6th July 2015  Spectators!  If you are not lucky enough to actually own a pre-war car (so you are a future owner!), or perhaps your pre-war car isn’t quite ready for the road, then come along as a spectator!  For the petty, paltry. piffling sum of a mere fifteen pounds, you can bring a post-war car loaded with as many souls as you can squeeze in!  You get to park in the Prescott Orchard, mere inches from the historic start line and you, and all your merry party have full, free and unfettered access to the hallowed Prescott Paddock, the hill and all the fun of the fair!  Moreover, and perhaps more significantly, you will have the unparalleled opportunity to take your seat as a passenger in any of the illustrious pre-war cars climbing the hill.  You just need to attend one of the several safety briefings that take place at regular intervals during the day and then it is up to you to thumb a lift on any of the 400 or so climbs that have already been booked for the day in all manner of splendid and spiffing vintage machinery!  You should simply turn up on the day and pay at the gate (which opens at 9 a.m.) and Pre-War Prescott will await you!

5th July 2015  The Enigma Rally is two weeks today!  We have a full entry of forty cars that will be exploring the sleepy byways and hidden hamlets of the Severn Valley.  The day will start in the Orchard at Prescott, bright and early on Sunday morning before meandering westward and then looping back to our lunch stop at The Swan, Hanley Swan, from where we will find our way back to Stanway House for the conclusion, calculation of scores, presentation of awards, cream teas, a rare private viewing of the magnificent 300 foot gravity fountain – and something else very special and TOP SECRET.

Why Enigma?  Because the theme of the day will be the cracking of the German Enigma code, which is all we can tell you at this point!  What we can tell you is that the weekend will conclude with a Farewell Gathering at the nearby Pheasant at Toddington on Sunday evening where everyone will be very welcome.  We are expecting a good turnout to say goodbye to our overseas visitors, including ten couples from Holland, as well as visitors from Switzerland, Spain and the USA.

Meanwhile, entries for Saturday are still arriving and we are expecting a swarm of Wolseley Hornet Specials to be joining us on the day.  The latest entry this morning was a couple who are driving their MG from Switzerland to be with us.  The second draft of the weekend’s Marshaling Plan was circulated earlier today to all of you who have generously volunteered to marshal, and once this plan is finalized, all planning for the weekend will be complete!  An Entry List is being prepared to post at the start line hut,  and late entries will be added to the list as they arrive.  Now to start packing!

Some of you have asked how I manage to organize all this from Seattle.  The trick is that I take a few moments off occasionally to get away from the computer, relax and clear my mind, like I did last weekend.

4th July 2015  First, Happy Independence Day to our American friends, entrants and colleagues!  Here’s another rare and fascinating entry just received – the BSA FW-32 of Simon Barringer.  After a very  long day yesterday, I think its fair to say that the bulk of the planning and preparation for Pre-War Prescott 2015 is now complete, which is good, because Pre-War Prescott is just TWO WEEKS TODAY!  Entries are now CLOSED for the Sunday Navigation Rally and Scenic Tour – we have a magnificent record entry of forty for the day.  All of the entries to date have been included in the Entry List that will be posted at the start line and also attached to what will probably be the final PWP 2015 Newsletter some time next week.  It includes a superb 20 Austin 7’s, 11 Alvises, 4 Bentleys, 33 MMM MGs, but only 3 Rileys this year – where are you guys?!  We are now within the 14 day weather forecast window, and things are definitely looking good!  Oh, and did we mention that we have a Battle of Britain Hawker Hurricane booked in for the evening?

3rd July 2015  And the next eyecatching entry just in is David Beddoes’ 1916 Model T Ford Speedster.  The car was imported from USA having probably been dirt-track raced as it is equipped with a two speed axle and special high volume McKinnon-Dash racing accessory radiator from 1916. The car is completely original, has never been restored and really looks as though its just finished a race about 100 years ago.  However, David uses it on the road very regularly, as can be seen here.

