11 reasons to not miss Classic Nostalgia 2023

By Ryan Standen

| 12 Jul 2023

Classic & Sports Car – 11 reasons to visit Classic Nostalgia 2023

The charming Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb in Worcestershire will once again welcome a fantastic selection of classic cars and motorsport legends as Classic Nostalgia returns on 22-23 July.

First used in 1905, this is the world’s oldest motorsport venue to still feature its original course.

Advance tickets are available now, plus you can save with C&SC’s exclusive 25% off deal, available until 14 July. Alternatively, tickets can be bought on the gate for £30.

Let’s take a look at what’s in store at this year’s event.

1. Motorsport heroes

Rally legend Stig Blomqvist (above) will be at this year’s event.

Stig will be competing across the weekend in an Audi quattro A2 recreation to commemorate 40 years since the original car’s debut.

He’ll be joined by Le Mans-winner Richard Attwood and engineer John Barnard, who was key to McLaren’s F1 success in the 1980s.

Victor Riley, the grandson of Riley founder William Riley, will also be at Classic Nostalgia on Sunday, sharing stories of the old family business.

2. Brilliant British Touring Cars

A selection of star cars and drivers will be on hand to celebrate 65 years of the British Touring Car Championship.

John Fitzpatrick will drive his race-winning 1971 Ford Escort RS 1600, Mike Wilds will be reunited with a Beaconsfield Toyota Celica, plus three-time champion Matt Neal will get behind the wheel of his 2014 Team Dynamics Honda Yuasa Racing Honda Civic.

And more Touring Car stars will be on show in Shelsley Walsh’s paddock.

**3. Classic & Sports Car’s Concours d’Elegance**

If you’re heading to Shelsley Walsh in your classic car, then why not take part in the free-to-enter Classic & Sports Car Concours d’Elegance?

Open to all cars built before 1985, it will take place on Sunday 23 July and there are prizes up for grabs in these four classes:

Pre-World War Two
1949-1959
1960-1985 Saloons
1960-1985 Sports/GT

There will also be awards for Spirit of the Day, Best in Show and Judges’ Choice.

Entries will be accepted on the day, and our very own Aaron McKay and Simon Taylor will judge the cars, alongside John Mayhead from Hagerty.

4. 60 years of McLaren

From Can-Am cars to Formula 5000 racers, Classic Nostalgia will welcome a selection of historic McLaren machinery to commemorate 60 years of the legendary racing team.

A McLaren M10B that was campaigned at Shelsley Walsh by four-time British Hillclimb Champion Roy Lane in the early 1970s will return to the picturesque course.

It’ll be joined by other Formula 5000 stars and a group of Can-Am cars, as well as the Cooper T62 that Bruce McLaren raced to victory at the 1962 Australian Grand Prix.

5. Railton celebrations

The Railton Owners’ Club will be celebrating the marque’s 90th anniversary with a dedicated display.

A one-of-two 1935 Light Sports Tourer and a recreation of Terry Clarke’s 1933 Napier Railton will tackle the 1000-yard hillclimb, too, making sure this special anniversary is marked in style.

6. A legend returns

David Hepworth made history at Shelsley Walsh in 1971 by becoming the first person to complete the course in under 30 secs.

The car he did it in, a one-off Hepworth FF hillclimb car (shown above), will return to Shelsley Walsh for Classic Nostalgia 2023, alongside a Formula One car-based BRM-Hepworth GB-1.

7. 60 years of the Mini Cooper ‘S’

A group of Minis will compete on the hillclimb to mark 60 years of the Cooper ‘S’.

Scampering up the course will be Gerry Marshall’s old Austin Cooper ‘S’, a 1965 Broadspeed Mini and a 1967 BMC works rally car.

The oldest known Austin Cooper ‘S’ (pictured above) will be on display, too, and racing driver Anita Taylor will be reunited with a Mini Cooper that she piloted in the 1964 British Saloon Car Championship.

8. Simon Taylor’s Stovebolt Special

Those familiar with C&SC’s Our Classics fleet will recognise Simon Taylor’s HWM-Chevrolet, also known as the Stovebolt Special.

The Formula Two car was driven by Stirling Moss in his first paid drive and it later found big-screen fame in the 1950s film The Racers.

Our Editor at Large has owned the car for more than 20 years and will drive the Stovebolt Special up the hill on the Saturday of Classic Nostalgia.

9. Spectacular cars

A fantastic variety of motorsport machinery will be tackling the hillclimb at Classic Nostalgia.

Rally fans can delight in the selection of Group A, Group B and WRC legends, courtesy of Ralli22.

Formula One machinery will be represented by a Surtees TS19 and a Shadow DN9B, while a Chevrolet NASCAR (above) is sure to make itself heard on the hillclimb.

10. Car club displays

Nearly 30 car clubs are set to gather at this year’s Classic Nostalgia, including the Alvis Owner Club, BMW Car Club GB, Riley Register and TVR Car Club.

Visitors can enjoy the variety of cars on display and there will be an award for the best club stand.

11. Battle of Britain flypast

As if there’s not enough happening at ground level, Saturday’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will bring the action to the skies above Shelsley Walsh.

The flypast takes place at 2:05pm, so remember to look upwards to catch a glimpse of the Hawker Hurricane.

Classic Nostalgia returns to Shelsley Walsh in Worcestershire on 22-23 July, and C&SC readers can save with our special 25% off ticket offer, available until 14 July.

All tickets are ‘access all areas’, so everybody can enjoy all aspects of the event – we’ll see you there.

Images: Stuart Wing/Geoff Robinson/Rob Macdonald/Alastair Clements/Dennis Wood/Karol Wiechczynski/Mark Dolphin

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