Curborough Charity Day 2026

Curborough Charity Day 2026 Brings Something Different

The August Bank Holiday Sprint at the Curborough Charity Day 2026 is always a little different from the normal sprint meeting, and that is exactly what makes it such an enjoyable event.

Held in aid of Staffordshire Clubs for Young People, the annual event raises money for a fantastic cause, helping young people across the county to belong, achieve, and thrive. It was a privilege for us to be part of the day and help support an event that gives something back to the local community.

The paddock at Curborough was filled with the usual friendly atmosphere, but the collection of cars was anything but usual. This is one of those events where you really do get a weird and wonderful mix of machinery that you would rarely see sharing the same track on the same day.

Adam Terry brought along his 1957 Volkswagen Beetle, proving that you do not need huge power to have fun around Curborough.

At the other end of the scale was Nigel Blandin in his 1976 Ford Capri Special, complete with a whopping 5.7-litre engine. The Capri certainly looked and sounded the part as it made its way around the sprint course.

Then there was the Lynch family’s 1964 Jaguar Mk2. The Mk2 has always had a bit of a reputation as the preferred transport of the 1960s villain, and the Lynch family decided to fully embrace that reputation by turning up dressed as villains themselves.

This naturally caught the attention of the local Police Cadets, who were helping marshal the event. Seeing a Jaguar Mk2 full of suitably dressed villains being closely watched by a group of Police Cadets was one of those moments that summed up the relaxed and fun atmosphere of the day perfectly.

A Motorsport Legend at Curborough

As impressive as the cars were, the highlight of the day for us was the chance to meet and talk to motor racing legend Richard Attwood. Attwood’s career includes Formula One, sports cars, and, of course, victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He also finished second to Graham Hill in the 1968 Monaco Grand Prix, where he set the fastest lap.

It is not every day a pair of motorsport photographers get the chance to talk motorsport with someone who raced during one of the most exciting and dangerous periods in the sport, so naturally we were not going to miss the opportunity.

We asked Richard what it was really like driving the early Porsche 917. He certainly did not hold back, and there was certainly no team-approved media briefing. 

Richard Attwood on the Porsche 917

Talking about the 1969 Porsche 917, Richard explained just how difficult the car was to drive. He remembered the car moving around so much on the road that he had to lift through the kink on the Mulsanne Straight, a section that really should have been taken flat out.

His description of the car was simple.

“It was dangerous”.

The Porsche 917 he shared with Vic Elford led the 1969 Le Mans 24 Hours for around 18 hours before mechanical problems eventually ended their race.

The next year, he got a short-tail version of the Porsche, which was much better aerodynamically and had far more predictable handling, although it was still an incredibly fast racing car. But it went on to win the Le Mans 24 Hour race. 

Hearing this directly from someone who actually drove these cars at racing speed gives you a very different appreciation of the machines and the drivers who raced them.

Today, we see Porsche 917s sitting beautifully prepared in museums, collections, and historic paddocks. Richard Attwood remembers what it was like when they were travelling flat out down the Mulsanne Straight. 

Porsche 917 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed

Le Mans or Monaco?

There was one question we had to ask. Le Mans or Monaco? Richard paused for a second before answering.

“Monaco”.

That answer surprised us slightly considering he is a Le Mans winner, but his reasoning made perfect sense. Le Mans is a team effort. You share the car, the driving, and ultimately the result. His drive at Monaco, however, was his achievement.

Finishing second behind Graham Hill and setting the fastest lap in the 1968 Monaco Grand Prix clearly remains one of the performances he is most proud of.

It was a fascinating answer from someone who has achieved more in motorsport than most people could ever dream of.

What Curborough Does Best

Away from our conversation with Richard Attwood, the cars continued to make their way around Curborough throughout the day. There were classics, performance cars and plenty of machinery that simply does not fit neatly into any category.

And that was exactly the point. This was not about championship positions or chasing fractions of a second. It was about getting cars out on track, giving spectators something different to watch and raising money for a worthwhile cause.

Curborough is perfect for events like this.

The compact layout means spectators can get close to the cars and drivers, the paddock is always relaxed and there is rarely a shortage of interesting machinery to photograph.

Where else could you see a 1957 Volkswagen Beetle, a 5.7-litre Ford Capri, a Jaguar Mk2 full of villains and a Le Mans-winning racing driver all sharing the same event? For us, that is exactly what grassroots and club motorsport should be about. Interesting cars, great characters, a friendly paddock and something unexpected around every corner.

Most importantly, the August Bank Holiday Charity Day was once again helping to raise money for Staffordshire Clubs for Young People. A great day at Curborough, a fantastic cause and a conversation with a genuine motorsport legend.

You really cannot ask for much more than that.

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