BILL BODDY TRIBUTE DAY - BROOKLANDS MUSEUM

The unique influence that the late Bill Boddy (“WB”) had on motoring and motorsport stretches for more than eight decades and will be celebrated with Bill Boddy Tribute Day at Brooklands Museum on 1st October.

Themed ‘Motor Sport magazine and Brooklands Museum celebrate the life of a motoring legend’, the event is being organised by Clive Richardson and Gordon Cruickshank, both Deputy Editors to WB during his 55-year reign as Motor Sport’s Editor, current Editor Damien Smith, and the Brooklands Museum Trust.

Brooklands was the spiritual home of WB, the world authority on the Surrey Track, and the day will encapsulate as many aspects of the Track and his relationship to it as possible.. A display of Brooklands cars in the Paddock and in demonstrations will include the Museum’s 24-litre Napier-Railton, the outright Brooklands Outer Circuit Lap Record Holder. The organisers hope to re-enact a Brooklands start on the original Finishing Straight, and runs on the test Hill and banking, as a part of the activities.

With co-operation expected from organisations including the Vintage Sports Car Club, the 750Motor Club, the Sunbeam Talbot Darracq Register and the Brooklands Society – all owing their existence to WB’s inspiration – a major display of pre-war cars is expected. Many of them will owe their salvation to WB’s passion for old cars, communicated eruditely through the pages of Motor Sport in every issue for 81 years until this September’s.

Motoring journalist and commentator Doug Nye is organising the attendance of post-war racing cars, including examples of front-engined F1 cars from the period when WB, accompanied by the late Denis Jenkinson as Continental Correspondent, reported on GPs. Personalities from that era are expected, too, with Tony Brooks already confirmed. Road cars that WB drove and favoured will be featured, from the mundane, like the Volkswagen Beetle, to the sublime, like the Mercedes 300SL Gullwing.

Reflecting Bill’s aviation interests, the Museum plans to have its partially restored Hurricane – an aircraft type for which he wrote technical manuals during his wartime service with the Ministry of Aircraft Production – wheeled out for display.

Visitors to the Museum paying normal admission prices will have the bonus of seeing the cars on display and in action as well as access to the exhibits. But special access and catering facilities will be laid on for VIP guests, Press, and selected participants. Motor Sport readers who register in advance via the magazine’s website will receive a discount on admission.

Updated information about the event will be available at: www.motorsportmagazine.com or www.brooklandsmuseum.com