Croft Supporters Club

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Old Timers, once young timers

Photos/words:- Tony Todd

Old Timers, once young timers - Photo by Tony Todd

Some Supporters Club members who, like myself are of a certain age were fortunate to have witnessed some amazing racing of many varieties in the sixties, seventies and eighties. My personal involvement was later as photographer and reporter for Motoring News but initially as a mechanic in the golden era of 1000cc saloons with messrs Clacher, Barton and Bell heading the charge. However this was by no means the only action and a group of drivers from that period was assembled on Sunday afternoon for a bus trip round the circuit with a buffet to follow. The air was crackling with reminiscences and conversations were struck up again as if there had only been a break of forty minutes not thirty or forty years.

The drivers were Left to Right Ken Walker, Brian Morris, Tony Sugden, John Simpson, Joe Lanney in front of Mick Starkey, Jeff Wilson, Andy Barton, Ron Harper in front of Alex Clacher, Jim Adamson, the Beard is sported by John Macdonald and the velvet Collar is worn by Jonny Blades next to Keith Bowmaker and John Absalom.

Ron Harper, who still races the Spitfire, was still able to fit into some of the same clothes.

Dave Manners and Ted Paine joined the group a little later.

The Croft Nostalgia Weekend will offer a little more than fantastic racing cars, superb classic cars and hordes of military vehicles. Also present will be some of the names from the 60s and 70s who actually raced at Croft Autodrome. Representing saloons will be Andy Barton whose giant killing Mini was a big favourite with the fans, Keith Bowmaker of Escort fame, Brian Morris who holds the ASCAR lap Record in his Camaro and now campaigns a Datsun 240Z, Tony Sugden still winning in his Skoda at 70 years of age (he will also be driving the Safety Car this weekend) and Jeff Wilson who prepared then raced the fearsome 5.0 VW Beetle of Doug Niven. continue reading…

Photo by whatnonegatives.com

More details of the superb line-up of entertainment during the first Croft Nostalgia Weekend (7-8 August) have been released.

The first event of its kind in the North-East will feature 16 races for an increasing number of (now more than 180) rare and iconic sports, saloon, GT and single-seater cars from the Forties, Fifties, Sixties and Seventies. The line-up is worth many millions of pounds with some cars having been individually valued at £250,000. continue reading…

CROFT CIRCUIT ANNOUNCES FIRST ‘NOSTALGIA WEEKEND’ EVENT

  • North-East circuit set for two days of fast cars from Forties, Fifties, Sixties & Seventies
  • Public invited to dress in period costume to build atmosphere
  • Military, classic car & air displays plus Forties Fashion Show also confirmed

The Croft motor racing circuit in the North-East of England will reverberate to the sound of classic motor racing engines spanning four decades (Forties-Fifties-Sixties-Seventies) when it stages the region’s first ever Croft Nostalgia Weekend (7-8 August). continue reading…