Silverstone Classic 2019

Silverstone 26th - 28th July 2019
Welcome to the Cavalier and Chevette Club
Your friendly Vauxhall - Opel Club since 1994
© Cavalier and Chevette Club 2023 We acknowledgement to Vauxhall Motors Ltd
We had our biggest stand to date at the Silverstone Classic 2019 with 10 different cars in total over the 3 days of this event and 19 club members. The event ran from Friday 26th July through to Sunday 28th July and included full access to both pit area’s as well as full access to every where at the circuit and the Friday and Saturday night concerts. The Friday started for me at 7am when I picked a friend of mine Bob up who has been attending this event with me for about 4 years. We arrived at the circuit in the Cavalier Calibre find Phil Scaife had not along arrived on the stand with his Cavalier Mk2 GLi and Colin and Marilyn Scott with there Cavalier Mk1’s Charlie and Jamie and Vernon Vauxhall. Arriving soon afterwards was Simon Downs and Michelle Turner in the Opel Commodore A GS/E Coupe and Dawn and David Hill in there Cavalier Mk3. Weather wise Friday was the better day of the three. Later in the day we were joined by Richard Watt and Clair Samuels. We had another 25th Birthday cake at this event to celebrate the Clubs 25th Birthday. Club Members took in the racing that was on track as well as having a look around the pit garages, Mike Brewer was on site along with other famous people like Ant Antsead and the Stig. Fred Coombs was also on site with his Chevette HS on the DSG stand. The day soon came and went and members either stopped on for the music or made there way home/to there hotel/camp site. We did one lap of the Full Grand Prix Circuit behind a pace car along with the other clubs. Latter in the day when the weather cleared up some of us went up on the big wheel which gives you a real idea on the size of the site and the event. A few of us also had a go on a simulator trying to beat racing drive Tiff Needle’s time. Soon the day came to an end (after more of the Birthday cake) and members either stopped for the live music or headed for home/hotels or camp-site. However just before I left the damaged hinge on the boot of my Cavalier Calibre decided it was going to break for good. Luckily speedy work by my Pit Crew (Phil and Bob) saved the day and we wee able to drive home without any issues. However, I decided to come back in one of the other car’s on the Sunday, so Phil and I played musical car’s Saturday night while we moved everything around. The Car I came back in Sunday was the Vectra B GSi Motor Sport Development. We arrived at the stand Colin and Marilyn had already arrived and were looking a little bemused when this black Vectra came driving towards the stand (they were not there when the hinge finally gave up ) Nigel Hopes and his father in law Bob had also arrived in there Cavalier Mk1. Soon arriving back on the club stand was Mark and Sarah Westwood in there Cavalier Mk2, Dawn and David Hill in there Cavalier Mk3 and Simon Downs and Michelle Turner in the Opel Commodore. Sunday started off windy and wet but cleared up as the day went on. Former 3 time F1 World Champion Jackie Stewart took in some parade laps in his Championship Winning 1969 Matra F1 Car. We took in some cracking racing on the Sunday the highlights for me being the Historic Touring Car Race which had a little too many Ford’s in for my liking the Mini Race was also very entertaining all original Mini Coopers apart from one which was a Countryman Estate which had been turned into a Cooper and got the biggest cheer. There was even a drive called Michael Caine (I’ve not made this up Google Michael Caine Racing Driver and this chap will come up). While we let the traffic leave the circuit at the end of the event, we lined the car’s up for a photo shoot before we said our goodbyes and make our way home. I would just like to say a big thank you to everyone that attended this event be it the three days or just the one. In 4 years we have gone from a 1 car club stand to a 10 car stand and our stand can only grow and get better as more people attend. Kevin Bricknall (602)