Latest news with #vintagecars
The Sun
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Tragedy as two drivers die on same day at separate UK racing events as cops probe crashes
A DRIVER has died in a crash during a race at Donington Park circuit in Leicestershire. Julian Grimwade sadly died after an accident during the Vintage Motorsport Festival on Saturday. 2 2 He previously served as Vice Chairman of Members at the Brookland Museum, and starred in the 2021 TV series Secrets of the Transport Museum. The accident occurred during Julian's first lap, when he crashed his Oakland Romano Special. National governing body Motorsport UK said that it joined "the entire UK motorsport community in mourning". A police spokesperson said: "Police were notified of a single vehicle collision at a licensed track day at Donington Park yesterday (24 May). "The driver of the vehicle – a man in his 70s – was taken to hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. "Enquiries are continuing on behalf of HM Coroner. Identification of the deceased is a matter for the coroner." Leicestershire Police confirmed that no criminal investigation was underway. Driver Dai Roberts also tragically passed away yesterday following a separate incident at the Jim Clark Rally.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Driver dies at vintage sports car club race
A driver has died during a race event at Donington Park circuit in Leicestershire. Racer Julian Grimwade had been competing in a race at a Vintage Motorsport Festival on Saturday, national governing body Motorsport UK said. It said in statement confirming the death that it joined "the entire UK motorsport community in mourning". The organisation said it would be investigating the incident. Leicestershire Police has been contacted for comment. In a statement, Motorsport UK said: "It is with great sadness that Motorsport UK confirms the passing of Julian Grimwade, who was competing at the Vintage Sports Car Club's race event at Donington Park today [Saturday 24 May]. "Motorsport UK joins the entire UK motorsport community in mourning and sends its sincerest condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Julian, as well as the Vintage Sports Car Club. "As with all serious incidents, Motorsport UK will conduct an investigation into the matter and cooperate with the relevant external authorities." Sharing the statement on social media Donington Park added: "Our thoughts go to the family and friends of the driver, as well as those in the VSCC [Vintage Sports Car Club] community." International motorsport governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile also issued a statement on X, following the Donington Park crash which it said was one of three fatal motorsport incidents, including one in Scotland and a third in Denmark. It said: "The FIA is saddened to learn of the tragic incidents today at the Jim Clark Rally in Scotland, Vintage Motorsport Festival at Donnington Park and Nykøbing Falster Motor Sport's Anniversary Rally in Denmark. "We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of those who have sadly lost their lives. "Our thoughts are also with those injured in the accidents and we send our best wishes to them for their full and swift recovery." It added: "The tragic incidents today have united our global motor sport community as we reaffirm the FIA's full support to our members, officials and competitors." Follow BBC Leicester on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Donington Park Motorsport UK
BBC News
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Driver Julian Grimwade dies at motorsport race in Donington Park
A driver has died during a race event at Donington Park circuit in Julian Grimwade had been competing in a race at a Vintage Motorsport Festival on Saturday, national governing body Motorsport UK said in statement confirming the death that it joined "the entire UK motorsport community in mourning".The organisation said it would be investigating the incident. 'Serious incident investigation' Leicestershire Police has been contacted for a statement, Motorsport UK said: "It is with great sadness that Motorsport UK confirms the passing of Julian Grimwade, who was competing at the Vintage Sports Car Club's race event at Donington Park today [Saturday 24 May]."Motorsport UK joins the entire UK motorsport community in mourning and sends its sincerest condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Julian, as well as the Vintage Sports Car Club."As with all serious incidents, Motorsport UK will conduct an investigation into the matter and cooperate with the relevant external authorities."Sharing the statement on social media Donington Park added: "Our thoughts go to the family and friends of the driver, as well as those in the VSCC [Vintage Sports Car Club] community." International motorsport governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile also issued a statement on X, following the Donington Park crash which it said was one of three fatal motorsport incidents, including one in Scotland and a third in Denmark. It said: "The FIA is saddened to learn of the tragic incidents today at the Jim Clark Rally in Scotland, Vintage Motorsport Festival at Donnington Park and Nykøbing Falster Motor Sport's Anniversary Rally in Denmark."We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of those who have sadly lost their lives."Our thoughts are also with those injured in the accidents and we send our best wishes to them for their full and swift recovery."It added: "The tragic incidents today have united our global motor sport community as we reaffirm the FIA's full support to our members, officials and competitors."
