The Island Car Centre Sandown Sprint brings motorsport action back to Sandown this weekend (25th/26th March) with up to 100 drivers set to battle it out for the fastest time on the Culver Parade course.
Local rally driver Will Nicholls will be looking to defend his crown in his 2022 Ford Fiesta R5 – but will have close competition from last year’s runner-up, Damien Bradley, in his Subaru Legacy. Another competitor to watch is Peter Elkins in his Ford Fiesta WRC, who will no doubt be vying with Nicholls and Bradley for that top spot.
Spectators can expect high-octane action across both Saturday and Sunday from a whole variety of cars, from a Darrian T90 right through to Mazda MX5s – and quite literally everything in between. You can also expect to see a rare Brooke Cosworth, Audi R8 V10, Toyota GT4, Dax Rush Quadra 5-litre special, Radical SR4, Lotus Esprit S3, Talbot Sunbeam, MG B GTS, Nissan R35 GTR, Rover SD1 and many more.
The paddock will once again be based at Yaverland and spectators are encouraged to enjoy the cars at close quarters and meet the drivers. Sprint action will take place between Fort Street and Yaverland with local road closures in place.
Spectator access and viewing to the event this year is either via the Fort Street entrance (town end) or from Yaverland (near the car park/competitor paddock). Access to the seawall spectator viewing area revetment is through Sandham Gardens and is marshalled, or by walking along the parade from Yaverland.
The action gets underway at 09:00 on Saturday with 2 practice runs, followed by a break for lunch (12:00-13:00) and 3 competitive runs in the afternoon. On Sunday, action resumes at 09:00 with a practice run, followed by a competitive run before lunch and a further 2 competitive runs between 13:00-16:00.
Entries are up on last year, with 93 drivers and their cars confirmed for the 2-day event. 7 further entries are currently pending, including Steven Furzeland in his Subaru Impreza S12 WRC.
Adult tickets are just £10 when booked online, saving 20%. Visit www.isleofwightspeedtrials.co.uk. Tickets will also be available on the day (cashless only).
Island Echo is proud to be the official digital media partner of the Island Car Centre Sandown Sprint.
VIDEO: Onboard footage of Damien Bradley setting the track record in a time of 34.17 seconds.
Pleased to see the Island doing their bit for the climate
Greta will be pleased.
Production of cardboard (Amazon boxes),and paper and recycling of produces more environmentally unfriendly gases than cars, lorries, ships,planes and trains put together. Then on top of that cows and humans,(beans,curry and salads ) stop blaming a few cars. Even Greta drives a Nissan Leaf that produced more co2 in production that hundreds of current vehicles on road and her car will double emissions when being recycled.
Ban it. Only encourage more idiots to drive badly.
You really are thick, aren’t you.
What a ridiculous event in a world of climate change.
Motorsport will go electric too. Watch this 1000HP electric rally car:
https://youtu.be/lFMwLKqYtMU
Or this McMurtry Spéirling breaking the Goodwood hill climb record last year.
https://youtu.be/2AldtVnjOlc
Milk float, it ain’t
What has racing got to do with climate change .which is fake news anyway .
Try not to get too many splinters while you are tree hugging. Some people, unlike you, like to enjoy life.
Nice to see the Grand Hotel highlighted as a local business. Maybe this high class accommodation is where the mainland drivers will be staying.
like most of the islands hotels
Brum brum. What is the attraction of watching someone driving a car fast and polluting the planet? Would the same people stand in the middle of Newport and watch cars driving past? Makes a change from licking windows I suppose.