Sometimes it’s hard to find the balance between inclusivity, diversity and the high quality of the cars.
After all, when you get as many applications as Jay McToldridge and the rest of the Players team, you’d think there would be some slip-ups. And yet, after spending this weekend in a mad rush to capture the cars of the Players Classic 2023 – the 10th anniversary event – I can say that the standard of the show is as high as ever.
Show report
Saturday is my personal favorite day in the UK car show calendar. The combination of track day and car show is unbeatable and offers much more entertainment than a static event. Even if performance or track-oriented builds aren’t your thing, there’s just something about the sound of hard-driving cars that resonates with spectators and heightens the mood.
This year’s track action featured favorites such as Nigel Pinder’s ‘Pinderwagen’ Mk2 VW Golf, one of the fastest of its kind you’ll see on any track, and Auto Finesse’s BMW M2 car sporting the glossy finish.
Drifting is always a crowd favorite, tire smoke and restrictive V8s bring a smile to everyone’s face. Steve ‘Baggsy’ Biagioni, as always, put on one hell of a show for the crowd alongside Luke Woodham, George Barclay and special guest Sultan and his LS swapped, old and new fitted Porsche 997 drift car.
Sunday is the more relaxed day at the Players Classic, with the course being used as an extended parking lot for several show cars instead of a track day.
This little EP91 Toyota Starlet Glanza V was one of my favorite cars at the event. With sparkling paint, adorable Desmond RegaMaster Evo wheels and a pair of special edition ‘confetti’ Recaro seats, it ticks all the boxes.
Another red car that caught my eye? This is an absolutely stunning NA1 Honda NSX with a fine bodykit and classic RAYS Volk Racing TE37s.
As less performance oriented builds go, Colt Powell’s Air Lift performance– equipped BMW M3 Cabrio can be the perfect summer cruiser. A nice paint job, nice interior color, lip kit and a set of 19 inch BBS RF split rims complete the look.
It’s remarkable to think that the Players Classic has been going for a full decade at this point. I remember reading the very first Players Classic article about Speedhunters as a teenager on my lunch break. The show has only grown in size and quality and it’s fantastic to see.
I was pleasantly surprised to see a healthy increase in the number of Dutch, Belgian and German cars traveling over to the UK for the players. Maybe not all the way let it be the “good old days”, but we are slowly getting there.
In fact, more of us Brits drive across the continent to European shows than the other way around. Brexit and the pandemic didn’t help, but this year has given me hope that we can expect more car culture crossovers in the coming years.
There were outstanding cars with fascinating stories that really need their own posts, so keep an eye out for my spotlight. Don’t miss them!
The Players Classic 2023 was one of my busiest car shows. I barely had time to sit down and catch my breath. And yet, the beautiful setting of Goodwood Motor Circuit, full of high-quality, interesting and fun machinery, is precisely the appeal of the Players Classic.
2024. Can’t wait to do it again.
Mario Christou
Instagram: mcwpn
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