The 80th anniversary of the first car race at Donington Park in 1933 is to be celebrated with exclusive races for machinery built and raced prior to 1940 at the third Donington Historic Festival on May 3-5, 2013. The Historic Grand Prix Cars Association has been invited to organize the doubleheader.
An evocative field of Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, ERA, Maserati, Talbot-Lago, Alta, Delage, MG and Frazer Nash cars, plus a rare supercharged twin-cam Austin 7, is expected. The HGPCA is planning to award a Tazio Nuvolari Trophy, in memory of the great Italian ace who won the 1938 Donington Grand Prix for Auto Union, to the overall winner of the Sunday’s feature finale.
Event co-founder Duncan Wiltshire is very excited at the prospect: “It’s a hugely important race for the Festival, and I’m delighted that the HGPCA is recognizing the 80th anniversary in this way. The Pre-1940 races are going to add an exciting and significant new element to the program.”
The HGPCA is working with car owners in continental Europe and the USA, as well as the United Kingdom, to create a sensational snapshot of a golden era at Donington. Among those already planning to enter are the owners of two rare Bugatti T37As and the Parnell-MG that raced in the ’38 Grand Prix.
For those considering sending cars from afar, the Pau GP Historique takes place the following weekend, May 10-12, on the splendid old Pau street circuit in the Pyrenees, venue for the 1930 French Grand Prix. Information about that event is available through the HGPCA, or Pau GP Historique organizer Peter Auto at www.grandprixdepau.com
