A testing time for the VSCC at Brooklands

Postponed from a snowy January, the VSCC New Year Driving Tests at Brooklands was met with an overcast but dry Sunday morning, perfect weather to hoon around the 1900s race track and grounds in vintage cars.

The Vintage Sports Car Club caters for all pre 1930s cars and the driving tests aim to put the old motors and drivers through their paces over a variety of challenges. The cars were parked up around the Club House whilst the drivers signed on and the marshals readied the courses.













The tests all run simultaneously, with cars moving around the site from one to the next providing non stop action, first up was the test hill, starting on the flat it climbs up 1:8 through 1:5 to 1:4 at the very top, once at the summit it was on the brakes and round the corner to stop astride a line, before reversing into a garage and then forwards to the finish line.











Moving up past the Vickers Hangers another test had been set, this time a flat area with cones marking the course, a central box had to be passed through in two directions, linked with rotations of other cones it was making dizzy driving.





Now is not the time to be checking the route!



Up on the banking under the Members Bridge a slalom run had been built on the angle at the base of the banking, the damp concrete surface was covered in wet leaves making conditions tricky.







Further down the banking the next test awaited, a short drive along the flat led to a sharp turn right up the bank to a line, then reverse onto the level again before hurtling round the cones on the banking and to the finish line.









The final test of the day was a crazy series of concentric circles around some cones before a dash for the line, gravel was kicked up and tyres smoked getting round the ever tightening bends.







As the lunchtime break approached the mornings tests came to an end and the cars were parked up, some dripping coolant and steaming as their drivers munched away in the café. A final chance to get close up with the rides.















Being use to more modern forms of motorsport, the Tests were an eye opener, seeing cars that are 80yrs old splattered with mud and covered in dents hurtling round at full chat is amazing, far better than resting in a museum gathering dust! The rest of the photos are here thanks for reading.

Steve.