Vintage Sports Car Club at Brooklands

Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp

The Brooklands museum complex is like a nostalgic oasis surrounded by modern glass fronted corporate head offices and a Tesco’s supermarket. However once you have entered into the site the years simply drop away. Whether it’s just the 1930s music playing over the PA system, or the restored buildings, one feels (if you use a bit of imagination) that you are back in the 1920s. The feeling of nostalgia increases 10-fold when the VSCC (Veteran Sports Car Club) have an event there.

The purpose of my trip this time was to enjoy the Brooklands Double Twelve Festival, and particularity the VSCC sprint which was held on the adjacent Mercedes Benz World test track. Whilst the back ground of the Mercedes Benz World Building and the blue and white crash barriers do somewhat spoil the nostalgic ambiance many of the drivers put on a spirited display. A mention must be made of the two commentators describing the sprint; very knowledgeable. The talk was fun and prone to going off at a tangent, from a car’s history to a good claret to shopping at Waitrose, like two old friends enjoying a day at the races. Sorry Gents I did not catch you names but I certainly enjoyed your conversations. Fastest time of the day went to Terry Crabbe in ERA R12C: Oh the speed and oh the noise especially the scream of the supercharger as the car crossed the finishing line. Here’s but a few shots from the event.