Cool motorsport places to visit ?

General General Lotus Talk
1

Usually in May I go off to the Mille Miglia with a bunch of Dutch, USA and German collegues and friends.

Now they want me to organise 3-4 days max in UK visiting some historic motorsport sites and driving some good UK roads … not quite Italy but …

I had in mind

Goodwood
Donnington
Brooklands ( possible now ?? )
Beaulieu

but was also looking for something “different” …

Any ideas ??

Thanks

2

hi Andy, can’t help you with cool places in UK, but check this out:

mille miglia

it’s a very, very beautiful house near Rome - we were staying there for about a week during mille miglia 2005 and it was gorgeous!

Also if you wantes to do a nice drive trough Switzerland, I could show you some places to see.

If you are interested, just let me know - sounds interesting your little petrolhead-travel-group

3

Jim Clark Museum, Duns, Berwickshire? Good roads in Borders. Could also take in the Coulthard collection. Can’t remember address, in same area though.
Also, how about the Isle of Man?

4

Brooklands ( possible now ?? )

It’s now part of the Mercedes-Benz World complex. There’s a museum of cars and planes and you can get to part of the old banking. They also have a Concorde. Mercedes-Benz World is basically just a big car showroom but is not a bad place for lunch and to lust after the 1950s gull-wing 300SL. You even can book to drive some Mercs if you want.


but was also looking for something “different” …

Any ideas ??

I think I’d be tempted to do North Wales/Snowdonian roads, perhaps even fit in Anglesey. I have some of the EVO test routes if you want me to dust them off.

I’ll have a think of others.

Ian

5

3-4 days isn’t that long to travel and take in the history so I guess your venues need to be fairly close.


Goodwood is for readers of Hello…

Donington is the only surviving pre-war racing circuit still in use and is a must. While you’re at Donington you should, of course, include the Donington Grand Prix Collection and see if you can arrange to visit the original Melbourne Loop (not part of the current circuit but still there) where the Silver Arrows got airborne in the late 1930s.

Ian’s right about Brooklands. The museum remains independant but most of the site is M-B World - a tourist attraction as much as a showroom but that’s no excuse not to visit Brooklands (although being inside the M25 might be!). As well as being amazed at the Members banking in the museum site, visit the Byfleet banking on the edge of the Tescos car park (on foot) and see if you can get yourself ejected by someone from Tescos…

Shelsley Walsh (damaged in the recent biblical weather but with over 100 years of history) or some other historic hill climb venue should probably be on your list. Prescott is a good alternative (opened in 1938) and not that far away. Prescott also has the Bugatti Trust.

Beaulieu is more of a motoring museum rather than a motor sports museum. If the Midlands suits better, the Heritage motor centre at Gaydon isn’t bad and could possibly be combined with a visit to the Aston Martin facility at Gaydon.

When is this happening? If you can give me a date I might be able to recommend some truly historic, but not necessarily public, motor sport e.g VSCC trial or similar.

Anyway, I hope that helps.

6

I know what you mean about Goodwood but it’s so ‘nice’, definately has something.

[image]Photobucket | Make your memories fun!

[image]Photobucket | Make your memories fun!

[image]Photobucket | Make your memories fun!

[image]Photobucket | Make your memories fun!

The Brooklands banking will have virtually no people on it, it’ll be an automotive Indian Jones experience, like you’ve found something nobody can see.

[image]Photobucket | Make your memories fun!


I know what you mean about the Donnington collection, I really enjoyed that.

Ian

7

I agree about the Brooklands comments, I haven’t been for about 4 years so no idea about the MB bit but original museum is well worth a look.
Members Banking

Some other thins worth a look are obviously the GP collection at Dony as well as the original circuit as suggested, this is where it is BTW.
[image]http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/2963/30sdonyaz4.jpg[/image]

If you have the time and inclination there is obviously a few old circuits worth a visit, if they are Jim Clark fans then as well as the Jim Clark room in Duns, Charterhall, the old airfield circuit where he used to race isn’t far away, but watch out for the farmer

If brave enough to venture further in from Brooklands, there is the old Crystal Palace circuit.

[image]http://img50.imageshack.us/img50/8366/crystalpalacehk5.jpg[/image]

8

Great ! - thanks guys … I feel a plan coming together