2nd July 2015   It’s getting close!  All the tickets for entries received up to last weekend arrived in London from Seattle by FedEx this morning and have already been posted on to everyone.  You should have your tickets by the weekend.  About a dozen more sets of tickets have been posted directly since then, and will continue to be handled in this fashion right up to the absolute drop dead date for advance bookings –TUESDAY 14th JULY.  If your entry arrives after that date, your tickets will be waiting for you to collect at the gate.  If, however, you want to just turn up on the day, you will be most welcome, but you won’t receive your free climb for advance entry, and any remaining climbs (if there are any), will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis.

So it is NOT too late to enter! But if you are planning to, and haven’t yet, NOW would be s splendid time to do so, and it would save us a great deal of last-minute admin.  Also note thatwe have just THREE MORE SLOTS on the Sunday Rally/Scenic Tour!  If you intend to enter either the Navigation Rally or Scenic Tour on Sunday and have not yet booked – GET IN TOUCH RIGHT NOW!

Entries are still pouring in thick and fast via the website and by post to Colin Lee.  Also, more traders are booking in for Saturday, and more are warmly invited (but please get in touch SOON!).  The latest is Graeme Simpson of Motor Racing Tradition – purveyor of fine motor racing and aviation photographs – 1900 to 1960.  See his website at http://www.motorracingtradition.co.uk/.

Wed have been asked, in view of the current weather, if there any track rules, such as having to wear long-sleeved tops and trousers.  The answer is that the only thing you have to wear is your safety briefing arm band.  And perhaps sun cream?  Keep up the sun dance – it is definitely working!

Latest numbers as of noon today – a record 135 entries, 384 climbs pre-booked (about 450 is full capacity, so we’re getting there fast), 134 for the Saturday evening Battle of Britain Victory Party, and a record 37 for the Sunday Rally.  It’s going to be a stupendous weekend – don’t doubt me!

29th June 2015  We are receiving a lot of requests for clarification regarding camping arrangements at Prescott over the weekend, so here’s the details.  Camping in the Orchard will be available all weekend – Friday to Sunday nights inclusive.  The main gate into the Orchard will be open at all times from Friday morning.  The fee is five pounds per night for a tent, camper or caravan – just stop by the Bugatti Owners Club office in the Paddock any time over the weekend to settle up.  All very relaxed, low key and informal.  Pitch yourself over the back of the Orchard so that we have plenty of space for spectators on Saturday.  There is a permanent wash, shower and loo facility at the back of the Orchard.  If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

27th June 2015  Pre-War Prescott is THREE weeks today!   Entries are now arriving thick and fast and yesterday’s entries included two Alvises, a Riley Lynx, an Austin 7 and a spectating MGA and MGB GT.  (We actually have at least SIX MGA’s booked in as spectating cars so far.  Should make a nice lineup in the Orchard.)  All tickets, final instructions, etc. for everyone who has entered so far are on there way by FedEx to the UK, so these latest entrants have been individually ticketed and posted – so will probably get their tickets before everyone else!  Actually, the tickets this year are not really tickets – you will see when you get them …

We have a super entry of 36 cars for the Sunday Navigation Rally and Scenic Tour, and we’re limiting the number to 40, so we have just FOUR spare entries available at this point.  So if you would like to book for the weekend, or just Sunday, get in touch immediately!  One of the reasons we are limiting numbers to 40 for Sunday is that we are planning a rather unique and special activity at Stanway House at the conclusion of the day.  Apart from viewing the magnificent 300 foot gravity fountain in action and all the usual awards, all entrants in the navigation Rally AND the Scenic Tour will be competing this year for a gorgeous 1:48 scale pewter presentation model Spitfire, among other prizes.

