causing chaos amid the city centre as roads were closed to allow the two-wheeled brigade to trundle around, a situation made worse by a large portion of the Underground being up the spout at the same time.
Thankfully, the aggro caused by Boris Johnson’s lax organisational skills didn’t blight what was otherwise a brilliant day out at the inaugural Chelsea Auto Legends event.
Staged at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London, this new automotive festival featured one of the most comprehensive collections of road and track sports cars I have ever seen.
The highlight of this, the opening event, was the large grid showcasing more than 50 iconic race cars from the Le Mans 24 Hours. A comprehensive line-up spanning 80 years of history featured some absolute classics. Cars from pioneering Bentleys of the 1920s, to the state-of-the-art Aston Martin prototypes (and just about everything inbetween) were on show.
Two of the most evocative machines on display though were the Porsche 917 and Ferrari 512, stars of the seminal Le Mans movie, whose 40th anniversary was celebrated at Chelsea Auto Legends.
Highlights of every car enthusiast’s favourite film were shown on a big-screen during the day, interspersed with renowned Le Mans drivers recounting their personal experiences of racing in the 24 hours race. Among those sharing their memories with show-goers were five-time Le Mans winner Derek Bell MBE, Sir Stirling Moss OBE, who officially opened the show, and Richard Attwood, the man who gave Porsche its first victory 40 years ago in 1970.
Away from the Le Mans cars, the 5,000 visitors were surrounded by hundreds of classic vehicles and modern day performance cars. The broad range of renowned marques, such as Aston Martin, Bugatti, Ferrari and Maserati gave us paupers something to drool over, and one presumes that parking in and along the streets of Mayfair was relatively easy on Sunday...
With a brilliant, wide ranging, collection of cars and a healthy (but not overbearing) number of show-goers, amongst some of the most beautiful surroundings in London, I came away suitably impressed by Chelsea Auto Legends.
Event founder Michael Scott should be congratulated for putting together such an event in just a few months, and for providing the general public with such a rare opportunity to view such a spectacular array of rare cars.
I’m looking forward to next year’s event already. September 4th 2011. Make a note in your diary.
You scratch my back…
Anyone who runs a blog or website will probably tell you that they do it for the fun of it – for some recognition. Some might also use it to showcase their talents in the hope that it will lead somewhere one day, maybe even in an attempt to provide an extra source of income.
I think I speak for the majority of us when I say that it’s unlikely we’ll be able to retire anytime soon thanks to some randomly placed adverts across our pitches on the Internet. I mean, when was the last time you felt compelled to click on an irritating animated banner ad? Nope, I can’t remember either.*
So this blogging malarkey then, why do we do it? Well the answer is two paragraphs up: recognition.
When blogging for the fun of it, the satisfaction you gain comes from the number of visitors that trundle along and read your missives. There’s a nice warm fuzzy feeling to be had when the going’s good and your website’s traffic resembles the M25. But there’s also dejection when your only guest is some tumbleweed, accompanied by the sound of a hollow, dry wind, for comedy effect.
So receiving acknowledgement for your efforts is most welcome indeed. Especially when someone appears to have taken the effort of sending you an Email praising your website and everything you do. You’re amazing, you. Did you know that?
But hold on one cotton-picking moment! Is that the smell of an ulterior motive that I detect?!!
The number of Emails I’ve received from desperate marketing types recently is frankly ridiculous. I feel sorry for the popular motorsport-related websites out there who probably have to sift through mountains of the stuff that finds its way into their Inboxes every day.
Their slurpy-slurp Emails grind my gears more than they should do perhaps. But it annoys me. It annoys me that they feel I don’t adhere to any principles, that I have no integrity to anyone that decides to read whatever I to commit to the Internet.
So no, Cake Group, I don’t want to promote the FXPro-Virgin Racing F1 game, which supposedly “combines the thrill of F1 racing with the fast-moving excitement of international currency trading,” but in reality is the gaming equivalent of scurvy and about as much fun as choking.
Same goes to you, 7th Chamber: I’m not interested in pimping Reebok, the pikey’s choice of footwear - Lewis Hamilton in some shockingly bad viral video, or not. Oh, and I would encourage you to perhaps proofread what you have casually just written, before pressing ‘submit’ in future.
And to anyone else who has recently tried to groom me into writing nice things about their client’s services or products (hello HStreet Media and Arena Media): ner ner. Go elsewhere and let someone else mislead their readers instead.
Keeping it real, me. Bo.
*(I'm fully aware they're present here, but someone accidentally clicked on a couple the other day. I may yet get that yacht ...)
Wheely Disappointing – Gears and Tears
Being a motor racing fan isn’t much fun when all you have is Freeview. Bar the BBC’s excellent Formula 1 coverage and the BTCC on some random ITV channel, the only other option available to motorsport addicts is to delve into the bowels of the Internet for an illicit feed which, typically, is the size of a postage stamp and has about as much clarity as mud.
