The annual weekend historic festival takes place on 26th to 28th July 2024 on the rolling slopes of Oulton Park near Budworth in Cheshire.

The event dates back to 1954 when the circuit opened. Initially it was an international race run to Formula One rules but in modern times it has become a major historic event and for this year has categories for 50s sports cars to Group A machinery of the 80s and 90s.

The organising club is the Historic Sports Car Club and they will have grids for the 70s Road Sports, Derek Bell Trophy, Formula Junior, Historic FF2000, Historic Formula 3, Historic Road Sports and, Historic Touring Cars.

Motor Racing Legends will have grids for the Historic Touring Car Trophy and Tony Dron Trophy with Sixties Touring Car Challenge with U2TC and, The Royal Automobile Club Woodcote Trophy and Stirling Moss Trophy.

The Historic Grand Prix Cars Association will have grids for pre 1961 and pre 1966 Grand Prix cars.

The Classic Sports Car Club will have races for its Special Saloons.

Tickets can be purchased from MSVR and a weekend adult admission excluding grandstand will cost £42.00 online. Adult admission for individual days are £13.00 for Friday and £26.00 for Saturday and Sunday. Under 13s enter free of charge.

If you are a member of a car club such as the XJS Club, MG Owners Club, or MG Car Club, the Ford RS Owners Club or any other established classic car club, there will be display areas, so worth getting in touch with your club to see if it is attending.

An autojumble will also be open throughout Saturday and Sunday so you never know, that illusive component needed to complete your restoration may be there! The promoters also tell us that there will be live period music and off track entertainment as well as trade sites and great food and drink.

To follow the event it’s worth opening the Timing Solutions page where, live timing and results of qualifying and races will be found. The evnt’s facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/opgoldcup and of course @OP_GoldCup on X (formerly Twitter) will keep you in touch with fellow enthusiasts.

The circuit provides quite a few challenges to the drivers; coming off the startline is Old Hall Corner, a sharp left hander, during the race it provides a good overtaking opportunity but at the start most try to get through unscathed. The circuit drops down through the Avenue to Cascades, a right hand bend which requires a late turn in otherwise you end up facing the wrong way on the grassy exit. Lakeside leads to Island Bend where the brave don’t lift but then have to brake for the Shell Oils Corner, which is a banked hairpin. Entry here is crucial because you need to accelerate out to avoid being mugged before Britten’s Chicane. Hilltop is a flat out drag to Hislops Chicane where the correct line is crucial because on exiting the cars have to climb Clay Hill, a steep incline which is followed by Druids Corner where a slight lift on turn in followed by a heavy right foot will see the cars oversteering on the exit down to Lodge Corner. Following Lodge Corner the cars drop into Deer Leap before cresting the rise onto the start/finish straight.

See you there?