Why Castle Combe’s summer schedule should be on everybody’s calendar

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Castle Combe knows the secret ingredients to longevity in motor sport. Over seven decades of continuous action is undisputable proof of that, and the Wiltshire venue is arguably only growing stronger as a hub for the sport in the South West as the years go by.

Home to some of the UK’s best single-circuit championships and widely recognised as an example of how to effectively run and maintain a club racing venue, Castle Combe may only host eight racing events each year, but the sheer variety and depth of its offerings are what really stand out.

From modern and historic racing to motorcycles via stage rallying, Combe offers something for everybody.

First opened back in 1950 on a converted former World War II airfield, Combe stands as one of the UK’s longest-serving active tracks, being just two years younger than Silverstone. The 1.85-mile layout is both undulating and challenging and is often underrated for its sheer speed. Thruxton may be widely regarded as the UK’s fastest track, but Combe isn’t far behind. Porsche Carrera Cup cars lap Thruxton at an average of about 118mph, whereas this year a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 Evo went round Combe at an average of 105 mph. Swift.

Largely unneutered from its original airfield perimeter road design, there are shades of Goodwood in Combe’s DNA. It’s also one of those tracks where the steering wheel never remains stable for long. What few straights it has are short, with fast corners rushing up one after another, giving little rest for drivers. Avon Rise is a great example. Flat-out from Folly and up to a blind crest where the car goes light before diving on the brakes to make the technical right-hander at Quarry, being careful not to scrub too much speed as you’ll need that for the run toward The Esses… It’s exhilarating to drive, and makes for quite the spectacle to watch, too.

That’s perhaps why the Castle Combe Racing Club is thriving. Events at Combe have a special atmosphere, with spectators crowding areas such as Camp and Quarry while enjoying open paddocks that allow you to get up close to the cars and drivers.

Across the CCRC’s range of resident championships – catering for Formula Ford 1600, Hot Hatches, Saloons and GTs – entries are regularly strong and the grids competitive. Being a single-circuit series, it also allows local heroes to emerge.

Arguably, Combe comes into its own when combining its own offerings with guest series, which organisers hand-pick to help give each event a different feel and appeal.

The upcoming visit of the Historic Sports Car Club for its anniversary HSCC 60 Summer Historic, on 8-9 August is a shining example.

The boom in interest of historic racing around Europe has led to a plethora of new events popping up, but this one runs deeper, with both the HSCC and Castle Combe being intrinsically linked. Back in May 1966, the track hosted an invitational race for sports cars created between 1945 and 1955, called the Griffiths Formula. The success of that led directly to the formation of the HSCC, and six decades later, the club has become the UK’s leading historic racing organiser.

The HSCC’s ‘homecoming’ is a two-day event rammed with quality, featuring grids of 70s Road Sports saloons, single-seaters from Classic Formula 3, Formula Ford and more, plus the sportscar exotica of the Guards Trophy all alongside the home championships. Expect a healthy contingent of car clubs to join the party with classic car displays and trade stands.

If you’re in the market for something more modern, Combe has you covered with the Summer Action Day, which incorporates a modified and performance car show on July 18. Unlike regular race meetings, Action Days are more interactive, creating a hub for car culture enthusiasts while also offering public track sessions for attendees to get a taste of the action themselves (make sure to pre-book your track slot early to avoid disappointment!).

With the modified and performance car show, you can expect hundreds of tuned, modified and high-performance vehicles both on static and moving display. Drift monsters will also roam the circuit, producing aural thrills from engines boasting up to 1000bhp as some of the county’s top drivers slide sideways in all their smoky glory.

There will also be a trade village, concours-style competitions for the best prepared and best custom-wrapped cars plus guest appearance from top automotive influencers Adam C and Sam Hard (founder of the popular Hard-Up Garage YouTube channel). It all combines to create a vibrant and colourful event, providing entertainment, speed and atmosphere in equal doses.

The Autumn Classic Race Weekend is progressively becoming one of UK motor sport’s must-see events and stands as perhaps Castle Combe’s marquee fixture, its profile confirmed when the 2023 running was named Best Competitive Event at the RAC Historic Awards.

Held across the weekend of September 12-13, it acts as a celebration of all things historic racing, giving several nods back to Combe’s first-ever race meeting in October 1950. This year’s edition will celebrate 50 years of the Castle Combe Circuit Ltd operating company, which has guided the venue since 1976 when it was at risk of closure.

The event’s promotional posters prove both eye-catching and collectable, with this year’s depicting Gerry Marshall’s ‘Baby Bertha’ duelling with Vince Woodman’s Ford Capri at Quarry Corner by artist Brian James.

While organised by the CCRC, the programme is made up entirely of invited guest categories, giving the event a different lineup with each edition. Confirmed for this year are the Ferrari Owners’ Club and Scottish Motor Racing Club, which will be making the long trip south of the border to showcase their Historic Modsports, Special Saloons and Classics categories. Motor Racing Legends’ superb Generations Trophy will make an appearance. It’s essentially a single-make series for classic MGBs, with the twist being each car must be shared by two generations of the same family – think ex-touring car star Patrick Watts and his daughter Aimee, for example. The concept has well and truly taken off, with 36 cars and 72 drivers turning out for the first round at Donington Park back in May.

FISCAR (the Fifties Sports Car Racing Club) will be in action while the GT and Sports Car Cup brings pre-66 GTs and pre-63 sports cars such as Ford Mustangs and Jaguar D-types. The Mini 7 Racing Club will provide slipstreaming fun via its Se7ens and Miglias. There will also be a full programme of Historic Racing Drivers’ Club (HRDC) categories, plus a celebration of the Austin-Healey marque with the Ian Cox Memorial Trophy for 3000s, 100s and Sprites.

What happens on track is only half the story, though. Expect Goodwood Revival-style fancy dress in more relaxed surroundings, car club displays, live paddock entertainment, trade stands and more. It’s hard not to find something to like with a line-up like that.

Castle Combe Key Events

July 18 Summer Action Day

Aug 8-9 HSCC 60 Summer Historic

Sept 12-13 Autumn Classic