Monday Update – Ensign Victorious at Packed Crystal Palace

As Chris Judge’s Jedi Mk4 crossed the finish line today, two spectacular days of motor racing were brought to a close. Motorsport at the Palace may have been a long time coming, but the hard work and vision was finally rewarded with a hugely successful event that served to demonstrate the hand-in-glove relationship Crystal Palace has with motor racing.

Spectators came in their thousands today, packing every vantage point to witness some exceptional racing which ultimately saw Fyrth Crosse bring his Ensign LNF3 home in first place, with a fastest time of the day of 35.55 seconds.

Crosse edged out Mike Field by the narrowest of margins, the driver of the Stohr DSR finishing runner-up for the second time in two days with a time of 35.89 – just three tenths shy of the impressive Crosse.

Richie Gatt completed the podium, navigating the challenging, sinuous course in 36.31 seconds. However, it was left to Ian Wright to once again to steal the show, as he lit up the rear tyres of his 1960 Chevrolet Corvette at every opportunity, his wheel-spinning antics clearly appreciated by the huge crowd which lined the track.

In fact the crowd - which exceeded 5000 over the two days - were treated to numerous tyre-squealing moments, not least when David Wylie spun his Speedwell Sprite at the hairpin, prompting an impressive 360 degree recovery that solicited a huge cheer from the sidelines.

Indeed, the tight, twisty course proved a success with drivers and spectators alike, offering excellent views of the cars as they made their way from the start line, down to the hairpin, then on through the chicane towards the fearsome North Tower Crescent.

Spectators packed the old Terrace Straight and lined the grassy banking, enjoying the racing and the odd ray of sunshine that occasionally pierced the clouds. A few drops of rain threatened to bring out the umbrellas mid-afternoon, but the weather gods proved generous (pacified perhaps by the Ian Wright’s sacrificial tyres).

Away from the track, visitors mingled among the hundreds of display vehicles, with snap-happy photographers making a beeline for the beautiful (albeit replica) Ferrari 250 GTO and the frankly intimidating matt black Dodge Charger, parked among a huge variety of rare and exotic machinery. Then back to the track, to witness Andrew Webber hurl his Lotus Elan +2 round the hairpin like a man possessed, or Alan Bankhurst fire his snarling TVR Vixen into North Tower with equal gusto.

As the curtain finally fell on Monday afternoon, and something like silence returned to the park, thoughts were already turning to next year. Motorsport at the Palace has been a resounding success, a clear demonstration that the park’s history can also be its future.

The organisers would like to thank everyone who came along over the two days, and also everyone who contributed to the event: the drivers, marshals, time-keepers, and of course the park’s staff, who helped ensure this wonderful event took place in equally wonderful surroundings.

Next year, we hope to build on the success of the past two days and grow the event even further. So please, block out May 29-30 on your calendar, and help us make Motorsport at the Palace 2011 even bigger and better than this year’s resounding debut!

From Ferrari’s to Ford’s – who’s racing what and when at Motorsport at the Palace

    Entry List Sunday   Entry List Monday

The rich history of motor sport at Crystal Palace has attracted an extremely strong and diverse entry list across two days of racing. Rather than group cars by engine size, as is traditionally the case, we have decided to place each vehicle in a class representative of its age. This not only spices up the action, but better reflects the park’s long motor racing tradition, which spans more than a century.

The most hotly contested class is for those cars built from 1977 to the present day, which sees a number of Ferraris battling for the honour of fastest time of the day. But don’t let the Italian exotica distract you from the equally capable competition; Crystal Palace is about handling as well as power and the Mitsubishi Evo 8, or the Renault Alpine turbo could well spring a surprise.

Category A (class 3) - 1967 to 1976 - should also see some very close racing; the Escorts will be quick, as will be the BMW, but the nimble little Lotus Elan should never be underestimated.

Many of these rare cars are owned by more than one individual, so while you may see the same vehicle racing on the Sunday and Monday, the driver will almost certainly be different, offering the keen-eyed spectator a chance to see how individual driving style effects overall performance.

Category F (classes 18 and 19) represents a welcome first for Crystal Palace: electric-powered vehicles will take to the course, demonstrating what many believe to be the future of motoring, both on the road and track. The Tesla is the hot favourite in this class, but as with all prototype engineering, there’s the possibility that an outside bet could steal the limelight.

Although comprising just two cars, Category E (class 15) offers a real slice of nostalgia in the shape of the Eccles Rapier; this very car, driven by Marjorie Eccles, raced at Crystal Palace 73 years ago in 1937!

While the on-track action will invariably be tense and exciting, spectators will find many other attractions in the exhibition area, where a further 180+ cars will be on show. We’d also encourage visitors to stop by the paddock, where drivers and mechanics will be only too happy to talk about there pride and joy.

And if modern cars are more to your liking, the Ancaster Group will be displaying their range of new Nissans and Fiats. Alongside their Nissan Dessert Raid simulator and the mighty Nissan GTR, visitors will also have the opportunity to win a brand new Fiat 500 or a Nissan Micra. What better way to top off a great day!

Have you ever wondered what a Formula One car looks like in the flesh? Now’s your chance to find out. Go Motorsport, in association with RBS, will be exhibiting a 2010 Williams F1 car on their stand at the Motorsport at the Palace event in Crystal Palace park over the May bank holiday (May 30/31).

 Alongside the many classic and modern cars racing over the two days, a host of exotic machines will be on display in the park, offering visitors a unique opportunity to experience these rare and exotic race cars close up.

The Williams F1 car is on loan from RBS, an official partner of the AT&T Williams team, and is being used by Go Motorsport to promote involvement in all areas of the sport, whether as a competitor, spectator or volunteer. The initiative was launched by Lewis Hamilton two years ago and has attracted support from top drivers including Jenson Button and David Coulthard.  

Martin Chinnery, Chairman of Sevenoaks and District Motor Club, who are organising the event, said: “In many ways the Williams F1 car has a direct lineage to Crystal Palace; Williams are the archetypal English team and Crystal Palace is where motor racing began in this country. It seems fitting that visitors are able to appreciate this wonderful machine in the company of some equally beautiful classic racers and we’re extremely grateful to RBS and Go Motorsport for allowing us this opportunity.”

For more information on Motorsport at the Palace, or to book tickets, visit the website at: http://motorsportatthepalace.co.uk/

For more information on the Go Motorsport initiative, head to: www.gomotorsport.net/