And Now For Something Completely Different: The Brighton Speed Trials

Feeling the need for a summer fix of speed, once-a-year this writer and some like-minded petrol-head mates traditionally embark on a mission to discover new forms of niche motorsport: a flimsy theme on which to catch-up, scrutinise cars we kid ourselves we could actually own, and drink beer.

Held at the iconic southern English beach resort, the annual Brighton National Speed Trials has been a UK competition staple for over 100 years and proudly claims status as Europe’s oldest motorsport event and was this year’s choice of destination.

Run as a one-day affair by the refreshingly down-to-earth Brighton & Hove Motor Club, a healthy entry this year of 140 cars was spread across eleven categories. As an amateur event the paddock is friendly and enjoys unbridled spectator access. But once strapped in the competition is heated, especially at the top end of the entry where seasoned amateur campaigners and performance car preparation businesses go hard at it for bragging rights, personal bests and trophies, not to mention the princely sum of £250 for the fastest overall time.

This writer’s incorrect preconception was of a mostly Vintage event, but although a pre-1958 category still nods to its heritage, the Speed Trial has evolved to include a broad spectrum of grass roots sporting entries. Road and track cars of every genre and era are prepared to peak performance, their goal the fastest time and terminal speed over a quarter-mile straight from a standing start. It’s a great, if not slightly bizarre, spectacle.

Apart from a beachside location, Madeira Drive bears little (nil) resemblance to Daytona Beach, Surfers Paradise, or, at the opposite end of the scale, Monaco. The late 1800’s built wrought ironwork immediately to drivers’ left is a structurally condemned relic of Brighton’s former heyday, yet lends character to a uniquely challenging and rather battered quarter-mile stretch of tarmac that has claimed many a life over the years (bikes are currently banned following a spate of two-wheel fatalities).

An addition to the tally could have occurred in morning practice, as James Tiller’s 7.4 litre 1950 J2 Allard snapped hard right into a lighting pillar, pitching the car sideways, unfortunately through the only gap in the barrier, and clouting a timber building. The impact was severe enough to put the 88-year old driver into an ambulance, but thankfully suffered no serious injury.

Drag racing this is not, but the quest for top straight-line honours is a serious business. With the average driver age well north of 50, Speed Trials sit well with Hill Climbing as an ‘affordable’ form of motorsport, however, the Top 10 final shoot out was won by 20-something Alex Collins, defending his win last year with the QS Tuning Audi R8 V10.

Fastest of the day 1/4 mile on Brighton seafront in 8.99 sec @ 164.4mph pic.twitter.com/oE7wu8Ey0E

— Dave F (@890LC) September 3, 2022

An 8.99 seconds quarter mile and a terminal speed of 164.3 mph is the fastest time achieved by a road car at Brighton to date and was breath-taking unbridled acceleration to witness close up. A showcase for professional tuning specialists; there’s no BoP here…!

For a very reasonable ticket price of £12, spectators get unlimited paddock access, a decent start line grandstand, live TV and timing screens and a programme. If you can’t stretch to that, the upper esplanade provides arguably the best elevated view of the entire strip and is free!

A grand day out and a reminder of why we love motorsport in all forms. Recommended.