FORGET THOSE POST-WEDDING BLUES: IT’S THE DONINGTON HISTORIC FESTIVAL

What’s so important about Friday 29th April? Oh yes – it’s the day before the start of the Donington Historic Festival. Donington’s first ever Historic Festival, featuring some 300 iconic race cars flat out on the world-famous track, runs on Saturday and Sunday, 30th April and 1st May – and there’s still time to buy cut-price, advance tickets. But don’t worry if you miss the advance ticket deadline (2pm on Thursday 28th April), because you can still turn up on the day and buy your tickets on the gate. For just £18 in advance, or £22 on the day, with free entry for accompanied under-16-year-olds, the Donington Historic Festival offers unrivalled motorsport action, with huge grids of cars from the 1930s to the 1980s tackling the undulating curves of one of the finest spectator circuits in the world. The 10 races being held over the two-day Festival range from the ‘Mad Jack’ for pre-War sportscars, through the heady post-War years of the 50s and 60s, to the dramatic sports-racing cars of the early 1970s and a fantastic grid of stunning Le Mans cars from Group C Racing. When they’re not actually out on track, these glorious cars can be inspected at close quarters, with the paddock open to all visitors. Ferraris, Astons, Maseratis, Porsches, Bentleys… the list goes on and on. It’s hard to think of a famous racing marque not in action over the course of the weekend. Off-track, there’s also a line-up of rally cars brought along by the ‘Rallying with Group B’ club members, in high-speed demonstrations on the Grand Prix loop. These are the cars which proved so outrageously fast that they were deemed too dangerous to drive and, in 1986, a series of fatal accidents saw the sudden withdrawal of Group B. The Donington Historic Festival is a rare chance to see them back in action. There are also live demonstrations of historic karts or, for a bit of a break from the speed and the noise, take a stroll through the trade village and pick up some motoring art, photos, books, clothing, or even find that part you need, in the classic car mart and autojumble. Meanwhile, classic car clubs from around the country have flocked to Donington for the Festival, parking their treasured classics in the infield, and all adding to the atmosphere and interest. Clubs represented at the Festival include… ■240Z Club ■289 Register ■AC OwnersClub ■Austin-Healey Club ■Bentley Drivers Club (celebratingits75thanniversary) ■Black CountryMGOwnersClub ■BMW CarClub ■Bristol Owners and DriversAssociation ■Classic Corvette Club UK ■Club AlpineRenault ■Club LanciaSport ■Club Lotus ■DDK (classicPorsche) ■Derbyshire Classic Mini OwnersClub ■Fairthorpe Sports Car Club ■Ferrari Owners’ Club ■Gilbern Owners Club ■Gordon Keeble Owners Club ■Independent Porsche Enthusiasts Club ■Jaguar E-Type Club ■Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club ■Jaguar XK Club ■MG CarClub ■MG Owners’Club ■Midlands Triumph Roadster OwnersClub ■Morgan Sports Car Club(celebratingits60thanniversary) ■Porsche Club GB ■Potteries and South CheshireMGOC ■Quattro Owners Club ■Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club ■Southern Porsche Car Club ■Sunbeam Tiger Owners Club ■Toyota MR2 Mk1 OwnersClub ■TR Register ■Triumph Sports Six Club ■Triumph Stag Owners Club ■TVR Club ■Wreake Mini Wanderers Whatever your motorsport or motoring interest, there’s bound to be something at the Donington Historic Festival to surprise and delight you – and all at family-friendly ticket prices. The ticket prices have been kept low thanks in part to the support of sponsors, including EFG International, the global private banking group, Lands’ End UK, the official clothing partner for the Festival, and JD Classics, the premier classic car dealership.Tags:Donington Historic Festival