Tickets for the evening Battle of Britain Victory Party are also going fast (129 allocated so far), so we expect a super crowd in the evening to watch the Hawker Hurricane display.  The Hurricane ground crew have my mobile number and will call the moment R4118 is wheels up out of Fairford – about ten minutes flying time from Prescott.  And a BIG thank you to all who have donated so far towards the cost of bringing the Hurricane to Prescott.  The cost is around 1,800 pounds, so we have set ourselves a target of 2,400 pounds to raise, of which a quarter will go directly to the RAF Charitable Trust as a thank you for making the complex arrangements to get the aircraft out of Fairford at the conclusion of the International Air Tattoo.  To date, we have received pledges and payments totaling 1,590 pounds, so we have just 810 pounds to go.  We have had 13 donations of 100 pounds or more, so there are currently 13 individuals entered in the Grand Draw which will take place on Saturday night.  The winner of the draw will go home with the superb 1:48 scale pewter model of R4118 which has been specially built by Diversified Systems for us.  And there will be a number of very nice runner-up prizes as well.  Please consider helping out at any level if you can.  And of course everyone entered in the draw will be receiving a personally autographed copy of either Peter Vacher’s book relating the restoration of R4118 or Hurricane pilot Will Clark’s wartime memoirs.

The first draft of the Marshaling Plan has been distributed to all those who have generously offered an hour or two of their time to help out, feedback is being processed, and a second draft will go out in the next few days.  We have had a splendid THIRTY entrants who have volunteered to help out this year, which means that we have been able to reduce most of the time slots from two hours to sixty minutes.

Jayne and I travel to London from Seattle two weeks today, arriving Sunday morning 12th July.  We’re going to spend a couple of days in Bath, then head up to Cirencester on Wednesday to stay with old friends at our traditional Prescott Base Camp.  We will then be checking out the Sunday rally route on Thursday which will free us up on Friday to spend the day preparing Prescott for the next day.  This will include laying out the Paddock and decking out the Clubhouse in Battle of Britain order.  Then we’ll be around to greet some of the Friday evening campers (one of my favourite times of the weekend) as they arrive and then escort them to The Shutters in Gotherington at opening time!

25th June 2015  We are well within the 30-day weather forecast window now, and, although it’s just a forecast, here’s what it is currently looking like for the Prescott weekend – could not be better!  Not too hot and clear skies for the Hurricane.  My sun dance seems to be working!

Important update on ticketing.  Ticket packs, Final Instructions, etc. for everyone who has already pre-booked will be enveloped and shipped tomorrow from Seattle to Colin Lee in the UK for onward posting.  However, it is NOT too late to enter and late early bookings (if you see what I mean!) can be accepted right up to mid-July.  This is important because if you pre-book you receive an extra free climb worth five pounds.  Also, if you pre-book, your name and car details will be among those posted on the wall of the start line hut in the Official Entry List.  But if you cannot pre-book, then you will be more than welcome to turn up on the day and pay at the gate.  We hope to have a FEW climbs left to offer on the day.  And if you need tickets for the evening Battle of Britain Victory Party, I will also have a few of these with me on the day.

In other news, plans are developing very nicely for the Saturday evening Victory Party.  The Clubhouse will be taking on a Battle of Britain look and feel for the evening and we are delighted to announce that the Mike Dowley Jazz Band will be accompanied this year once again by Sheila Fawkes, lead singer of the world famous Eureka Jazz Band!

The first draft of the marshaling plan for Saturday was distributed last night – thanks to all who responded with confirmation overnight!  We have had so many offers to marshal this year that we have been able to reduce the gate marshal time slots from two hours to one hour.

As for Sunday, we have had lots of very good news regarding venues for the day this week and have adapted the route accordingly.  It’s top secret, of course, but the route this year is looking very good indeed. And we’re VERY excited about the awards this year – enough said!

19th June 2015  Entries are now arriving thick and fast – ten received in the last three days, including this extremely handsome 1920 Napier TT entered by Mike Miles.  He has five climbs booked for the day, so should make an impressive sight and sound on the hill.  A quick reminder about camping, as we have had several enquiries recently.  Camping is available all weekend in the Prescott Orchard, for five pounds a night.  Just pop into the Bugatti Owners Club office onsite any time over the weekend to settle up.  No booking needed, and no red tape!  And if you are planning to arrive and camp on Friday evening, do join us at The Shutters in Gotherington village, just a couple of miles along the lane for our Friday evening Informal Reception, where there will be plenty of good food, good ale and good company!