Silverstone Classic Rally stage

[billycooper]

Again not totally a Mini event, but Ive managed to get an invite for the GT on the rally stage and display on Saturday and Sunday 27th/28th August.
Not competitive, no entry fee, and not particularly a long stage, but it’s apparently quite tight so I can harass the big boys again !
free entry to the classic and free camping, what’s not to like !
Oh and Rick Astley and sister sledge on stage at night …. No brainer !!!

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[mk1]

Well done Steve.

Should be a really good event.

[Pete]

Sounds a brilliant idea! Talk about low cost!

[spoon.450]

Sounds great Steve

[AndyB72]

Great I look forward to seeing you there. Me, my dad and nephew have been going for years, its a cracking event with something for everyone.

[billycooper]

Great I look forward to seeing you there. Me, my dad and nephew have been going for years, its a cracking event with something for everyone.

Come down and say hi !

[Pete]

Not been to Silverstone for years, where’s best to camp near the circuit?

[billycooper]

Not had a good deal of time to report back from the Silverstone Classic Rally stage, but here we go, we bought the Rally Mini 1275 GT not really sure what we were gonna use it for, i hadn’t had a “stage rally” car since 1993 ! , but even though on first look I wasn’t completely sure it was the right car to buy, I’m so glad we did (cheers Dad) what a little belter it is and it’s gets so much love and attention from any crowd!
We had to fettle the brakes after Knockhill (cheers Keith) and I desperately needed a bigger steering wheel for leverage with the LSD as I’ve still not much upper body strength.
The trip down was a bloody nightmare, UK traffic on a Friday, yuk, we had the use of a VW transporter camper with a towbar for the weekend, and got to Silverstone just before the office shut for our passes, we soon got settled in, couple of beers and bed.
We woke to glorious sunshine, We were parked behind abbey grandstand and radio Silverstone pumped out from 7.30 in the morning !
I met most of the the fellow drivers before the start, with an allsortment of different rally cars, Escorts, Mitsubishis, Porsche, RS200s, Sunbeams, Skodas, Lancias, 20 other cars all together.
We had a small rally stage on part of the old F1 circuit and the set up was a 2 car pursuit, 3 laps of a coned circuit, the Mini held its own, and we were unbeaten by the end of the day .
Quick change at the end of our day at 4 o clock, or should I say beer o clock ! , as well as the rally demo stage the main event was the classic racing, set over 3 days with everything from 1980 formula 1 cars to 1960 minis and cortina’s and mustangs and 1990 Sierra cosworth and Nissan
GTRs
Lots of Car clubs, Food villages, funfairs and stalls …. And beer buses !
Each night Silverstone had booked an 80s music act to finish off the evening on Saturday it was Gabrielle and then Sister Sledge with a fantastic festival vibe, both awesome live ! I’m sure they musta loved my dad dancing !
Sunday was the same set up, a good handful of runs in the Mini, although we were beaten a couple of times, I think it was 8 wins from 10 starts in the end , the rally stage ended for me with a passanger ride in an ex works Escort round the course ! FEV5H !
We managed to watch some more racing before night fall, before the main attraction of the weekend !
…… Rick Astley and his band, simply awesome live ! , that man has a voice ! His band was mega, wasn’t quite sure what I’d think of him, but by Christ he had the place rocking !
So that was it, Rick finished his set 11 ish, think we were quite “full” by then !
Big big thanks to “Slowly Sideways” for the invite, to Michelle , Nick and Holly …. “Team Billy Cooper rally Models” …. for putting up with my dad dancing , as well as your fantastic help and support… I couldn’t do it with out you all
Also to all the fellow rally stage drivers navigators and Marshals and of course the organisers for making us feel so welcome after arriving a day late !! (Long story … not my fault … well sort of ! )
Just an absolute mega weekend !
Action pics by Kevin Donegan

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https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?item= ... er&_sop=10

[mk1]

Thanks for the report Steve!

Sounds like you had a fantastic time.