The latest updates from Steve on celebrations in the motoring world and the events that he will be covering and sharing with you on this site. Steve aims to keep you updated on all aspects of the imang collections you can view on this site.
EXETER TRIAL
Motor Cycling Club Exeter Trial January 9th/10th
it may appear that there is much in the way of motoring action so soon after the festive season. Since 1910 the Motorcycling Club have set about any winter lethargy with the Exeter Trial. Some 250 motorcycles and cars explored the West Country green lanes and tracks on the coldest few days of the winter so far adding to the mechanical, physical and cerebral challenge of 12 off road sections, special tests and time controls. The event makes the dead of winter come alive for owners of road going machinery from the 1920s up to the 2000s.
Below is an image selection from 2026; we have work from the car classes from the early 1990s to date. Editors remember there are not many UK classic events at this time of year for your sports pages, so please get in touch if you require coverage or to commission for 2027.
BROOKLANDS EVENT
Vintage Sports-Car Club – Brooklands Spring Driving Tests
Although it was officially the Club’s 2nd event of 2026 following the Measham rally in January, the re-titled Spring Driving Tests saw unusually warm weather for a day of vintage vehicular conundrums around Brooklands that attracted members and public in good numbers to watch the goings-on. A run up the historic test hill and along the banking to a batch of challenges on or nearby the start/finish straight made viewing action easy, with the paddock and clubhouse adjacent enabling that special VSCC Brooklands atmosphere. Light cars such as Austin 7s, Singers, Lea Francis and Frazer Nashs and other true Brit. Marques giving plenty of excitement. Standout machines such as Duncan Cartwright’s racy-looking 1913 Sunbeam 12/16 4-seat tourer, the only Edwardian out to play, and Mark Gillies’ Riley Gamecock Alpine Trial car from 1934 attracted much interest. The car has been in the Gillies family since the early ‘50s when acquired by Gillies father Barry. One of 3 Gamecocks modified with the company’s 6-cylinder engine especially for long-distance events. William Marsh made the lowest score skilfully powering his Austin 7 Ulster around the cones for a 1st class award followed by Harry College in an Austin Chummy and Martin MGTA.
Please get in touch if you would like images for publication, prints or to discuss event coverage.
EXMOOR TRIAL
VSCC Exmoor Trial February 21st 2026
Any competitor who got at least 1 point on their scorecard was a winner on the Vintage Sports-Car Club’s West Country mud plugging event based at Exford. Weather trials and tribulations on the day added more H2O to that accumulated in the weeks preceding delivering sections that looked worse than a wet Glastonbury! Ever popular with competitors, the100 plus entry included shoals (given the amount of liquification!) of Austin 7’s joined by a couple of AJSs and MGs. They battled elements and sticky topography against the long wheel base classes of thundering of Vauxhall 30/98s, Chryslers, Ford Model As and a 3-4.5 Bentley; you would be hard pressed to find a better selection of pre war cars in action in the wild! Given conditions from the get-go it looked likely that victory would fall to one of 6 Ford Model T/A specials that have evolved into devastatingly efficient trials cars over the last few years, so much so that there is now a class to support them. A welcome change from the norm came with a 1910 De Dion Bouton that despite its Veteran leanings to fragility and not much power was very effective cleaning sections that proved stoppers to many. A relief from all the power climbs came with steady pop-pop of Theo Hunt’s Trojan Utility enjoying a change from chains to belts after the Pomeroy Trophy earlier in February.
POMEROY TROPHY
VSCC Pomeroy Trophy Silverstone February 14th 2026
Time to dust off the FIA Le Mans spec. luggage again as the VSCC launches its track season at a chilly but bright February Silverstone with the 70th running of the Pomeroy Trophy. This competition of agility tests and speed trials established to determine the most effective touring car used to be a ‘well-known secret’ among historic racers but now attracts a top line entry and good spectator support. The Pom. entertains the widest possible selection of road-going machinery from a 1907 Mercedes 120 to a 2021 Toyota GR Yaris. More than a 100 years of sports and saloon cars tackle not just the track challenges but the Pomeroy Formula that negates out and out performance to identify the effectiveness of a car for the purpose of touring. The 2026 event saw one of the biggest entries ever with almost 150 cars running around the Silverstone GP circuit on driving tests in the morning and in three target-lapped 40-minute high-speed trials in the afternoon. The entry quantity and quality opened the potential result; however, the Trophy’s history suggested the most successful marque Frazer Nash could be in the frame again. To prove the stats a dominant performance by Andrew Smith with a Super Sports took the overall Pom. win, while fellow chain ganger Theodore Hunt was 2nd with his Frazer Nash TT Rep. securing the Densham Trophy to add more lustre to the Nash crown. The Edwardian Trophy went to Andrew Howe-Davies with his 1913 Straker-Squire. Two more pots from the VSCC trophy cupboard, the Pom. Voiturette and Gordon Spice Cup, went to the MGPA of Richard Stott and the BMW CSL driven by Patrick Blakeney Edwards respectively.
Below is an image selection from the Pomeroy Trophy 2026. Further images are available for publication and individual print, so please get in touch, and to commission coverage for 2027.
