Pomeroy Trophy 2026 – Silverstone 

Is there a better way to start the season than a freezing Valentine’s Day at Silverstone? On 14th February 2026, beneath clear skies and bitingly cold winds, competitors and spectators gathered at the home of British motor racing for the 70th year of the Pomeroy Trophy. There is perhaps no other event that captures the imagination and ethos of the Vintage Sports-Car Club quite so perfectly. 

History

First run in 1952, the Pomeroy Trophy has long stood apart from traditional race meetings. It is not simply about outright speed, nor about concours-level presentation. Instead, it seeks to answer a far more intriguing question: what is the finest all-round Touring Motor Car? The answer, as ever, lies somewhere between the Edwardian era and the late 20th century. 

This year’s anniversary edition celebrated seven decades of competition by welcoming back a selection of previous winners while assembling an extraordinary field spanning more than 100 years of motoring history. Where else could you see Matt Tomkins’ humble 1969 Morris Minor sharing the same stretch of tarmac as Kevin Jones in a 1960 Ferrari 250 GTO. Only at Silverstone, and only at the Pomeroy. 

Race Format

The format remains delightfully demanding. Competitors face a series of tests designed to measure agility, braking, acceleration and stamina. A tight slalom examines steering precision and balance. Braking tests reward stability and control. The standing quarter-mile start tests traction and power delivery. All of it builds towards three 40-minute high-speed trials on the full Grand Prix circuit at Silverstone Circuit, a searching examination of durability and performance in equal measure. 

Competitors

It makes for extraordinary contrasts. Shaun Harbourne guided his 1924 3 Litre Bentley with measured determination, its large engine thundering down the Hangar Straight, while Ben Collins wrestled the formidable 1907 Mercedes 120, a machine from the very dawn of motoring competition. Elsewhere, Will Havery’s 1996 Rover Mini demonstrated how later generations can still embody the spirit of the true touring car. 

The diversity continued across the paddock. Johnny Hulme’s 1973 Alpine Renault A110 danced lightly through the handling tests, its rally-bred pedigree evident in every change of direction, while Geraint Owen’s 1962 Triumph TR4 blended classic British sports car character with impressive all-round capability. 

Pomeroy Trophy – A celebration of Motorsport

That is the magic of the Pomeroy Trophy. Pre-war leviathans, post-war thoroughbreds and modern classics all compete on equal terms, assessed not by lap times alone but by a carefully balanced formula that rewards versatility. Comfort, practicality, acceleration and endurance matter just as much as outright speed. 

On a day when most people were thinking of roses and chocolates, competitors were nursing cold fingers and warming reluctant engines. Yet the atmosphere was unmistakably one of celebration. Seventy years on, the Pomeroy Trophy remains gloriously true to its founding principles, a competition that honours ingenuity, usability and the joy of driving. 

As the last cars completed their high-speed trials and the winter sun dipped low over Northamptonshire, one thing was clear: there may be warmer ways to spend Valentine’s Day, but few are more enjoyable. 

The season has begun, and in true VSCC style, it began with history in motion. 

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