Jersey Festival of Motoring – Day 1

1st, Brian Moody Ginetta G12 - 12.92

2nd, Ian Hunt Jaguar E-Type - 12.95

Centred in St Helier this three day historic festival for cars and bikes promises a busy and varied spectacle, on closed roads. Friday promises a moonlight sprint, also there are two separate hill climbs over the weekend. With demonstrations, trade and classic car show in St Helier plus classic car tours for all to enjoy the wonderful scenery around the island. The Classic and Vintage Motor Racing Club of Jersey hope to attract entrants and visitors from the mainland but being nearer to France I suspect interest from Europe will be high and a large, enthusiastic local scene mean a wide variety of machines should be on offer.The festival kicked off this morning with a very pleasant surprise for all involved and great for the spectators that will flock into St Helier tonight for the first competitive event the moonlight sprint. Historic F1 Masters ace Frank Lyons has brought his ex Rupert Keegan F1 Hesketh 308c with Judy Lyons and her ex John Love F1 Surtess TS9 that will be launched up Victoria Ave, St Helier tonight. The organisers are overjoyed that the Lyons family have transported these two fantastic machines over from the mainland at short notice, and having seen them at Brands only two weeks ago the islanders are in for a real treat. I was lucky enough to talk to Frank at length today, he was relaxed, open and a font of knowledge for all things motorsport, really happy to be supporting the event. Images from tonight’s event will be posted tomorrow as early as possible. One of the main organisers Steve Royle thought this year’s event would be the biggest ever and I must concur as the ferry yesterday was rammed full with dozens of classic racing machines all compressed into the loading bay, straining at the leash to get at tonight’s sprint and the two hill climbs planned for the weekend. This afternoon offered a great opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the drivers and machines at sign on and scrutineering. The Sprint itself will be run more in the form or a drag race with 80 vehicles on the entry list ranging from 7.2 litres of Dodge Challenger on the car side to the Whitford family running 3 air cooled 250cc two strokes, 2 RD’s and an X7 Suzuki from the 1970’s. The busy Peoples Park is the centre for the weekend and all events and tours begin and end there. The main sponsor Rubis (Island fuel supplier) must be really pleased with the support and coverage that will come from this weekend’s classic car extravaganza. Finally just outside St Helier is the Mansell Collection, a great tribute to one of my all-time hero’s. Set above a very up market car showroom in a beautiful art deco building is a collection of cars and trophies that go back over the decades, covering the achievements of ‘our Nige’ from circuits all over the world. Well worth the £10.00 admission fee considering it is really a charity donation, Leo Mansell was there today and with audio from Nigel and assistance from Peter Clifford, a visit is highly recommended. I will be continuing coverage of the Festival across the weekend with reports daily plus results of the sprint and hill climbs, with as many images as the wifi can cope with. If you are at a loss this weekend there is still time, jump on the ferry and enjoy a couple of days that promise so much. 2013 Jersey Festival of Motoring Gallery Article and images by Grant Ford .Tags: Classic Cars