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BBC News
04-04-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
When Hereford's streets became a motor racing circuit
Dozens of vintage sports cars and motorbikes have been celebrating the 100th anniversary of the last Hereford Speed Trial. On April 4th 1925, the final race took place in the city's streets, but it almost didn't happen. Two days earlier the Royal Automobile Club, the governing body of motor sport in Britain, had cancelled all permits for speed trials on public roads following an accident. The organisers appealed to the police, the mayor of Hereford, and the city's watch committee who agreed that the race could take place. "You could look at Broad Street today and think we'd gone back 100 years," said organiser Stephen Kay."What makes the Hereford Speed Trial so special is that it was the last one to be held in England; there hasn't been one since."We're amazed and delighted at the number of people who've turned up to see the vehicles." The final race in spring 1924 took place over half a mile on Kings Acre Road in the city. Most of the 90-plus entries were motorcycles and three-wheelers, with only five cars taking part. Previous races had been held on the road through Rotherwas, still locally known as the Straight Mile. The 1924 event was won in 19 seconds by I P Riddoch on his 988cc Zenith motorcycle. F Taylor in his Bugatti was the fastest car, finishing in 25.6 1922, Ruddock had become the first person to go faster than 100 miles an hour on a motorcycle on a public road. "Like the very best parties, today came together almost by accident," said Hereford Mayor Councillor Kevin Tillett."We were delighted to welcome the vehicles and reintroduce them to the magnificent and enormous Frome's Hill Trophy, which we found in the Town Hall."It's great; the sun is shining, and we're really pleased to welcome so many vehicles and spectators to Hereford." The 1904 event featured Dorothy Levitt, the trailblazing racing driver and journalist. She was the first British female racing driver and the holder of the women's world land speed record and the world's first-ever water speed record. In 1905, she set the record for the longest-ever solo drive by a woman when she drove from London to Liverpool and back over two days. The course driven by Dorothy started in Broad Street in the city centre and finished at the top of Frome's Hill. The 1907 Hereford Speed Trial race was reported at the time as being one of the biggest events in Europe. A century on, hundreds of people turned out to mark the 100-year anniversary. "It was great fun a century ago, and it's great fun today," said organiser and historian Stephen Kay. "The sun is out, and we're all smiling."
Jordan Times
04-03-2025
- Automotive
- Jordan Times
Nayef Abu Tayeh: Racing against the odds to represent Jordan on the global stage
Nayef Abu Tayeh is gearing up for a race (Photo courtesy of Sebastian Kubatz) AMMAN — Nayef Abu Tayeh, a 21-year-old motorsport athlete from Jordan, has made history as the first Arab to qualify for the 2025 BMW 318Ti Cup, a European championship that attracts some of the best drivers from across the continent. 'The fact that I can compete with these professionals is a dream come true,' he said. For Abu Tayeh, qualifying for the BMW 318Ti Cup is more than just a racing achievement; It's a chance to put Jordan on the map in the motorsport world. The road to qualification was far from easy. But his persistence and the guidance of his coach, Rudolf Reine, helped him overcome these obstacles. 'As long as you keep pushing through, you're going to make it to the other side,' he said. After a year- and –a- half of training, Abu Tayeh secured his place in the championship. Abu Tayeh's passion for motorsport dates back to his childhood, although his entry into professional racing only came in the past few years. Like many young enthusiasts, he began with karting. 'I've always loved cars in general,' he says, recalling his childhood fascination with films like 'Fast and Furious'. 'But it wasn't until recently that I truly got into the field of motorsport and started working on cars.' At 17, he bought his first car, a 1992 Mitsubishi Evo, and began customising and working on it by hand. He then started doing speed tests with the Jordan Motorsports Federation and signed up for his first race at the Royal Automobile Club. His debut race in the Mitsubishi Evo 6 was a resounding success, with Abu Tayeh finishing in first place for novice racers. 'It was my first time ever, and I did amazingly well,' he says. 'That was truly an inspiration to me.' One of the most memorable moments of Abu Tayeh's career came during his second training experience in Hockenheim, Germany, where he raced on a European track for the first time. 'It was scary, the close encounters on corners,' he admits. 'But it truly put me in the perspective of real genuine racing, which was amazing.' That experience, coupled with his first-ever race with the Jordan Motorsport Federation, gave him the confidence and momentum to pursue a career in international motorsport. Abu Tayeh's journey is about more than just personal success; it's about representing Jordan on the global stage. 'I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for my country, for the Motorsport Federation, and for all the supporters,' he says. 'It's a dream come true to be able to present my country at such a high-stakes event.' He's determined to prove that Jordan, despite its limited resources compared to European nations, can compete with the best. 'I want to show that we can do what they can do,' he added. As the 2025 season unfolds, Abu Tayeh's goals are ambitious. 'I'm expecting to get podium finishes and make my country proud,' he said.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Nobody Does Land Yachts Like Cadillac, And These Are Five Of The Best Ones