As a Freeview pauper, you grab whatever is thrown on to the TV schedule that happens to feature anything with an engine that goes around in circles, such is the desperation.
So imagine my surprise when flicking through yesterday’s listings only to discover the Beeb were showing the first episode in a new documentary series called ‘Gears and Tears’ that is based on, wait for it... Formula 1... Stock Car Racing.
Yeah, you and me both. You could quite comfortably write what I know about oval racing on the underside of a petrol cap. But beggars can’t be choosers, and maybe, just maybe, Gears and Tears would help get me through the bleak summer period while F1 is enjoying a siesta?
“It’s an obsession that’s divided two rival families for 40 years,” the press release proudly states, “two racing dynasties who, every weekend, fight fiery gladiatorial showdowns in thundering purpose-built chariots designed to push the opposition off the track.”
Which is, quite frankly, a load of ol’ toot.
Okay, so Gears and Tears does indeed centre in on two families who wouldn’t look out of place on an episode of Jeremy Kyle, but apart from that, it makes the world of stock car racing seem about as glamorous as herding camels and about as much fun as choking.
Of course, I should be talking about the 700bhp machines that feature in the stock car series, rather than the families behind them, but unfortunately, Gears and Tears is really just a bog standard reality TV programme, with a vague racing connection tacked on for good measure.
The majority of the programme focuses on this supposed rivalry between the two families that has spanned more than 40 years. But Montague versus Capulets, this most certainly isn’t. The wives, who hogged their fair share of camera time, certainly liked to have a good old moan, but in practice, probably wouldn’t say boo to a goose. Surely the producers haven’t over-hyped what is the core of this documentary?
I am always up for broadening my motor racing horizons, but I don’t think Gears and Tears will go any way in promoting short circuit oval racing to the public in general. We only caught a small glimpse of just how committed the drivers and fans are in this particular branch of motor racing, something that would have been a darn sight more interesting.
Instead, it is programming of the lowest common denominator, and I’ll most likely be catching up on my beauty sleep when it’s on again next Monday evening. How about you?
Brands Hatch – Fencing Not Required
The Internet was awash with hundreds of motor racing fans gasping in amazement at the massive accident that happened at Brands Hatch yesterday. If you haven’t already seen it, prepare to be astounded by the following footage from Sunday’s SEAT Eurocup race.
Amazingly, not a single person was admitted to Brands Hatch’s medical centre following the accident. The only casualties were a rickety old fence and a trio of fold-out chairs which were quickly evacuated as Francisco Carvalho’s vehicle cartwheeled towards onlookers.
Thankfully the crowds at the Kent circuit had begun to thin out following the last WTCC race of the weekend, potentially averting a possible catastrophe. So what happens next?
Well anyone who has been to Brands Hatch recently will note that along the Cooper Straight they have erected some rather large, photographer unfriendly, catch fencing. Gone have the unrestricted views, with only Armco and wire fencing fending you away from straying onto the circuit.
These safety improvements don’t appear to have found their way along the Grand Prix section of the circuit yet, an area which typically doesn’t attract too many spectators given that it’s out in the relative wilderness. Remember also that this was the scene of Henry Surtees’ fatal accident (a year ago today in fact), with the wheel that caused the killer blow finding its way into a spectator area in this portion of the circuit.
It would be a great shame if a rare occurrence like the one we saw yesterday resulted in Brands Hatch being surrounded by high fencing, from what was really nothing more than a couple of dodgem drivers coming together.
It was an awful accident, but catch fencing in this instance probably would have made no difference what so ever, as the speed and momentum of the car as it travelled through the air would have carried it up and over any fencing anyway. It may have even worsened the situation, trapping the fleeing marshals.
If you watch the footage again, it appears that the posts supporting the Armco barriers may have caused a temporary ramp to appear, vaulting the car into the air – how else would the vehicle have become airborne from hitting a vertical barrier? Hopefully if track operators Motorsport Vision do conduct an investigation, they’ll look into better barrier maintenance and not install debris fencing as a consequence.
The beauty of the GP section at Brands Hatch is the lack of catch fencing as nearly all of the viewing areas are on the inside of the circuit. I sincerely hope there isn’t a knee jerk reaction to yesterday’s incident. I don’t need to be surrounded by cotton wool and be forced to stand a hundred yards away from the track, thanks very much.
We all know motor racing is dangerous, it says so on the ticket. So fingers-crossed that sense will prevail and they leave Brands Hatch alone.
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Recent Posts
- In the Fast Lane – Chelsea AutoLegends
- Review: Dakar Rally 2010 DVD
- Review: Overdrive – Formula 1 in the Zone
- One for the Diary: Chelsea Auto Legends
- Extra Lap of Victory
- You scratch my back…
- Wheely Disappointing – Gears and Tears
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