Before I started racing in the Alfa Championship last year, I had been a keen motorsports fan for most of my life. Growing up in Castle Donington, Donington Park was a 30 minute walk from my house and any opportunity to visit it for a day’s racing was not to be passed up.
Amongst the many racing series that made an impression on me was the Italian Intermarque championship – if it was Italian, you could race it there. There were Lancias, Fiats, Alfas, Ferraris in standard or modified form – great sounds, big grids, some excellent drivers and even reverse grid races to add a pinch of chaos – all competing for individual and marque pride. The series sadly came to an end some years ago (at a similar time to my youth!) but lives on in both memory and facebook posts by some of the drivers and fans of the series.
As someone who’s lucky enough to race an Alfa Romeo, I have a lot of conversations with different people (some of whom may be desperately trying to change the subject…) about racing; whether from a fan’s perspective, trying to encourage people to try it or with other drivers about how awesome it is to do.
One such conversation I’ve been having over the last nine months, has been with Alastair Baptie – who happily has entertained my whimsy and lack of practicality. The erstwhile SMRC contender and sometime Alfa Romeo Championship racer, with his nimble and well piloted Fiat X1/9, is as enthusiastic as me and (fortunately for him) considerably more knowledgeable.
Alastair has contacts with the HSCC, having raced with them previously. He arranged to visit them at the Silverstone Classic in late August and put some of the ideas we’d had to them. A few telephone conversations later and voila – the Ecosse Italia Border Challenge idea was born. A coming together of the SMRC and the spirit of the Italian Intermarque.
Two Ecosse Italia Border Challenge races will now be taking place on the Silverstone National circuit, supporting the Walter Hayes Trophy Formula Ford races, on the 2nd and 3rd of November. These will pit the SMRC contenders against the Italian racing contingent – and in so doing, we plan to bring some of that Italian Intermarque spirit back!
Saturday 2nd of November will showcase pre-1990 cars. We can expect to see some stunning Alfa Romeos racing – Suds, 33’s, 75’s, maybe some even older models – alongside Fiats and more bolstering the Italian contingent.
Sunday 3rd of November will bring the open race, where anything Italian goes in another head to head with the SMRC… Alfa Romeo Championship Modified, Power Trophy and Twin Spark contenders can anticipate joining Abarths, Fiats, Ferraris – and maybe more – on team Italia.
Race entry fee is an autumnal £165 per race, with the HSCC waiving their membership fee for this one event.
Completed entry forms should be emailed to [email protected] and [email protected].
I for one cannot wait to see these races – the Saturday as a spectator and from the driver’s seat on Sunday. I’m also looking forward to seeing some familiar faces, meeting some new ones – as well as having some more of those racing conversations. Who knows what they may bring about for the future?
Edward Robinson