Stoneleigh Race Retro 2026 - worth getting out of bed for ?
Discussion
stoneleigh race retro 2026 - i've never actually made the effort
is there really that much to see ?
will outdoor stuff get cancelled when it rains or are rally folk more stoic ?
will i be queuing for more than my five minute tolerance threshold ?
any other advice please ?
is there really that much to see ?
will outdoor stuff get cancelled when it rains or are rally folk more stoic ?
will i be queuing for more than my five minute tolerance threshold ?
any other advice please ?
Not attending this year, but have been in the past. Personally, I really enjoy it - the outdoor rally stages are fun, some nice metal. Always good for a wander around the autojumble, depending on your interest. The stands primarily lean toward motorsport - i.e. running a car yourself, or doing some racing - which can be hit and miss depending on your interests. You get some good people there though, and its small/quiet enough you can sometimes end up having an unexpected chat with them out and about.
Personally, I think the ticket prices went a big strong for what it is, but then isn't everything now. Can't comment on poor weather, always been sunny when I went. Silverstone Auctions (or whatever its called now) have some interesting lots, but you can't have a wander without a catalogue.
Car park (unless paid extra) is a field, and trust me it'll be boggy as heck this year with all the rain.
If you like rallying, and don't mind standing outside, it's worth a look . Outside that, I'd probably wait for other shows.
Personally, I think the ticket prices went a big strong for what it is, but then isn't everything now. Can't comment on poor weather, always been sunny when I went. Silverstone Auctions (or whatever its called now) have some interesting lots, but you can't have a wander without a catalogue.
Car park (unless paid extra) is a field, and trust me it'll be boggy as heck this year with all the rain.
If you like rallying, and don't mind standing outside, it's worth a look . Outside that, I'd probably wait for other shows.
They have binned it before due to the weather so I would wait until the last minute before buying a ticket.
It used to be a brilliant show but got run into the ground like the NEC really, too expensive, stall space limited and all inside to maximise promoter profit. Rally stage is very mickey mouse, though changed a bit this year and they pan to run quite a long stage aswell later in the day for some reason, but expect recreations and misfit cars not proper retro stuff.
Is it very expensive for what it is, capitalising on no NEC clearly and I think it's the same crew who do NEC classic and we all know they can pull off a show at a price.,
It is one of those I would do every 3 or 4 years. I did it very year when I lived close by, but now go every 3 or 4.
It used to be a brilliant show but got run into the ground like the NEC really, too expensive, stall space limited and all inside to maximise promoter profit. Rally stage is very mickey mouse, though changed a bit this year and they pan to run quite a long stage aswell later in the day for some reason, but expect recreations and misfit cars not proper retro stuff.
Is it very expensive for what it is, capitalising on no NEC clearly and I think it's the same crew who do NEC classic and we all know they can pull off a show at a price.,
It is one of those I would do every 3 or 4 years. I did it very year when I lived close by, but now go every 3 or 4.
RC27 said:
Not attending this year, but have been in the past. Personally, I really enjoy it - the outdoor rally stages are fun, some nice metal. Always good for a wander around the autojumble, depending on your interest. The stands primarily lean toward motorsport - i.e. running a car yourself, or doing some racing - which can be hit and miss depending on your interests. You get some good people there though, and its small/quiet enough you can sometimes end up having an unexpected chat with them out and about.
Personally, I think the ticket prices went a big strong for what it is, but then isn't everything now. Can't comment on poor weather, always been sunny when I went. Silverstone Auctions (or whatever its called now) have some interesting lots, but you can't have a wander without a catalogue.
Car park (unless paid extra) is a field, and trust me it'll be boggy as heck this year with all the rain.
If you like rallying, and don't mind standing outside, it's worth a look . Outside that, I'd probably wait for other shows.
thanksPersonally, I think the ticket prices went a big strong for what it is, but then isn't everything now. Can't comment on poor weather, always been sunny when I went. Silverstone Auctions (or whatever its called now) have some interesting lots, but you can't have a wander without a catalogue.
Car park (unless paid extra) is a field, and trust me it'll be boggy as heck this year with all the rain.
If you like rallying, and don't mind standing outside, it's worth a look . Outside that, I'd probably wait for other shows.
I hadn't even thought about the parking
£18 extra to park on nearby grass
£32 extra to park on tarmac !
bergclimber34 said:
They have binned it before due to the weather so I would wait until the last minute before buying a ticket.
