Scots motorsport festival launched 27 | 10 | 2017
A NEW MOTORSPORT festival for Scotland has been launched. The inaugural Argyll Festival of Performance is scheduled to take place in the grounds of Inveraray Castle on June 2-3, 2018.
It’s the first motorsport festival to be held at an ancestral home in Scotland since 2003 on the Isle of Bute. The Mount Stuart Motorsport Classic, sadly, ultimately failed largely due to transport problems.
Those same issues will need to be overcome with this latest venture, given Inveraray Castle’s remote location, allied to the fact it’s 60 miles from Glasgow and the journey involves — albeit through stunning scenery — traditionally slow and narrow roads.
Next year’s festival, which was launched in the grounds of the castle, will bring together significant cars and drivers from F1, Le Mans, Indy Cars, Touring Cars and International Stage Rallying, plus a whole host of unique vehicles never before seen in Scotland.
A series of iconic cars, which have never been seen in Scotland before, will also be at the event. The cars include: a Lotus 18 raced by Innes Ireland, Scotland’s first GP winner, and later raced by Jim Clark.
There will also be a one-off Lotus 32B constructed for Jim Clark to race in the 65 Tasman Series; plus the Tyrrell 001, Ken Tyrell’s first race car as campaigned by Jackie Stewart, a Porsche 917K, Cooper-Bristol and a Tec Mec Maserati.
“We are delighted to be able to host the inaugural Argyll Festival of Performance here at Inveraray Castle,” The Duke of Argyll, said outside his ancestral home.
“With such an iconic location in the very heart of Argyll, the dramatic landscape and setting, I hope will draw people from far and wide for a very special weekend.”
Tickets — which will be limited to 5000 each day — will go on sale on November 10, priced at £40 per adult. The theme for the inaugural festival is Formula 1.
“Scotland has an enviable reputation in motorsport but, as yet, there has never been an event that celebrates this success,” event director, Bill Telford, the driving force behind the project, said.
“The Argyll Festival of Performance has been created to do just that with a theme each year to allow the stories to be told.
“In year one, it will be Formula 1, and Scotland boasts some of the biggest names in the sport from the legendary Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart, to multiple race winners like David Coulthard.
“It’s not just drivers who have played their part, Scottish engineers, designers and manufacturers have also made a huge impact on the world of motorsport and we believe the time is right to celebrate all of those achievements.
“We are delighted to have The Duke of Argyll as Patron of the festival and can think of no better location to showcase Scottish motorsport and the beauty of Scotland than Inveraray Castle.
“We are also immensely proud and believe it is very fitting given the Formula 1 theme of our inaugural year, that the Jim Clark Trust will be our chosen charity for the Festival in 2018.”
Among the attractions over the two days of the event will be demonstration runs of historic and significant cars, display paddocks featuring cars from all eras, a prestige car and memorabilia auction, Concours d’Elegance, vintage bus rally and 4x4 displays.
Organisers say “while this will be an international event, the festival will also showcase the exceptional produce from the local area, from oysters to gin and whisky, and will bring a major tourism boost to the area, supporting local businesses and the community”.
Support for the festival has come from Classic Team Lotus, with car makers including McLaren, Bentley, Maserati, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche and Audi already on board.
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Jim McGill
Caption: Argyll Festival of Performance Event director Bill Telford and Duke of Argyll
Images: Stephen Lawson Photography