The amazing life of Motor Sport founding editor and Brooklands saviour Bill Boddy MBE – who passed away aged 98 on 7 July – is to be celebrated with a dedicated day at Brooklands Museum on 1 October.
The Bill Boddy Tribute will feature a raft of pre- and post-war machinery on display and in action to honour the man who was both instrumental in saving the world’s first purpose-built race track and inspiring the old car hobby.
Four ERAs and C&SC columnist Alain de Cadenet’s ex-Donald Healey low-chassis Invicta will line up with the Jaguar E-type that belonged to Boddy’s old friend and late Motor Sport colleague Denis Jenkinson as part of the paddock displays, while Brooklands’ staff will fire up the 24-litre Napier Railton (C&SC August) for a demonstration run on the famous banking.
Also on display will be an early VW Beetle and a Mercedes-Benz 300SL – two of Boddy’s favourites – while special guests such as 1950s GP racing star Tony Brooks and motoring historian Doug Nye will be on hand to recollect the journalist’s epic career.
Brooklands will also host a dedicated display of photographs and stories relating to Boddy’s 81-year involvement in motor sport and his services to journalism, which earned Boddy an MBE in 1997.
The Weybridge circuit’s famous Test Hill will be open for eligible cars and normal Brooklands Museum entry prices (adults £11, senior citizen/student £9.90, children under 5 free) apply.
See Brooklands Museum for more.
