Top Award For Silverstone Classic

Filed under: Classic News,Silverstone Classic |
Luke Wigley receives the prestigious IHMA award from John Edwards, Managing Director for Jaguar Land Rover's newly-created Individual Products Division.

Luke Wigley receives the prestigious IHMA award from John Edwards, Managing Director for Jaguar Land Rover's newly-created Individual Products Division.

• Star-studded panel nominates ‘Motorsport Event of the Year’ • A winner both on and off the track This year’s Silverstone Classic has overcome an impressive line-up of international events to win the prestigious ‘Motorsport Event of the Year Award’ at the third International Historic Motoring Awards (IHMA). Staged recently in London at the St. Pancras Rennaissance Hotel, the IHMA – in association with EFG private bank and Octane magazine – celebrated the best of the best. Award winners and other nominees travelled from as far afield as Kuwait and the USA to learn what the judges had selected as winners. The illustrious judging panel included racing drivers Derek Bell and Jochen Mass, the car designer Peter Stevens, musician, historic racer and car collector Nick Mason and the Volkswagen Groups’ Dr. Franz Josef Paefgen. With motor sport being such a massive part of the historic motoring world, the impressive shortlist for the coveted title of Motorsport Event of the Year, sponsored by Jaguar Cars, featured events from right around the globe including Australia, California and Europe. The judges, however, selected the Silverstone Classic for the top accolade stating that ‘the Silverstone Classic this year really came of age and established itself in the top echelon of international historic motor sport events’. The award was collected on behalf of the Silverstone Classic organising team by event manager Luke Wigley. The team has revitalised the event over recent years to firmly establish it as the World’s Biggest Classic Motor Racing Festival. With unrivalled grids, parades and displays the Classic now sets the benchmark for historic racing events worldwide. 24_036e6180“It’s a great honour for us to receive this illustrious award,” said Luke. “We are all immensely proud of what the Silverstone Classic now has to offer both on and off the track. Last summer more than 90,000 visitors witnessed 23 fabulous races featuring more than 1100 of the world’s finest racing cars from past generations and were also treated to some stunning shows of classic road cars notably, of course, when in excess of 1200 Porsche 911s cavalcaded around the circuit to mark 50 years of what’s probably the most iconic of all sportscars. Winning this award is both recognition of what’s been achieved and an inspiration for even greater festivals ahead.” The glittering evening also included the presentation of a very special Lifetime Achievement Award Award to Murray Walker OBE in tribute to his 60 years as the voice of motor sport. The legendary Walker was one of a number of notable attendees at this year’s Silverstone Classic that included Sir Jackie Stewart and the Duke of Kent. Tickets for next summer’s edition of the award-winning Silverstone Classic went on sale earlier this month with considerable ‘early-bird’ saving for those booking early. Full details can be found on the official www.silverstoneclassic.com website. Tags:,