LEFT Woolf Barnato and Glen Kidston’s winning Bentley Speed Six flanked by second-placed Richard Watney and Frank Clement, at the 1930 Le Mans.
A 75-STRONG GRID OF VINTAGE Bentleys will race this July at Le Mans Classic, taking place from June 29 to July 2, to highlight the centenary celebrations of the Le Mans 24 Hours. This unprecedented turnout has been organised by the UK’s Benjafield’s Racing Club, working with Le Mans Classic organisers Peter Auto. The already-oversubscribed grid, mainly from the UK and Europe, but from as far afield as USA, Canada, Argentina and Ecuador, include 3 Litre, 4½ Litre and Speed Six Team Cars that actually raced at Le Mans from 1923-30, achieving five outright victories. Such variety requires the race to be run on a handicap basis: following qualifying on Friday the race will take place on Saturday afternoon, prior to the 4pm start of the Classic itself. Benjafield’s Racing Club, whose raison d’être is to emulate the spirit of fierce but friendly and fair
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competition typified by Dr Benjafield and the Bentley Boys of the 1920s, is raising funds for the Sepsis Research FEAT charity. The organisation was chosen because of the tragic link between the medical condition and the Bentley Boys: Sir Henry ‘Tim’ Birkin, winner of Le Mans 1929 driving a Speed Six, died from sepsis, aged just 36. This resulted from a burn caused by touching the exhaust pipe of his Maserati 8C while searching for his cigarette lighter during a pitstop at the 1933 Tripoli Grand Prix. Around 20 of the competing Bentleys will be flagged off from central London on the Tuesday before the race, crossing the Channel overnight on the Portsmouth to Caen ferry before driving to Le Mans. Having raced, they will then drive back to London, just as the Bentley Boys did in period. Bentleys raced at Le Mans from the very first running of the 24 Hours, in 1923, and won in 1924,
Bentleys to race again at Le Mans Special event will see 75 WO-era cars compete in celebration of the centenary of the legendary 24 Hours
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Words David Lillywhite
