There are few finer places to celebrate motorsport history than at Shelsley Walsh, and this year’s Classic Nostalgia did it in style as the Worcestershire hillclimb venue heads towards its 120th anniversary.
Classic Nostalgia is the big event of the season at the famous hill and, alongside a paddock full of pre-1975 competition cars, a raft of celebrations and demonstrations added to a real sense of occasion at a venue that oozes atmosphere. Despite unpredictable July weather, a bumper crowd came along to enjoy a fine spectacle along with an array of off-hill displays and attractions.
A central theme was 40 years of engineering organisation Prodrive, and four special cars from the company story were demonstrated across the weekend, with technical director David Lapworth driving several of them.
“I’ve not driven the Mini WRC for 10 years, so I was looking forward to that,” says Lapworth. “Being able to share Prodrive’s ongoing success during Classic Nostalgia is very special.”
The car that started it all, the Porsche 911 SC RS from 1984, was there along with an ex-Dani Sordo Mini Countryman WRC car from 2011, a French Rally Championship BMW M3 and the prototype Impreza that was a forerunner for the sensational run of World Rally Cars were all demonstrated up the hill.
PLUS: The enduring power of Prodrive at 40
Maintaining a rally theme were around 25 cars from the Ralli22 organisation, including Impreza WRCs, Audi Quattros and more. Stig Blomqvist returned to Shelsley for the occasion, as the event celebrated the life of Ralli22 founder Steve Davies. In a poignant tribute to a popular man, five of his family members took passenger seats in cars for a parade run following a minute of noise.
The sound of thundering NASCAR machinery shattering the tranquillity of the Teme Valley was somehow incongruous. However, the NASCAR demonstration was an absolute crowd pleaser, headed by showman Lee Maddox, who lit up the rear tyres of his NASCAR for most of the 1000-yard climb.
The 450bhp Craftsman Truck, a tribute to 1995 championship winner Mike Skinner, was demonstrated by owner Peter Reck and must surely have been the first time such an outrageous piece of Americana has taken to the hill first used in 1905.
“This is such a wonderful event,” says former grand prix racer Mike Wilds, who was reunited with the Toyota Celica he drove in the 1978 British Saloon Car Championship. Across the paddock was the Formula 3 Ensign that Wilds raced in 1972, resplendent in period Dempster Developments livery, now owned and driven by Fyrth Crosse.
Three paddock bays down from Wilds was fellow mid-1970s F1 racer Richard Robarts, busy fettling the engine on his 500cc Cooper F3 car. After four decades away from the sport, Robarts – now 79 years-old – has been tempted back and is loving his time contesting the 500cc Speed Championship in the 65-year-old car.
Other standout machines included the famous ex-Phil Scragg McLaren M12C of current hillclimber Dave Tatham. It is the car his late father George campaigned for four decades and Dave has managed to retain it for occasional outings. His bravado in getting the 7.6-litre McLaren to the top of the hill twice in under 30 seconds was a standout of the weekend, and it proved to be the fastest car in the competitive element of this wonderful event.
Three star Shelsley attractions
F1 in Worcestershire
Formula 1 cars on static display included two Tyrrells from Martin Stretton’s squad, while the ex-James Hunt Hesketh 308 of James Hagan took to the hill. The Tyrrell 011 was the 1983 Detroit Grand Prix winner with Michele Alboreto and was the last Tyrrell to win an F1 race. The 012 was the car that Stretton has used in Historic F1. In period, it was raced by Stefan Bellof, Stefan Johansson and Martin Brundle. Stretton, who has driven in Historic F1 for 29 seasons, was back at the venue where he first competed in 1979 in his uncle’s Frazer Nash.
Buckler tribute
In a tribute to her father Richard Brown, who died last month, Olivia Cooper and her husband Liam brought their Buckler Mk15 out for the occasion. They have owned the rare 1956 sportscar for about six years and it has since been fully restored. “Dad had a Buckler in his twenties and drove it to Greece with a friend,” says Olivia Cooper. “So there is a family theme for Buckler.” Brown was a hugely experienced hillclimber and competed until last year, and was a former outright record holder at Shelsley Walsh. Liam and Olivia compete regularly in a Force TA single-seater.
Spedding’s E-type
Father and son Haydn and Rob Spedding ran their Jaguar E-type at Shelsley as Spedding Sr celebrates 46 years of owning and competing in the ex-Ted Worswick car. Spedding, a former Autosport photographer for events in Yorkshire, bought the car in 1977 for £2500, and has competed consistently ever since. His sons Richard and Rob followed him into the sport and, while Richard was busy competing in the Channel Islands, Rob shared the E-type. “I first saw the car in 1969 when I sold pictures to Ted Worswick,” recalls Spedding, who bought the E-type from Fred Cliffe.
