Held on the sports field adjacent to the regatta, “the best venue for a classic car rally in the North of England “, the Classic Car Rally has been a feature of the bankside activities of the Regatta for nearly two decades. Offering car enthusiasts and less specialist spectators the opportunity to view an important part of the country’s engineering heritage, the rally is also a relatively tranquil place to spend time away from the more competitive atmosphere of the keenly contested races of the Regatta
Every exhibitor at the Rally has the chance to win one of the show’s much sought after prizes, as well as receiving two free tickets to the Regatta enclosure
Organisor
Organisor since the founding of the Classic Car Rally, Ken Vipond can be contacted on 0191 3864302 or e-mail classic-cars@durham-regatta.org.uk
Registration and Owner’s Fees
The Classic Car Rally at Durham Regatta is very much a friendly, welcoming and informal event. Owners are requested to register as soon as they arrive and to pay the modest fee of £2.50. No ‘interesting’ vehicle is ever refused entry, whatever its condition. Even partially restored projects are made welcome and indeed may even win a prize!
Origins
The Classic Car Rally originated from an idea by the then Regatta Secretary, Geoff Clack, to widen the scope of activities over the Regatta weekend. The thinking was that some visitors might not want to watch rowing all the time and the Car Rally gave the weekend more of a family appeal, a principle which has featured consistently at Durham Regatta
From (very) small beginnings - the first show attracted just 5 vehicles – the Classic Car Rally has grown every year so that when it was last held in 2011, it attracted some 200 cars, motorbikes and commercial vehicles. Entries run from way back in the 1920s right through to classics of the 1980s and owners come from near and far. One previous exhibitor motored all the way from Wales in his 1928 Rolls Royce. It took him 2 days to get to the rally and he stayed for the full weekend. Needless to say he was awarded a prize tankard for his immaculate car but also for his perseverance !
The show attracts lots of interest among spectators, both young and old alike. Several car clubs, including local VW club ‘The Durham Dubbers’, have it as an annual entry on their calendar. The Dubbers have proven very popular among visitors with their brightly coloured and lovingly restored camper vans.
Judging & Prizes
Class winners receive prestigious tankards matching those given to the winning crews at the Regatta. This year, for the first time, we are also creating permanent trophies for the different classes. These will be engraved with the winning owner’s name and used again in succeeding years
Judging is carried out in the early afternoon by the Classic Car Rally’s band of experienced judges who also present the prizes
