The Classic at Silverstone

What a week it has been for the Swallows Racing team. Whilst not out racing ourselves we were supporting the Jaguar Enthusiasts’ Club with a display of race and track focused cars at Silverstone Classic weekend.

This entailed preparing the cars and getting them loaded on the race transporter (which formed a backdrop to the display) on Wednesday, before heading off at the crack of dawn on Thursday to help the JEC team set up. On board the truck, Tom’s XJR6 race car, our new project the SCV8 X Type, Andy Rouse car, our Palmer Jaguar JP1 with newly liveried font end and finally our tuning partner PVE (Steve Dowell’s) Martini Jaguar XKR. In addition, we also hauled our friend Andrew Maynard’s XJR-15 behind the van in a box trailer. The line up was completed with Meguiar’s S Type R driven to the show by the car’s architect Dale Masterman.
A long day setting up on Thursday with drizzling rain was followed by a Friday- Sunday of glorious sunshine. The Copse Banking was a fantastic sight with Jaguars lining the track as far as the eye could see. Saturday was particularly popular with close to 200 enthusiasts’ cars packing the banking. Our race car display really drew the attention with endless pictures of the cars appearing on social media. We were never lost at the event either with the race truck standing proud on the banking it could be seen from wherever you were at Silverstone.

We were bestowed the greatest honour, as our founder Gary Robinson led the Jaguar 100th Anniversary parade in Sir William Lyons own XJ on Sunday follwed by his two sons Tom & Jack in Andrew Maynard’s XKRs-GT, what treat!

Jaguars very much formed a big part of the racing over the weekend with C-Types, D-Types, and E-Types all taking part in the classic race classes. The highlight however was the Group C Jaguars on display XJR-6, XJR-7 & XJR-8, the later car taking part in the Group demonstration race. The sight of a Silk Cut liveried Jaguar on the track always makes any Jaguar lover go weak at the knees.

The sights, sounds and smalls are still buzzing around our heads, we just can’t wait for Silverstone Classic 2023!