Biggest and best! Experts and enthusiasts celebrate at NEC classic season finale
Published: 15/11/2023
The Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show lived up to its ‘biggest and best’ tagline this weekend as 71,290 enthusiasts joined at Birmingham’s NEC to celebrate another great year for the classic car community.
Key points:
- 71,290 enthusiasts attended the season finale, a 3% increase on 2022.
- 319 car clubs exhibited at the World’s biggest gathering of car clubs.
- Sporting Bears raised £37,145 from ten-mile passenger rides.
- Show winners included Matt Birtwhistle’s 1950 Jaguar XK120 and Tahmid Haque’s 1993 BMW 850CSi Individual.
- Next year’s Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show will take place from 8-10 November 2024 at Birmingham’s NEC.
Show Director Lee Masters said: “From the minute the doors opened, there was a fantastic atmosphere in the halls. After some tough years for the events industry, there was a much more positive vibe. Talking to exhibitors, they were thrilled to see more people, more spending and more confidence as the economy stabilises.
“It was also great to see so many of our experts and speakers collaborating on our new Meet the Experts Theatre – both on stage and off. The sense of community was heart-warming and it’s so nice to see the show and the classic car movement driving forward.”
The Meet the Experts Theatre saw a busy schedule of panel discussions on industry topics ranging from careers advice to how to buy a classic, synthetic fuels to sheds and sh*tboxes. Experts sharing their knowledge included some famous faces such as Wheeler Dealers’ Mike Brewer, ‘Auto Alex’ Kersten, Classic Obsession’s Gary Mavers, and 12 times World Trial Bike Champion Dougie Lampkin.
There were also plenty of new faces taking to the stage. Popular YouTubers such as Adam Canfield (AdamC3046), Ben Marshall (DadCars), Ian Seabrook (Hubnut) and Shahzad Sheikh (Brown Car Guy) made their debut.
They were joined by car builder and engineer Ralph Hosier, industry campaigner Dominic Taylor-Lane, Heritage Skills Academy’s John Pitchforth and various journalists, car club members and owners with panels hosted by Danny Hopkins, Wayne Scott and Paul Cowland.
The Meguiar’s Club Showcase reached a new standard as the judges compared the cars on show to those that appear at the likes of Pebble Beach. It was Matt Birtwhistle who lifted the crystal trophy for his 1950 Jaguar XK120 Roadster OTS, a beautifully restored pre-production prototype.
Tahmid Haque and his 1993 BMW 850CSi Individual won the visitors’ hearts and minds to be crowned the winner of the Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership. Sixteen-year old twin brothers Liam and Ryan Rippard took second place with their 1977 Leyland Mini. James Tetherton’s 1982 Ford Fiesta XR2 came third.
The Bike Pride of Ownership competition was won by Blake Hemingway and his 1979 Yamaha XT500. Second place went to Pete Murray and his 1953 Moto Guzzi Falcone Turismo, while Freddie Brown came third with his 1975 Kawasaki HI 500 Mach 3.
The Sporting Bears Motor Club were kept busy in the Dream Rides garage, raising £37,145 for children’s charities from their ten-mile passenger rides around the roads surrounding the NEC.
Richard Morley from headline sponsor Lancaster Insurance Services said: “We have had the perfect partnership with Clarion and the Classic Motor Show for over ten years and this weekend was certainly one to remember. Our community is based on a fantastic set of enthusiasts, Clubs and businesses who all have an important part to play. Being there to celebrate those relationships at the NEC was fantastic.”
The next Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show will be held at Birmingham’s NEC from Friday 8 to Sunday 10 November 2024.
Check the website www.necclassicmotorshow.com or sign up for the newsletter for the latest updates at www.necclassicmotorshow.com/newsletter.
