Of course, if you're at the HSA-e.g. Peter Groves, etc.-top end, that's different... but at our run-wot-you-brung end, it's just for laughs and to see if you (in your Mini) can beat your mate in his DB9. Well it is for me, anyway.
You just have to attend a hillclimb or a historic sporting trials meeting to observe the totally different ambiance and distinct lack of riff-raff that you usually get at race meetings (even the club events), where some people just have to win.
Why do you think Stirling Moss (and the like) can just "appear" at some of these events and be confident that they'll be totally unmolested or hassled?
It's the best kept secret in motorsport but I fear not for long....I recently acquired a 1962 Cannon trials car (cost £2k) and turned up to a few events and loved it. Unfortunately, as we all know, historics is now big news and everyone wants a piece of the action. Especially when they find out that a recent outright Le Mans winner competed at a trial. At my last event in March, one of the more unsavoury members of the racing establishment (who has recently burst onto the historic scene) turned up with his full team of (how can I put this?) dodgy helpers, lots of haircuts and bright coloured racing team jackets.
And prices of historic trials cars have gone through the roof...which is a bad thing
Yes, I suppose I am a cultural snob...but hopefully of the nicer kind