Cadillac is one of America's oldest surviving car manufacturers at 123 years old, and it has built some of the most iconic cars in history since its inception in 1902. Six years into its existence and again in 1913, the burgeoning American automaker won the Dewar Trophy presented by the Royal Automobile Club of the U.K., earning Cadillac the slogan "the Standard of the World." A century has passed since Cadillac won those honors, and over that time the brand had some high points and some low points. Cadillac's ability to produce some of the most desirable cars in the world is undeniable, from the ultra-opulent Cadillac V16 of the roaring '20s to Elvis Presley's pink 1955 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special, not to mention Ronald Reagan's 1983 Cadillac Fleetwood presidential limousine and the modern pop-culture fame enjoyed by the Cadillac Escalade. My favorite Cadillacs are the long, low and cushy sedans, coupes and convertibles that prioritized relaxed driving in hushed uncompromising comfort, affectionately referred to as land yachts. Land yachts have fallen out of favor in the 21st century, or at least in the traditional sense. The land yachts of yore were symbols of excess, with both positive and negative connotations. They represented positive excess as opulent status symbols for the wealthy, but they also grew to represent negative excess as gas guzzling, clumsy handling, plastic chrome-adorned grandma's cars. However, large luxurious SUVs have replaced the traditional land yacht in the form of Cadillac's own Escalade, the Land Rover Range Rover, and even the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Mercedes-Maybach GLS. While the title of land yacht has gone away, classic Cadillac land yachts still set sail on modern roads each day, and these are some of Caddy's finest. Read more: You Can Buy A 400-HP V-Series Cadillac For Less Than A Honda Accord While many people may not know they envision a '59 Cadillac Coupe Deville when they picture a classic Cadillac, it's likely the model that comes to mind. This land yacht embodied America's 1950s infatuation with the space race, with what are widely regarded as the most dramatic tail fins of any production car. Beyond its futuristic looks it wasn't a particularly groundbreaking car, unless that ground was hollow because this big coupe would break right through. They're nearly 19 feet long and weighs almost 5,000 pounds. As America shifted toward a suburban ideology and the highway system expanded, cars weren't constrained by concerns with maneuverability. The 1975 Cadillac Fleetwood grew to its longest length of 19.5 feet, and it was powered by a 500-cubic-inch 8.2-liter carbureted V8. This absolute barge is one of the finest land yachts ever produced, and I yearn to drive one at some point in my life. As the Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham served as the brand's four-door flagship, the Eldorado was the two-door coupe. Paring this beast down to two doors didn't make it sporty or small by any means, though. It shares the sedan's 8.2-liter V8, but it was about a foot shorter than the sedan at a trim 18.6 feet long. To contextualize, a modern Cadillac Escalade is about a foot shorter than the '74 Eldorado. By the end of the 20th century, the full-size luxury sedan market was teeming with options like the Lexus LS400, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series, and Audi A8. These cars all provided comparable comfort, room, and opulence to the Fleetwood, while also providing superior performance and technology. The 1991 Fleetwood is on this list as it's the last bastion of the traditional Cadillac land yacht with hints of tail fins, sofa-like bench seats, and a big V8 under the hood driving the rear wheels. Times changed pretty quickly, and the land yacht fell out of favor among the young new generation of wealthy elites. The Cadillac DTS marked the end of Cadillac's floaty, full-sized, V8-powered sedans. Its successor, the Cadillac XTS, ditched the V8 for smaller engines including a land yacht disqualifier, a sacrilegious turbocharged four-cylinder. The DTS was available with a front bench seat that made it a true six-seater sedan, and in true land yacht fashion, it prioritized ride comfort over handling prowess and comfy seats over sporty buckets. Few people lament the death of the land yacht, but I think that makes them just that much cooler. Read the original article on Jalopnik.
