Beaulieu kick-started it’s motor-fuelled bank holiday weekend with Simply Classics & Sports Car on Sunday 24th August.
This popular Simply Classics event, now in its fourth year, has rebranded to Simply Classics & Sports Car for 2014, to include sports cars. Owners of pre1989 classic vehicles and sports cars of all ages were invited to drive their vehicle to Beaulieu and display their vehicle in the beautiful parkland surrounding the National Motor Museum.
British sports car manufacturer, MG, which is this year celebrating its 90th anniversary, was a featured marque at this year’s event with over 200 MGs on show from early VAs and TAs to the ever popular MGB and Midget, as well as modern classics such as the MGF and MG TF, with displays from regional MG clubs and individual owners as well as a number of trade stands.
On the day, visitors to Beaulieu were asked to vote for their favourite vehicle on display in the People’s Choice Awards. The winner was Gary Collins from Chichester with an eye catching 1967 VW Camper Van in blue and white. Gary is a member of the Chichester Southern Classics car club and loves using his van to display at shows and to holiday in. Gary was presented with a Beaulieu Trophy by Beaulieu’s MD, Russell Bowman, in an afternoon presentation ceremony on the Beaulieu Arena.
Beaulieu visitors also voted for their favourite MG with the award going to Mike Short from Holbury, Southampton in a 1937 MG VA Drophead Coupé in British Racing Green. Mike, a member of the Southampton & New Forest MG Owners’ Club, bought his car at the 2013 Beaulieu Bonhams auction as a non-runner. After an extensive rebuild in 1984 by its then owner, the car was driven a distance of just 10 miles, spending the next nearly 30 years in a home garage. Mike spent last winter bringing the car back to life and although there is still work to be done it is now in good running order and recently completed a 120 mile run. Mike was also presented with a Beaulieu trophy by Beaulieu’s MD, Russell Bowman, and both winners received a luxury Autoglym car cleaning gift pack.
After the awards, the top vehicles voted for in both categories took part in a cavalcade through the grounds.
Simply Classics is part of a whole series of Simply rallies, covering a range of makes, models and themes, run and organised by the Beaulieu Events Team.
The provisional date for next year’s Simply Classics & Sports Car event is Sunday 30th August 2015. For updates and information, please visit www.beaulieuevents.co.uk
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