It used to be a brilliant show but got run into the ground like the NEC really, too expensive, stall space limited and all inside to maximise promoter profit. Rally stage is very mickey mouse, though changed a bit this year and they pan to run quite a long stage aswell later in the day for some reason, but expect recreations and misfit cars not proper retro stuff.
Is it very expensive for what it is, capitalising on no NEC clearly and I think it's the same crew who do NEC classic and we all know they can pull off a show at a price.,
It is one of those I would do every 3 or 4 years. I did it very year when I lived close by, but now go every 3 or 4.
thanksIt used to be a brilliant show but got run into the ground like the NEC really, too expensive, stall space limited and all inside to maximise promoter profit. Rally stage is very mickey mouse, though changed a bit this year and they pan to run quite a long stage aswell later in the day for some reason, but expect recreations and misfit cars not proper retro stuff.
Is it very expensive for what it is, capitalising on no NEC clearly and I think it's the same crew who do NEC classic and we all know they can pull off a show at a price.,
It is one of those I would do every 3 or 4 years. I did it very year when I lived close by, but now go every 3 or 4.
i've been watching the weather for months and it's not looking great
Yes worth keeping an eye on the social media pages, they have binned the event before due to bad weather, and we have had more rain, but I think that was also due to poor pre event ticket sales which seems to be the main reason stuff is binned these days, and they used weather as an excuse.
I do not understand that as I very very rarely buy events ticket until a day or two before the event, but these people apparently know what they are doing!!
I do not understand that as I very very rarely buy events ticket until a day or two before the event, but these people apparently know what they are doing!!
I used to go but sadly like most things it just got worse and worse. Expensive, poor parking unless you pay even more, the rally stage was really disappointing as a spectator after they changed it a few years back and less interesting stalls/traders. In fact the only thing I enjoyed the last time was being able to get close to competing cars in their parking area. I'll probably never go again after the last visit.
Sorry to sound so negative about it, just giving my personal honest opinion.
Sorry to sound so negative about it, just giving my personal honest opinion.
You do have a point, I think these shows need a certain amount of injection of something, not sure what. Race Retro was amazing initially, a lot cheaper, more stuff to see and do and a more sort of humble feel. Basically these become lazy, they are held off season to try and rely on lazy audience, my hatred is Iconic Auctioneers, they take up too much sodding space and need to bog off in my opinion.
But as with NEC became smaller and smaller, dearer and dearer.
My advice is to do what I do, go every three or four years. Then it stays fresh.
There is a new show coming next year at Excel I think, very motorsport based, so hopefully that helps.
A lot of the issue is the promoters, they take a huge cut and charge for anything and everything, which was really why the NEC died, so many potential exhibitors were put off by immense prices.
But as with NEC became smaller and smaller, dearer and dearer.
My advice is to do what I do, go every three or four years. Then it stays fresh.
There is a new show coming next year at Excel I think, very motorsport based, so hopefully that helps.
A lot of the issue is the promoters, they take a huge cut and charge for anything and everything, which was really why the NEC died, so many potential exhibitors were put off by immense prices.
Was OK, not worth the money so last time I will go there for the foreseeable. Was done in a couple of hours. Not bothered about rally stage or brick a brack.
Lots of tat stalls selling crap art and models, but some nice stuff too, v muddy and the rally stage is not that great, basically all firs tand second gear, bit pointless really.
Some good stuff if you are after racewear and the like, and a lot of very specialised stuff like ccooling, trailers and series trying to get you signed up.
The bit that really pisses me off is the bloody auction, there is no space and another hall is on the other side of it, so you have to traipse round a very narrow walkway to get there, utterly pointless I have zero interest in auctions and it should be tucked away somewhere, you can't effing look at anything anyway unless you are a prospective buyer,, just badly planned, but typical of Race Retro to always prioritize SIlverstoen auctions, they have done it for years.
Overall, if you want certain stuff it is a decent job, and for the natters it is fine, if you are juts a punter wanting something to do, forget it.
Lots of tat stalls selling crap art and models, but some nice stuff too, v muddy and the rally stage is not that great, basically all firs tand second gear, bit pointless really.
Some good stuff if you are after racewear and the like, and a lot of very specialised stuff like ccooling, trailers and series trying to get you signed up.
