BRDC 500

After a break of 75 years, the BRDC 500 name reappeared on the racing schedules again in 2004, when the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) revived their oldest race.

Held for the first time in 1929, the BRDC 500 was seen as the British alternative to the Indianapolis 500, a race that would pitch the best cars and drivers Britain had to offer against each other at the high-speed Brooklands track.

For nine years the BRDC 500 entertained sizeable crowds in Surrey, first as a 500-mile race, and in its final years, a 500-kilometre marathon. After the 1937 event, the BRDC 500 name disappeared until Roger Lane-Nott and James Beckett saw the potential of re-introducing the famous race to Silverstone.

And so, in 2004 the BRDC 500, became a two-driver, one-hour race, for period pre-war sports cars, and headlined the BRDC 500 Summer Races at Silverstone.

The 2004 race was held on the Silverstone National Circuit, and in 2005 the race switched to the Historic Grand Prix Circuit, and a full forty-four car field. This continued in 2006 and 2007 when the race again lined-up at the ever-popular Silverstone Classic meeting.

The BRDC 500 is full of tradition - and black tie scrutineering adds much to the spectacle. This takes place at nearby Stowe House each year, with the competing cars lined-up on the North Front lawns of the mansion - once home to the Duke of Buckingham - and now a well-known, and respected, school on the eve of the race.

The Club department of the BRDC host a BRDC 500 Ball at Stowe on the evening of the pre-event Scrutiny, with the event taking place in the magnificent State Dining Room of the Mansion.

BRDC 500
Roll of Honour
Brooklands
1929 Jack Barclay/Frank Clement (Bentley)
1930 Sammy Davis/The Earl of March (Austin)
1931 Jack Dunfee/Cyril Paul (Bentley)
1932 Ronnie Horton/Jack Bartlett (MG)
1933 Eddie Hall (MG Magnette)
1934 Freddie Dixon (Riley)
1935 John Cobb/Tim Rose-Richards (Napier-Railton)
1936 Freddie Dixon/Charles Martin (Riley)
1937 John Cobb/Oliver Bertram (Napier-Railton)

Silverstone National Circuit
2004 Richard Pilkington/John Guyatt (Talbot-Darracq)

Silverstone Historic Grand Prix Circuit
2005 Pat Blakeney Edwards/Martin Stretton (BMW 328)
2006 Gareth Burnett/James Diffey (Alta Sports)

2007 Gareth Burnett/Luke Stevens (Alta Sports)

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