The VW Heritage 30th Anniversary meeting is our way to say thanks to our customers and friends for the last 30 years. We want you to celebrate and have fun with us at Brands Hatch, so here are a few ideas to help you make the most of the day.
1. Arrive early.
To avoid getting stuck in traffic and to get the best spot for your car, give yourself some extra time and get there early. Gates open at 3pm so don’t wait until the last-minute to join us. Plus, the 500 first VWs get a free goody bag! But if you can’t make it for the afternoon, don’t worry, you can still join the party at any time during the evening.
2. Grab a goody bag.
We have prepared 500 goody bags with some cool stuff from some of our friends and suppliers to give away on the day. If you are one of the first 500 cars through the gate you should receive all this, and more!
3. Get your VW ready to shine.
All VW group cars will be automatically entered into our Show and Shine competition. We have prizes for the 5 top Aircooled and the 5 top Watercooled cars and a special prize for the furthest travelled VW! So look out for a notice on your car, as you could be one of our winners! Guest prizes will also be presented by VW Classic Parts, MEYLE and Bugwelder.
4. Lay down some rubber on the world-famous Brands Hatch Indy Circuit.
There are a number of track sessions for all levels of driver from just £30, but you will need to have booked in advanced. We have two 20 minute taster sessions aimed at those new to circuit driving, or wishing to give their daily driver a quick blast out on track. For those a little more serious about speed you can sign up for 55 minutes of fun in the form of 3 sessions (15, 20, 20 mins) either in with other experienced track drivers, or in sessions aimed at novices and budding amateurs. You only have 6 days to go to book though, and the remaining spaces are selling fast! Book your session here now to avoid disappointment.
5. Go Karting.
We’ve already told you about the amazing vehicles were expecting on track – but perhaps you didn’t know there’s a Go Kart track on site too? You’ll be able to arrive and drive on the day between 5-6pm and 7-8pm, but get there early to book in, as the sessions will sell out fast! Shaped the same as the Brands Hatch Indy track, the Kart circuit offers old and young alike the chance to feel like a racing driver, even if it’s just for ten minutes at a time.
6. You want to see show cars.. Here’s a few that have already confirmed.
On top of the track cars that have booked to come along, we’re expecting some of the UK’s top VW show cars too (a few are going on track too). Let’s kick things off with Andy Raw’s Beetle Funny Car! Sadly due to noise restrictions we’re not allowed to fire it up..Yes it’s rather loud!!
Alongside this expect to see Tommy V’s Turbo’d Marathon Beetle, both on and off the track. This car used to belong to David, and ex-staffer Tom has spent a lot of time (and money) making it this awesome! Jay Mac’s Mk1 Golf: this trophy trap not only looks great, but it gets used properly by the Players top man too. To prove it, he’ll be out on circuit for a 20 mins taster session giving it some beans! This tasty Type 34 is also confirmed. In fact owner Stephen won a prize at our last event at Brands Hatch in 2012; he might just make it a double.
7. Take a passenger ride.
You don’t have to take your own car on track to embrace the full Brands Hatch experience.
Get signed on for a free passenger wristband and you can have a ride in a race car too. Many of our drivers have already offered to take passengers out for a thrill ride, check with our marshalls on the day, and they will tell you where to go and what to do – hold on tight!
8. Share your experience.
There will be lots going on at Brands Hatch, and we want to share it with everyone; especially those who will not be able to make it on the day. So take as many pictures and videos as you can, and get sharing them on social media. We’ll be reposting our favourites throughout the day.
9. Something to remember it all by.
We are sure it will be a day to remember, but if you want something material to remind you of the event, we have unframed A2 prints of our fantastic 30th Anniversary artwork available for sale here for just £10. This artwork was designed in-house, and was influenced by vintage Grand Prix posters. James, our technical illustrator (and website content manager by day) took the idea and ran with it, and we’ve had some fantastic feedback for the finished article so far. Where would you hang yours?
10. Have fun, chill out and chat.
You may have never been to an event with so many like-minded people. Chill out with a pint, chat to your mates, or go and check out the cars and find out what others have been spending their time, and hard-earned creating. This event is for everyone.. have fun and enjoy it!
Rosa
The opinions expressed here are the personal opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of VW Heritage