There were plenty of Fords and lots of awards at the weekend, as the Classic Ford Show – backed by headline sponsors EBC Brakes and Lancaster Insurance – continued to go from strength-to-strength.
Now in its 13th year, the famous Santa Pod Raceway was filled with classic Fords of all ages and models, with over 10,000 classic Ford fans making the pilgrimage to worship some of the Blue Oval’s all-time classics, with thanks to event sponsors Burton Power, Goodridge, Sytec, Valet Pro, Lancaster Insurance and EBC Brakes.
It’s been explained to MotorMartin that among the 1,200-plus cars on display were all sorts of landmark models, ranging from standard, concours restorations, through to performance-tuned Fords modified mildly to wildly. From Anglia to Zodiac, via Escort, Focus and Fiesta, every imaginable type of Ford was there.
New for 2017 was the ‘Face-Off’ competition, played out among the UK’s best Ford-based dragsters. Split over two sessions, one in the morning and in the afternoon, drivers were invited to set their fastest time, then the two fastest cars went head-to-head in the showdown. The overall victor was Paul Marston, with his twin turbo Mk5 Cortina.
Returning once again was the Classic Ford ‘Great Unveiling’, sponsored by Burton Power, of future feature cars, which this year included an impressive collection including Martin Lewis’s works-inspired Mk2 Escort rally car, Duncan and Graham Neale’s turbocharged Popular 100E, Jordan Rayner’s EcoBoost-engined Mk2 Escort four-door street race, Kyle Gent’s, Mk3 Cortina turbo and Brian Twinn’s Mk1 Cortina Estavan – a van based on the Mk 1 Cortina estate. Superb.
Meanwhile, the Show ‘n’ Shine, sponsored by ValetPro, was an Escort full house, with Shaun Greatbach’s Mk 2 taking first prize, Damian Broersma’s Cosworth in second place and Terry Stanford’s Mk 1 RS 1600 taking third. The club stand award, sponsored by EBC Brakes, went to Old Skool Ford, which took the honours for the second year in a row.
Also new for 2017, MotorMartin has been informed, were a number of new features, including live evening entertainment for those choosing to camp overnight on the Saturday in the form of DJs Pied Piper and MC DT, the sound behind the famous Ayia Nappa hit ‘Do Your Really Like it?’, along with a special Ford-themed movie cinema in the Fuelers Bar.
The Classic Ford Show is just one of a number of Ford events from the Fast Car Entertainment series, with the next two events exclusively for Ford fans being the Ford Fair at Silverstone on Sunday 6th August (www.fordfair.co.uk) and FordFest on Sunday 17th September at Santa Pod (www.fordfestshow.co.uk) and MotorMartin certainly can’t wait. We do love a fast Ford over here at MotorMartin Towers after all.
Where will you go?