GPWizard F1 Forum
Everything Else => Events & Special Offers => Topic started by: Wizzo on October 28, 2007, 07:14:21 PM
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What is the Autosport Show?
Autosport is an annual event catering for the motorsport and automotive industry professionals, non-trade people who are actively involved in the sport (such as competitors etc) and the motorsport fans who simply enjoy following and being close the sport.
The first two days (Thursday 10th and Friday 11th January) are for industry professionals only, and registration is required to attend. See GPWizard Offer Here (http://www.gpwizard.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=4150.0)
The following weekend (12th & 13th January) is open to the public, meaning that anyone can visit to see the latest race cars competing all over the world, exclusive launches, enjoy special discounted prices on many products, brush shoulders with top drivers and celebrities and enjoy the company of other people who share the same interests and passions.
All categories of track and off-road motor racing are represented, including
Formula 1 and other national and international single seater series such as GP2, A1GP, Formula 3000 and manufacturer formulas
World Rally Championship and other rally series
Production car-based racing categories such as GTs and Touring Cars
Drift series such as EDC and D1GP
Tuned car series such as Time Attack
Oval and stock car racing such as Hot Rods, BriSCA F1 stock cars and Super Silhuettes among others
Historic car racing series such as Top Hat and Group C/GTP
And karting, in the form of the Karting Show, representing top kart manufacturers, accessory retailers and race organisers all on hand to give advice on how to start kart racing!
More Info here: http://www.autosport-international.com/autosport08/public/show_link1.asp
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I went this year with my Dad, and we had great fun. OK, so we got rather lost at times (the place is huge, the drinks were a tad pricey and it was a mad scramble to find the correct Live Action Arena entrance, but who cares? I got three signatures (and discovered that Takuma Sato is very good to talk to), listened to some really interesting motor sport luminaries and discovered things about motor sport I'd never known before. Maybe I wouldn't go every year, but it's the sort of thing every motor sport fan should do at least once in their lives.
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I haven't been for a few years but I have been a couple of times. Absolutely great value for money. The live action arena is brilliiant. One year they had Jeremy Clarkson and Tiff Needell(before their divorce) doing a James Bond theme.
They closed it one of the times I was there with Colin McRae in a Subaru doing donuts. I will never forget that.
I may take you up on your offer Wiz if I can free up a day.
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Maybe I wouldn't go every year, but it's the sort of thing every motor sport fan should do at least once in their lives.
I HAVE been every year since the first show at the NEC.
If you want to collect autographs it is far better to go on the Trade days - and to catch your driver around the Autosport stage area - only drawback is that the 'headlinie' drivers generally appear on the Public days, but access is so much easier on the Thursday and Friday, especially if you want a piece (such as a model or large print signing).
Over the years I've bagged Brundle, Plato, Button (Formula Renault!), Stewart, Scheckter, Lauda, Skip Barber (founder of the Barber Dodge Series and ex-F1 driver), McRae (C) & Grist, Burns, McRae (A), Pantano, Donnelly, Johansson, Herbert, Wilson, Alesi, Soon Yung, Brabham (D), Guy Smith (Le Mans winner), Coulthard and others all at the show and all on Trade days.
If one of the reasons for attending is to look for (and buy) historical memorabilia rather than current merchandise, then it is worth noting that this year the Historic section is being increased - but traders will only be there on the Public Days not for the whole show.
David