RAC Woodcote Trophy Anniversary Celebrated

Picture: Sir Stirling Moss and Duncan Wiltshire.

A host of competitors past and present, race organisers and sponsors gathered on Wednesday night in the company of Sir Stirling and Lady Moss at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy race series.

Launched in 2006, the Royal Automobile Club and Motor Racing Legends conceived a race series for genuine, pre-1956 sports-racers, to be called the Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy. 10-years on - this highly respected race series is still going strong.

Peter Read the Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club’s Motoring Committee introduced the evening proceedings and thanked Duncan and his team for their hard work over the last 10 years in running the Royal Automobile Club Tourist Trophy so successfully.. Peter went on to say “The Royal Automobile Club has promoted many forms of motoring and motorsport since its foundation over one hundred years ago and our long association with Motor Racing Legends allows us to continue to be at the forefront of high profile competitive racing events.”

Motor Racing Legends chairman Duncan Wiltshire explained how it all started “The concept for the Woodcote Trophy was sealed during the Centenary celebrations for the Tourist Trophy on the Isle of Man in 2005. The Royal Automobile Club gave the idea its’ full support and instigated the purchase of a new trophy for the Series. The first race was held at the Silverstone Classic on 29th July 2006, there were 43 cars on the grid - a mixture of Maserati, Jaguars, Coopers, Ferraris and Aston Martins. It was a huge success - and following that race we have never looked back.”

Headline sponsors EFG Private Bank have been supporting the series since 2011 and Robert Crofton from EFG commented "EFG is proud to support the RAC Woodcote Trophy, one of the most prestigious race series in the world. To us, it is a fantastic opportunity to watch some great racing and to meet drivers with a shared passion for the sport".

Duncan Wiltshire went on to thank the Royal Automobile Club for their 10 years of support and other sponsors past and present, commenting that their involvement had been a crucial part of the success of the series. He also reflected on Sir Stirling Moss’s participation in the Woodcote Trophy in the first five years. Duncan commented “Sir Stirling attended the launch of the series 10 years ago, so it was highly fitting that he was here at the 10-year anniversary.”

Highlighting a few statistics over the 10 years, only two drivers have won the much coveted Woodcote Trophy twice over the 10 years - Gary Pearson and Nick Wigley. Of the 35 rounds that have been run in total, 21 have been won by Jaguar D-Types, and only on 5 occasions by a non- Jaguar powered car.

Duncan’s final words were “The Woodcote Trophy remains all about the cars throughout the grid, and about the most gentlemanly, the most respectful and the most fun drivers of any series I know, we are extremely grateful for everyone’s support over the last 10 years.”

The Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy will be continuing their 10th anniversary season as the series heads to Silverstone Classic next weekend with a 45 car strong grid. (29th tot he 31st of July).