Firle Beacon is the stuff of all your petrolhead dreams. The brand spanking new motorsport event will be rolling into the emerald hills of South Downs National Park on July 30 and 31, taking over the historic Firle Estate for two days of thrilling demonstrations, meets and greets, car displays, fun fair rides and classic street party entertainment.
With 60 Supercars, 40 Retro vehicles and 100 Rally cars this is truly a car-lovers heaven. Round up the family, buckle your seatbelts and get ready for fun-filled day out that will no doubt be the talk of the household for weeks to follow.
One thing you especially won’t want to miss out on is the 2-mile rally demonstration, featuring over 100 cars which have competed at Monte Carlo, East African Safari, and Thousand Lakes, that will drive through the village before taking on the hill. It is sure to be an epic celebration of 90 years of rally in the UK, showcasing legendary cars from across the decades, such as British Rally Champion Colin McRae’s iconic 1997 rally-winning Subaru Impreza WRC.
Not only that but you’ll also get to see a collection of cars throughout the 70s’, 80s’ and 90s’ driven by Rally Champion Russell Brookes – including Mk2 Escorts, two Opel Mantas, a Sierra Cosworth and Chevette HSR – as well as some of the fastest and most powerful vehicles from Retro Rallycross and Group B. Plus, thanks to the event’s ‘access all areas’ approach, you’ll even get a chance to do see the inner workings of the cars up close.
Located just 60 miles from London, Firle Beacon invites you to swap double decker buses and tubes for modern-day world rally cars, historic cars, supercars and many more. In between taking in the exciting demonstrations why not pay a visit to the paddocks, where a host of cars – think early vintage Minis, Open Wheelers, gleaming Classics, pre-restoration Barn Find Rally Cars and even NASCAR for fans of stock-racing – will be displayed.
The first-of-its-kind event lets you safely watch all the action unfold up close; see the splatter of mud from the tyres, feel the reverberating rumble of the engines and hear the crunch of gravel as a variety of impressive vehicles (including a tank) accelerate along the estate’s road. You’ll also witness rally, retro and supercars follow in the tyre tracks of their motoring predecessors, who drove up the Downs in a longstanding hillclimb tradition that spans back to 1949.
This is a celebration of a rich automotive heritage that takes place from 10am to 6pm each day. Got a kid with an ever-increasing collection of toy vehicles or maybe one that constantly has the Pixar film ‘Cars’ on a definitely-not-irritating loop? This will be bliss for you both, an ideal place for the family to bond over petrolhead passions as you explore a fascinating world of cars of all shapes, sizes and speed.
There’s plenty to keep the kids entertained throughout the day (when they’re not transfixed by the demonstrations), whether it’s hopping on one of the fun fair rides, climbing aboard for a tank ride or checking out Mr Bean’s Mini. If you’re itching to get behind the wheel there’s even a historic simulator, giving you a taste of what it’s like to drive a retro vehicle. Whether you’re a car enthusiast, fancy a family day out or are looking to treat someone to an unforgettable day, make sure to grab tickets for Firle Beacon now.
To fuel your exploration and curious wanders through the car-filled paddocks there’ll be locally-sourced food and refreshing great value beers available. Take a seat on the lawns and enjoy a bite to eat among the beautiful surrounds of the sprawling estate.
Firle Beacon comes from the mind of Henry Gage, a member of the family who own the Firle estate. An idea rooted in history – not to mention one born from Gage’s passion for car technology and the stunning South Downs National Park – the event aims to take you back to racing’s grassroots and capture the authentic spirit of early motorsport competitions.