Mersey Reporter - #Merseybites #News

THIS will be an amazing 2 day event, packed full of action and motoring history. The event is being run by the Aintree Circuit Club and is presented by Cataclean, and is also being supported by:- Ocean Plaza Leisure, Sefton Council, Southport BID, and Victoria Park.

Southport Classic and Speed 2023 builds on the great success of 2022 and 2021 and will once again celebrate our motoring and motorsport heritage.

The 2021 Classic and Speed event attracted an amazing array of 250 cars from three centuries of motoring; from:- veteran, vintage, historic, racing, and modern classics. They will be displayed on the outstanding background of the 34 acre Victoria Park, in celebration of Southport’s motor sporting heritage.

This year is also the 60th Anniversary of the last Speed Trial, held along The Esplanade and Marine Drive,in 1963. The original Speed Trials that took place on the Southport Promenade, in which Dorothy Levitt competed, attracted over 50,000 spectators, many of them accommodated in grandstands erected along the 1 kilometre course. This was held in front of the many hotels and boarding houses. It was a true landmark event and one of the very 1st competitive speed events in the country, predating such well known venues as:- Brooklands, Donington Park, and Goodwood. This event hopes to recapture some of that motoring magic of yesteryears.

The 1st day of this event will be held on:- Saturday, 16 September 2023, with the:- 'Ocean Sprint Revival.' This is a live motorsport event that will run along the Southport Beach part of the Coastal Road. The 'Closed Road Motorsport Speed Meeting' will mean Marine Drive, Southport, will be closed between:- 8am to 5pm. Practice will take place from:- 10am to 12.30pm, with timed High Speed runs from:- 1.30pm. The public will have limited admission to Competitors Paddock, and Designated Viewing Areas will be by pre-paid ticket only.

Then on:- Sunday, 17 September 2023, the home of the Southport Flower Show will take center stage, with over a century of motoring history on show, including some of Southport's record breaking motorsport heritage..! Then, at the end of the event, Southport will come alive to the sounds of unique sounds and smells as the vehicles will be led through the streets of Southport Town Center, in a Grand Parade. This Parade will set off from:- Rotten Row, and then go down:- Lord Street, then it will turn back and head down the:- Promenade.

Additionally, all participants in Sunday’s Classic and Speed will each receive a special bottle of Bladnoch Scotch Whisky as part of their entry package.

To enter either the sprint, which runs to full Motorsport UK Regulations, or the Classic and Speed Show and Parade, Car owners should go to:- SouthportClassicAndSpeed.Com for more information.

You can still see our coverage of the 2021 show, by clicking here now.

More coverage can be found of the 2022 event, here.

NigerianRacer

Sat, 23 September 2023 9:49 am

What a fantastic atmosphere and lots of fabulous people. Really enjoyed attending on the Sunday.

Sadly, I missed Saturday and hope to get the chance to see the cars speeding down the seafront next year.

I also have to say that I enjoyed watching the cars going down Lord Street, as I sat, with the family, outside a bar. What a fantastic way to close an event and get people to go into the Town and visit the many bars and shops along the route of the parade.

I will definitely visit this show again! I just hope they get more publicity next year, as they had clearly put a lot of effort into it.

We'll done to all those involved in putting on what was a very well run event. It's just a shame that this group was not in charge of the Air Show. We nearly didn't go to this event, but as it was FREE, we thought why not? I was expecting it to be yet another flop, but it was definitely not!

Loved it!