The bit that really pisses me off is the bloody auction, there is no space and another hall is on the other side of it, so you have to traipse round a very narrow walkway to get there, utterly pointless I have zero interest in auctions and it should be tucked away somewhere, you can't effing look at anything anyway unless you are a prospective buyer,, just badly planned, but typical of Race Retro to always prioritize SIlverstoen auctions, they have done it for years.
Overall, if you want certain stuff it is a decent job, and for the natters it is fine, if you are juts a punter wanting something to do, forget it.
Went yesterday (21st) as the ticket was a Christmas present, glad I didn't pay for it myself.
Access was frustrating, 40 minutes to do 1.8 mile from Stoneleigh village to the showgroud entrance. The rally circuit has been described as Mickey Mouse, that is being generous, in many parts it was obscured by hay bales. The garage area was a good oppertunity to get up close to the cars, and nice to speak to a number of the owners.
Some nice machines in the halls, the collection of Lancia's were especially nice. Food and drink was stupid expensive, but then again I am from the north, even so... £20 to view the auction cars, gave that a miss.
Overall, not worth the effort and won't entertain the thought again.
Access was frustrating, 40 minutes to do 1.8 mile from Stoneleigh village to the showgroud entrance. The rally circuit has been described as Mickey Mouse, that is being generous, in many parts it was obscured by hay bales. The garage area was a good oppertunity to get up close to the cars, and nice to speak to a number of the owners.
Some nice machines in the halls, the collection of Lancia's were especially nice. Food and drink was stupid expensive, but then again I am from the north, even so... £20 to view the auction cars, gave that a miss.
Overall, not worth the effort and won't entertain the thought again.
My thoughts as a trader...pretty dire in honesty. They'd done their usual trick of selling off empty spots to any random company they could, hence the race ready hall smelling of cooking most of the time.
Our main stock on stand were Seats/ Harness/ tyres and bespoke racewear and it's become apparent the show is too late for people in need for this season (that's were Autosport was good) and people have got so used to no deals being available (we had lots of deals on) they just don't come to spend.
All in all great to see lots of friendly faces but it's now way overpriced for the (lack of) return on investment ...(an 18sqm stand was £2500!!)
Our main stock on stand were Seats/ Harness/ tyres and bespoke racewear and it's become apparent the show is too late for people in need for this season (that's were Autosport was good) and people have got so used to no deals being available (we had lots of deals on) they just don't come to spend.
All in all great to see lots of friendly faces but it's now way overpriced for the (lack of) return on investment ...(an 18sqm stand was £2500!!)
I did see your stall chap and the racewear looked great, sadly I am lucky enough to not HAVE to have any, but could see you had deals, and they were good.
2500 is cheap compared to NEC, I was looking to buy a helmet, but the stands I wanted did not have the model I need sadly.
It was a strange show, a lot un retro, a lot of as you say trash that has no place there, but shows have been like that for years sadly
Sorry you had a poor time, I guess you know for next time
2500 is cheap compared to NEC, I was looking to buy a helmet, but the stands I wanted did not have the model I need sadly.
It was a strange show, a lot un retro, a lot of as you say trash that has no place there, but shows have been like that for years sadly
Sorry you had a poor time, I guess you know for next time
Definitely didn't seam as busy as years gone by, tho still worth the trip down and even the weather was better than forecast for the outdoor stage. For anyone who interested, here's my vids from the live stages:
Saturday
https://youtu.be/lYlwWjpNilo
Sunday
https://youtu.be/i3kZzSultTc
Saturday
https://youtu.be/lYlwWjpNilo
Sunday
https://youtu.be/i3kZzSultTc
bergclimber34 said:
I did see your stall chap and the racewear looked great, sadly I am lucky enough to not HAVE to have any, but could see you had deals, and they were good.
2500 is cheap compared to NEC, I was looking to buy a helmet, but the stands I wanted did not have the model I need sadly.
It was a strange show, a lot un retro, a lot of as you say trash that has no place there, but shows have been like that for years sadly
Sorry you had a poor time, I guess you know for next time
Thanks for the kind words, Looking back my last stand at ASI in 2024 was slightly bigger (22sqm) at £3500. Not a massive difference really...it could be so much more (as could any of these things) but the organisers need to put themselves in both exhibitors and visitors shoes and that is something they seem unable to comprehend.2500 is cheap compared to NEC, I was looking to buy a helmet, but the stands I wanted did not have the model I need sadly.
It was a strange show, a lot un retro, a lot of as you say trash that has no place there, but shows have been like that for years sadly
Sorry you had a poor time, I guess you know for next time
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