Paddy Hopkirk Gala

Paddy Hopkirk Gala

On 22 February a cavalcade of Minis descended on Belfast in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Paddy Hopkirk winning the Monte Carlo Rally –  in a Mini Cooper of course!

The event started in the grounds of Stormont and then moved to the City Hall where Paddy received a certificate from the Lord Mayor appointing him a Belfast Ambassador. Then on to the Titanic Building where the Minis old and new were parked on display supported by other interesting cars from days past, while some drivers competed in an Autotest on the Slipway.

Paddy, now eighty years young and five times winner of the Circuit of Ireland Rally, was driving a replica of the Mini in which he won the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964.

You can see more photographs here.

 

Click on an image to enlarge.

Paddy Hopkirk Gala
The Lord Mayor meets Paddy Hopkirk

 

Paddy displays certificate appointing him a Belfast Ambassador
Paddy Hopkirk

 

The Art Mini
The Art Mini

 

Titanic Minis
Titanic Minis

Ards TT

Bentley, 85th Anniversary Ards TT, J Orr

Recently I was fortunate to be invited on the 85th Anniversary of the First Ards TT and traveled the route of the original race in a 1934 Lagonda along with other vintage cars from the Ulster Vintage Car Club. A particular attraction was the presence of a group from The Benjafield Racing Club, The Bentley Boys.

The Ards TT was organised by the RAC and ran from 1928 to 1936. It was very popular sometimes drawing huge crowds in what were exciting days in motor sport. The race originally started and finished just outside Dundonald, not far from where the Charles Hurst Car Showroom now sits but the volume of traffic in 2013 prevented us setting off from there.  Participants assembled at the Ulster Flying Club in Newtownards where after refreshments and a sprint along the runway they travelled the race circuit to Comber, Dundonald and back to Newtownards.

As I was travelling in a car I wasn’t able to photograph the convoy driving the route but I managed some images of the cars at the start in Newtownards and some from the back seat of the Lagonda as we drove.

 

Click on an image to enlarge.

Two Lagondas at 85th Anniversary Ards TT, J Orr
Two Lagondas

 

Bentley, 85th Anniversary Ards TT, J Orr
Supercharged Bentley

 

Bentley Dashboard, Ards TT 85th Anniversary, J Orr
Bentley Dashboard

 

Ards TT 85th Anniversary, J Orr
Waiting to go

 

Ards TT 85th Anniversary, J Orr
On the road

 

Plaque at start and finish, 85th Anniversary Ards TT
The start and finish

 

 

 

Cultra Hill Climb 2013

Cultra Hill Climb 2013, J Orr

 

The Cultra Hill Climb is an annual event held in the grounds of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, Cultra, Holywood.  This year it fell on Saturday 1 June 2013 and the sun came out.

It has been said that the event allows you to see vehicles from the past century being used as originally intended and this was certainly the case with these older rear wheel drive cars showing their mettle at each bend in the course. Further attractions included a display of Porsche cars, Crossle Racing cars (based in Holywood), motorcycles and lots more.

 

Click on an image below to enlarge or click here to see more photographs.