The Footman James Classic Motor Show adds more halls as tickets go on sale

The UK’s biggest and best classic motoring celebration has just got even bigger as the Footman James Classic Motor Show has added more halls ready for its return to Birmingham’s NEC from Friday 16th to Sunday 18th November 2012. Tickets are now on sale for what is classed as the ‘season finale’ of the classic calendar.

This year the event will take place in eleven halls in total, four more than in 2011 (Halls 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19 and 20).Additional space gives the organisers an enormous 82,000 square metres (70,000 square metres in 2011) for features such as Silverstone Auctions’ sale of classic cars, motorcycles and memorabilia. The new halls layout will also make is much easier for visitors to navigate.

A record-breaking 58 FIA MGBs will compete in the Official MGB50 Celebration Race at MGLive! on Saturday 23 June

The MG Car Club’s 62nd successive Silverstone meeting has attracted a mouth-watering grid of the world’s best MGBs; competitors will contest for honours on the full GP circuit.

Supported by British Motor Heritage, the prestigious 50-minute race is for FIA-spec MGBs running on Dunlop Historic Tyres and includes a mandatory pit stop.

MGLive! is the world’s largest MG event and attracts 20,000 enthusiasts from every corner of the globe. The MG Car Club’s award-winning weekend begins a trilogy of high-profile MGB50 events in 2012; celebrations are set to continue at the Silverstone Classic (July) and at Blenheim Palace (September).

VTG technology for Le Mans success

- Mono turbo offers greatest opportunity in sports car engine design
- Audi uses innovative turbocharger solution
- Two more weeks to go before the start of the Le Mans 24 Hours

Motorsport at the Palace celebrates another successful meeting

Over 5,000 visitors attended a spectacular weekend of Motorsport at Crystal Palace, in association with the Ancaster Group. Now in its third year, the annual event  in the popular South London park raised over £3,500 for local charities St Christopher’s Hospice and The Royal London Society for Blind People.

Despite moving from its traditional May Bank Holiday slot – a consequence of the upcoming Jubilee celebrations – Motorsport at the Palace drew visitors from far and wide, with competitors travelling from all over the country to compete on sections of the famous old circuit.

New national MIA Motorsport Business Survey

Current trends in the business of motorsport and high-performance engineering are the focus of the 2012 MIA Motorsport Business Survey launched today. All UK motorsport companies are asked to take part, as this is the only national survey undertaken into this successful industry, on this scale.

Outcomes will help companies plan long-term strategy, identify new markets and business opportunities, understand their position in the UK industry and access funding from government.

Japanese manufacturer’s engines will dominate round-the-clock classic, powering more than half of all LMP2 cars plus the experimental Nissan DeltaWing

- Nissan engines used by 25% of the field, more than any other manufacturer
- Experimental Nissan DeltaWing – which aims to use half the fuel of conventional racers – spearheads dominant entry to 24 Hours
- More than half the LMP2 field – 13 out of 20 cars – choose Nissan

Nissan will be the dominant force at this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours, with a quarter of all entries running on Nismo-tuned Nissan power.

Michelin I-Spy Goodwood

To celebrate its sponsorship of the Goodwood Festival of Speed and the Supercar Paddock, Michelin has published a special-edition I-Spy Goodwood Festival of Speed book.

In the tradition of I-Spy books from past and present, the new book is packed with interesting cars, places and people to spot at this year’s Festival and even gives petrolheads (over the age of 21) the chance to win a Porsche driving day at Silverstone by entering a free prize draw. The winning driver can also bring a guest passenger as long as they are at least 12 years old.

Local motor clubs join forces to offer the cheapest rally championship in the UK

North Wales Car Club and Bala and District Motor Club have joined forces to offer The ANWCC Trawsfynydd Ranges Challenge which has to be the cheapest Rally Championship to enter in the UK. Based over two rounds at the popular Ranges Motor Sport Centre at Trawsfynydd, North Wales, this free to enter Championship gives drivers of all cars the opportunity to win the Championship outright due to its class based scoring system.

Can Archer make it four from four in NGK BRCC?

The NGK Spark Plugs BRC Challenge returns to the Jim Clark Rally again this year with the championship seeing one of the closest fought battles the series has seen in a long time.

The first three rounds of the championship have so far provided three different winners, and each of them in differing machinery. And the Jim Clark Challenge Rally could well provide the fourth with tarmac ace and Jim Clark expert, Richard Archer, looking to secure his first win of the season.

Nelson Panciatici on track to discover a legend

The young Nelson Panciatici will take part in Test Day on the fabulous circuit of Le Mans 24 Hrs after a convincing performance in the 6 Hours of Spa Francorchamps, where success evaded the G-DRIVE by NISSAN team’s ORECA 03 NISSAN and stopped them from reaching the podium.