Vintage Sports-Car Club

Vintage Sports-Car Club
AbbreviationVSCC
Formation1934
PurposeMotor racing club
Headquarters1 Hockley Court, 2401 Stratford Road, Hockley Heath, B94 6NW
Location
  • Oxfordshire
Region served
UK
Membership5600 (4000 in 1961)[1]
Websitevscc.co.uk/

The Vintage Sports-Car Club or VSCC is an active British motor racing club that organises events, both competitive and social, throughout the United Kingdom. These are primarily, but not exclusively for pre-1940 cars.

In 2019, (thus prior to the COVID-19 disruptions), 43 events were held in Scotland, England and Wales.

Race Meetings were organised at venues including Silverstone (Spring Start in April), Oulton Park, and Donington Park.

Sporting Trials were held at off-road venues including the Scottish Trial, Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Welsh, Lakeland and Cotswold Trials.

Speed Hill Climbs and Sprints were held at Brooklands, Shelsley Walsh, Prescott, Brands Hatch, Loton Park and Bicester Heritage.

Competitive Navigation Rallies, open to all pre-war cars, included events held in Leicester-shire, Hertford-shire and Wales.

Non-competitive social runs were held in several areas including Scotland and more informally, there are many monthly pub meets attended by members and throughout the land.

The club was established in October 1934 by five founder members: Colin Nicholson, Bruce Nicholson, Ned Lewis, Harry Bowler and Vivian Brookes.[2] The VSCC was known initially as the Veteran Sports-Car Club, but within a month, by November 1934, was known as The Vintage Sports-Car Club, to avoid confusion with the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain.[3][2]

Its aim was to promote the pastime of motoring—the VSCC was first started in order to allow the "not so rich" to enjoy historic motoring.[3][4] Tim Carson joined the committee in 1935 and Tom Rolt in 1938, with S. C. H. Davis having become president in 1937.[2]

Established guidelines made the club principally for cars built before 1931.[1] This generally remains in force, although cars built before the Second World War but conforming to standards set in 1931 are also allowed to compete.[5][6]

1937 E.R.A. 12C at VSCC Curborough Speed Trials 2009

As well as social events (tours, and 'Concours' gatherings), the club, which has a membership of some 5,600, organises a range of motoring competitions such as driving tests, hill climbs, races, road rallies,[7] trials and sprints.[1] Their most famous race is held at Silverstone Circuit in April of every year.[8]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c King, Seth (12 February 1961). "Vintage Cars in Vogue Among British Drivers". New York Times. pp. X42. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  2. ^ a b c Motor Sport, February 1943, Pages 23-27. Accessed 23 May 2017
  3. ^ a b "About Us". Vintage Sports Car Club. Vintage Sports-Car Club Ltd. 2008. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  4. ^ "About Us". Vintage Sports Car Club. Vintage Sports-Car Club Ltd. 2008. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  5. ^ "What is a Vintage car?". Vintage Sports Car Club. Vintage Sports-Car Club Ltd. 2008. Archived from the original on 9 December 2007. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  6. ^ "What Definitions are Used to Describe VSCC Eligible Cars? VSCC Eligibility Definitions". Vintage Sports Car Club. Vintage Sports-Car Club Ltd. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  7. ^ "The Great Steamer". Time. 20 September 1954. Archived from the original on 16 November 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2008.
  8. ^ Brewster, Georgina (13 November 2004). "The drive of my life". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 August 2008.


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