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Concrete Cruizers Car Show donates proceeds to school for fifth year
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Concrete Cruizers Car Club held their annual fundraiser car show, with all proceeds going towards the Ruby Van Meter School. Vintage cars took over the lot at Deery Chevrolet in Pleasant Hill on Saturday morning. Founded 37 years ago, Concrete Cruizers was Gary Pullen's way of bringing together local car enthusiasts and using their passion to help others. '35 years now doing these car shows, our shows always have some type of children's charity that we donate to. This year it's Ruby Van Meter Schools, their booster club helps the teachers with extra supplies that they need for the kids that the school doesn't provide,' said Pullen. This is the fifth consecutive year the Concrete Cruizers have donated to Ruby Van Meter Schools. Last year, the school used the funds to rebuild the playground for the kids. Stink Floyd blooms! Long-awaited event brings extended hours for visitors Robert and Laura Holland entered their 1968 Chevy Camero into the contest for the first time in 2024 and took home first place. 'I've been a technician all my life, I love working on cars; it's right up my alley,' said Robert. 'I love actually all the camaraderie, there's a lot of people here that really just welcome you in and make you feel like part of the club, even if you weren't, they're real nice people.' Pullen says the car show is a lot of work, but with the help of around 60 club members and their families, they are able to pull together a show, food, and the auction. The auction was started 15 years ago and helps showcase unique items. A table and chairs made from a barrel, a bench made out of a Chevy pickup tailgate, and an electric guitar that was pinstriped by one of their members were just some of the items that attendees were able to bid on. Pullen didn't think the car show would last this long or get this big, but says he's thankful each year he's given the opportunity to help people out. 'Just being able to raise money and give it to a kids' charity, it means a lot like that to take care of families and so forth,' said Pullen. 'Over the years, we've given to Make-A-Wish, we send a little girl dying of cancer down to Disney World in Florida, so it means a lot to help out people like that.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Telegraph
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Telegraph
UK's rarest cars: 1974 Renault 6 TL, one of only two left
Some cars are so taken for granted when new that it is not immediately apparent when they start fading away. The Renault 6 was once the vehicle of choice for the individualist motorist of a limited budget, but today Terence Byrne's 1974 TL is one of only two remaining on the road in the UK. Renault commenced Project 118 in 1965 and its role was to be the ideal car for buyers who aspired to greater luxury than offered by the ubiquitous 4 and who could not afford the larger 16. It would also have to rival Peugeot's new front-wheel-drive 204 and, more importantly, Citroën's forthcoming Dyane, a five-door hatchback based on the 2CV. The result was the 6, which shared a platform, asymmetrical wheelbase and dashboard-mounted gearchange with the 4. The two also had an 845cc engine in common, although the 6's unit was in a slightly more powerful form. Renault unveiled its new model at the 1968 Paris motor show, with a delightful commercial illustrating its strong points. UK sales began in late 1969. This newspaper found the 6 'a sensible and civilised car'. Meanwhile, Renault GB claimed: 'It doesn't have a lot of complicated controls.' The upmarket TL debuted the following year and its specification included a 1.1-litre engine, front disc brakes, front door armrests and separate (rather than a bench) front seats. An impressed Car praised the 6 TL's fuel economy and thought it possessed 'more character than any of its classmates'. Renault facelifted the 6 in 1973 with a grey plastic grille and promised the TL could reach 70mph 'without fuss or fatigue'. Autocar regarded it as 'not perhaps the most beautiful small estate around but certainly the most practical'. By then, the 6 TL cost £1,030 compared with £816 for the Citroën Dyane 6, although the Renault was more powerful and better appointed. Nor was there a direct UK-produced rival to the 6 as a compact front-wheel-drive five-door saloon. British Leyland never built the Austin Allegro in hatchback form while the Austin Maxi 1500 was larger than the Renault and more expensive at £1,379. A potential 6 TL buyer might have looked to the £1,056 Simca 1100 LS, although its strongest competitor was probably the Renault 4 De Luxe, which offered much the same formula for only £947. However, investing in a 6 TL meant not only greater performance but luxuries beyond the dreams of the average 4 owner; winding windows, reclining front seats, heated rear window, rear childproof locks, ashtrays for the back seat passengers and a dipping rear-view mirror. Renault further assured UK drivers the 6's lack of front quarter-light windows was because they were 'the thief's usual method of entry'. French production ended in May 1980, while the last of 1,743,314 examples of the 6 left Renault's Spanish plant in March 1986. Byrne's interest in the 6 began 1981 when a yellow 1976 TL replaced his Ford Escort Mk1. 'Being an electrician and part-time farmer, it was so versatile, floating up fields and stone lanes with ease,' he says. That 6, as with so many cars, eventually succumbed to corrosion, but Byrne never forgot it. Decades later, 'my lovely wife Jennifer passed away' and he decided to find another example 'because of her love for the old Renault 6'. Byrne kept looking and in 2018, during a visit to the Classic Car Show at the NEC, he met Brian Whiteside of the Renault Classic Car Club. Whiteside told Bryne that he owned 'a yellow R6 but was not selling. However, as a member of the Renault Classic Car Club, I noticed that in 2021 he was selling some of his collection.' Byrne travelled from County Down to Wimborne in Dorset to collect the 6 TL. Today, it is driven at least monthly and 'gathers a lot of interest at shows'. The Byrne TL goes by the name JEN 74, in honour of his late wife. From a 2025 perspective, its rather appealing lines are a reminder of how different the Renault seemed from the likes of the Hillman Avenger or the Triumph Toledo. The interior provided space for four well-proportioned adults, while the strip speedometer resembled a gauge from the 1964 TV series Stingray. And JEN 74 is also a prime example of how the memories invested in an old car are as important as the engineering and design.
