A fine 2010 entry...
As soon as entries opened on October 1st we were inundated with entries. Reaching the maximum of 125 plus reserves in just ten weeks, the entry list remained full for the next five months and we eventually ran 126 cars. Among those returning were 2009 winners, Mark and Sue Godfrey in their faithful MG TD, second placed Howard Warren (Porsche 911) and third placed Ian Chalmers and Jane Webb, again MGB mounted. They joined around eighty 2009 entrants - over half the entry - who rapidly signed up again for 2010. Early indications are that this pattern may be repeated in 2011.
Last to get a run in 2010 were Joe Singer and Paul Murphy in the world's only supercharged 1923 Bentley 3 litre, 'Little Red'.
Over A Dozen Wonderful Pre-War Cars
The 1936 French GP class winning Lagonda of Macko Laqueur & Rob Brouwer carried the fight alone to a flight of magnificent Bentleys. Malcolm Hewitson & Mike Baker's 1935 Bentley Le Mans Special non-started, as did a 1924 3/4.5 Litre for Kurt Engelhorn & Raul Contreras, but Peter Little and Louise Cartledge were there throughout in their 1930 Bentley 4.5 Van den Plas as was a 1924 3 litre, crewed by Alistair Agnew & Hannah Lawson and the 1923 3 Litre Supercharged for Joe Singer and Paul Murphy.
Mike Kunz & Richard Watton couldn't get their 1929 Dodge Senior Six ready, but Phillip & Yvonne Haslam's 1933 Aston Martin Le Mans and Jayne Wignall & Kevin Savage's 1932 Sunbeam 20HP Sports took the start (although the Aston suffered magneto failure within yards of it, being put back in the fray by a brilliant passer by!). Jayne and Kevin stayed in contention throughout to take fourth overall.
Entrants of pre-war Saloons and Tourers also had their own equally strong and even more international class to contest. Adam Singer & Simon Hope's 1927 Bentley Speed Six Tourer took on Paul Gregory and Nick Savage in a 1936 S Type Invicta 4.5 litre Carbodies Tourer, while from Canada, David & Anne Marie Smith had an original 1933 Alvis Speed 20 Tourer acquired recently in the UK, and a similar 1934 Alvis Speed 20 was entered for Carmarthen's Malcolm & Grace Davies.
Exotic Entries
It's not only the pre-war giants that brought an exotic air to this year's Three Castles; among many fine cars two from Germany, the 1953 C Type Jaguar of Michael Pelle and the 1963 Studebaker Hawk GT of Willi Meier (pictured above right) stood out as first time visitors to Wales. From the Netherlands, Guus Bierman returned with his 1969 Ferrari 375 GTB/4 Daytona and Dick de Bruin brought his 1968 Ferrari 330GTS. Also from the Netherlands, Hans Jungblut's 1957 Lancia Aurelia B20 was a personal favourite.
Nor should we forget a legion of beautiful English sports cars, exemplified in our picture (above left) of John & Dinah Pilkington's 1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster, one of the first cars entered this year. It was one of nine beautiful XKs entered, from 120 to 150S. Unusually, and for no obvious reason, the XKs had more than their share of mechanical problems this year, but all bar three finished.
Lotus the Featured Marque for 2010
Lotus was this year's featured marque. With a dozen cars including two Elites (one a rare Type 14) and Elans from early plain Elan to Sprint to + 2S 130, not forgetting (OK, stretching a point!) the three Lotus-Cortinas, we had a good range of Norfolk's finest on show. There was a special award for the best perfomance by a Lotus, and another for the best presented car in the opinion of the concours judges.