Spin on the Brighton road

The Brighton Run for veteran cars, on November 2, was as usual tremendously successful, as one of the world’s most important and enjoyed fixtures, with entries from all over Europe and from America.

But one factor blemished it. Since 1930 this great happening has been for cars made prior to 1905, as appropriate to a commemoration of the 1896 Emancipation Run which celebrated new freedom for automobilists. The pre-1905 rule held good until 2002, when the RAC and MSA permitted the entry of more recent vehicles. This caused enormous concern and anger, even to a rival ‘Red Flag’ Run being planned to upstage the so-long-established RAC/VCC Brighton Run, but it was not held, as the MSA capitulated. Indeed, it agreed that the 2003 and subsequent ‘Brightons’ would revert to the long-prevailing pre-1905 ruling. This was confirmed by the chairmen of the RAC and the MSA, in writing.

So what do we find? These men ignored their written promises and invented a ‘Grandfather’ class of post-1905 cars, eligible for this year’s Run. This, they explained, is for those whose cars, originally dated as having been constructed prior to 1905 and which had previously taken part in the Run, were redated as post-1904 by the VCC’s hard-working and very experienced dating committee.

In fact, six ‘Grandfathers’ were accepted for this year’s Run and were included undated in the programme. Is this the thin end of a new wedge? Those who join the VCC presumably do so on the understanding that they accept its ruling. If their cars were redated, I assume they would regard it as unethical to demand a ‘Brighton’ entry. One car which had not been accepted as pre-1905 by the VCC, and had never been on the Run, was invited to join in!

This great and magnificent event for genuine veteran cars is sponsored by the Daily Mail and Tindle Newspapers and organised by International Motor Sports Ltd. In the 62-page £4 programme I find only three minor mentions of the VCC, without which these wonderful Runs would not have been possible.

Not content with 407 pre-1905 2003 entries, 35 of these pre-1900, Daniel Ward had to bring in this new ‘Grandfather’ category, backed by the Steering Committee of the RAC, to appease (I quote Mr Ward) those who had bought or own cars they thought were eligible for the Brighton Run.

The 2003 programme gives publicity to a 1930s A7 and has pictures of a ’20s Stoneleigh light car and a 1908 Stanley steamer; are these hints of future trends?

The Chairman of the RAC says he is pleased that a Steering Committee has been setup, in part “to ensure that the historical traditions of the Run are preserved”. He does not remind us that it printed regulations admitting post-1904 entries not agreed at its second meeting and that, after a heated discussion, the RAC promised to correct this before they were dispatched — but this was not done.

Spin is not confined to politics.