Britain’s passion for bumper-to-bumper touring car racing will be celebrated at the 2013 Silverstone Classic with a record number of saloon car grids set for the classic racing festival.
For the first time in the event’s history, three packed touring car grids will be on display alongside a top line-up of 24 races including historic F1, GT and sports cars.
The crowd favourite Under 2-Litre Touring Car showdown returns with a capacity 58 car field alongside the Super Touring Trophy, which was popularly introduced in 2012. The two are joined by a new Trans-Atlantic Touring Car Trophy, featuring many of the V8 muscle cars that dominated the late 60s.
The two Trans-Atlantic Touring Car Trophy races will mark the golden anniversary of Jack Sears‘ first win in his 6.9-litre NASCAR sourced Ford Galaxie. Fans will be able to see large numbers of the American machines taking on their more nimble European rivals from the same era.
The Under 2-Litre Touring Car event will also honour another important milestone – 50 years of the Lotus Cortina. 25 Cortinas will do battle in the two-driver race against Alfa Romeos, BMWs and Minis.
Bringing the racing closer to the present day, the Super Touring Trophy will put the spotlight on the most memorable era in the British Touring Car Championship’s history. Group A cars will also be well-represented by flame-spitting Cosworth Sierras and their long-time rivals, the BMW M3.
Drivers, too, are looking to turn back the clock, with two-time BTCC champion John Cleland and enthusiastic Patrick Watts getting hold of their old cars and planning to join the on-track action.
“It’s going to be the greatest saloon car racing revival ever seen,” explained Event Director Nick Wigley. “With three different grids, this year’s remarkable Silverstone Classic tin-top line-up will be the biggest and best yet.
“It stars just about every great touring car racer from those mighty US muscle cars and three-wheeling Lotus Cortinas right up to the turbocharged Sierra Cosworths and high-tech super tourers. What’s more they are all still serving up the same close racing thrills and spills that made them so popular in the first place.”
