ANTIQUE NATIONALS FONTANA May 2017

Posted on May 17, 2017January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

17 May

Well, it was that time of year already, I almost forgot it to be honest and as Jennifer was washing her Motorcycle, I loaded up my Camera and jumped onto my Triumph and headed off to see the cool Drag Racing that will be going on at Fontana drag Way .

The Sun was out and so was I, I flew up the 57 freeway, then the 60 and then the 15 and then headed to Fontana, took me about 50 minutes and was great to see many Hot Rods and Customs lined up at the staging Lanes as I pulled into the event.

I have been going to this for 17 years, this was the 47th Annual Meet and a perfect day for racing.

Once I unloaded my back pack, I had my trusty camera in my hand and walked the Pits to see what we had this year, plenty of great Nostalgia vehicles all over the place, its like a candy shop for the eye, seeing peoples rides that they chose to drive up to this part of Southern California and have a go at hitting the loud pedal on the 1/4 mile drag strip.

People from all over had turned up, I spoke to a fella from Western Australia, and then saw a bunch of guys wearing Flying Norwegian’s tee Shirts, had a chin wag to them and they wanted to come and check the place out, as they had flown in to race at El Mirage Dry lake next week with their Belly Tank racer, which was stuck at Customs, awaiting clearance, so a Great Experience for them for the first time.

I never tire of this event and the reason is the weather is usually always good, the cars and bikes are fantastic to see, and also everybody is happy and wiling to talk to you about what they are up to and what their vehicle is etc. A totally cool event with a great vibe, fun for everybody in the family too.

The other thing I like about the Fontana track is that you get close to all the action of racing, you can sit in the grand stand or stand by the fire lane and watch along the fence, you can see, smell and hear the Vintage Flatheads or the Hilborn injected Hemi’s as they hit the Loud button when the lights change from double Orange to green.

The Pits are a great area to see people working on their cars etc, Heck you could even help sometimes, be it pass a wrench, push a car or jump right in and help on the Motor etc.

I did not do a car count this year as i was so immersed into the event of trying to at least capture some of the rides that were attending this great show, but a nice turn out none the less and am glad that i managed to make it out here to Fontana raceway, this is right next to the NASCAR track as whilst cars was were racing up the Drag strip, you could also hear the roar of a few V8’s on the Oval track getting some lap times in.

They also have a Go Kart track too that had a race on as well as drifting saloon cars too, so something for everyone and worth the trip up to these parts for sure.

If you are going to visit, I would make sure you take plenty of liquids, some good walking shoes and a hat, as the Sun can really bely down here, plus if you want to walk the whole track side, well you can as the pit area is huge and fun to take your time and have a look at all the vehicles that are there and, to the sound of screaming motors running beside you up the 1/4 mile is something to experience.

I saw my Fellow Compatriot ” Tony Thacker ” Walking about taking photos with Ryan of Hop Up magazine, always a great social event too, best place to catch up with friends and of course make new ones.

No attitudes, just all enthusiasts and a healthy fun vibe was felt all day. I have always dug the California lifestyle and even though I have been here 17 years, still feels like just a couple.

Below is a few sets of snaps that i took and you can look at your own time, many cool styles of cars and genre’s and I am sure at least something there to make you smile, you may not be able to smell the leaking 97’s, or feel the heat of the Fontana sun burning the back of your neck but, you can sit back with a can of your favorite suds and take in some of the cars that was at this super cool show.

Plenty to see whilst you are here and I loved it all, it is a relaxed atmosphere for racing and I have been to many race tracks over the years, if you want to just hang out and check things out at your own pace, what better than to come to this event, try and make it next year if you can and spread the word, the more, the merrier.

A Little bit of everything for everyone here in SoCal and I love the coupes, Roadsters, Sedans, Tudors and of course then theres the Gassers and Rails too.

I loved them all to be honest and already looking forward to next years event and hopefully can drive up in my Flathead powered 28 Roadster. Check out these rides below, just take a look at that Tri-Powered 4 banger Three Window Coupe. Really a rare machine these days and thats what I like about the Antique Nationals as there are so many Nostalgic rides here to look at close up.

So much cool Nostalgia to see, I was sure glad I had ridden up today to check this event out. I should of taken a few more but after a while, I simply forgot what car I had taken a pic of.

I am certain that you have a favorite amongst the snaps that I took on this Saturday and, if you can make it for next years event, I know you will be smiling all weekend. There is a constant running of motors, the sound of laughter and the announcer is pretty cool, letting you know who the driver is and what car he has brought to race etc. So look below as I have quite a few photos, but I wanted to share all I saw with you.

I took as many shots as I could until my battery ran low on the camera and hope that at least some of them grabbed your attention. The Branch Family ( Above )had a Blast too.

I know a lot to look at, so you can imaging how I felt walking around taking this all in again for another year, this seems to get bigger and better at every event and next year I hope to be driving up to the Drags in my 1928 Model A Roadster and join in with everyone.

I wish this was a two day event to be honest, then I could take my time and take it all in, time flies faster than some of the 1/4 milers when you are here but a full weekend would be a blast.

I am partial to Model A’s and loved this as it sat in the pits, great look to it.

Cool 28/29 Roadster with the 4 banger, how Nostalgic is that with 16 inch skinny Bias Ply Firestones and an angled windshield, gives this a Period look.

Body work is great, hope mine looks half as good when I remove my fenders this month and get a few miles under its belt.

39 Tear drops, louvered Rumble seat deck lid and Moon discs, set this apart for sure.

Now theres some money sat in a row, not often you see that right?

So, until Next year, Many thanks for taking your time to see what I got up to on Saturday at Fontana in Sunny Southern California.

Hot Rodding is a Passion all over the world

Posted on August 19, 2016January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

19 Aug

I have been into Hot Rods since I was a Teenager, I am originally from North london, but Mum and Dad moved more times than I care to remember, but, we lived on the ast coast in East Anglia for a number of years and that is where I got my real affection for Hot Rodding, we were close to numerous American Air Bases and I remember seeing a Model A Roadster and thought to myself,”Why would I want a Morris Minor, when I could drive something cool like that?”

You would think that I am just a small minority of people that would really dig the American lifestyle, especially the Vintage era too- But you would be so wrong, People all over the world are as nutty as Hot Rods and the lifestyle as me.

So today I thought that I would add some video’s that I enjoy and I am sure you will too.
Below is a video from Down Under and as I did live there for 4 years, wanted to add this fella’s place and its really cool too.

“The year is 1947, an ex-serviceman returns home to Southern California. His old ’32 Ford Roadster is removed from the shed, and the guts of a wrecked ’39 Mercury sedan are transplanted in, giving more power, braking and top speed, essential for the dry lakes racing career he will embark on. He outfits the motor with products from the growing speed equipment industries catalogues, and races his car against fellow car club members and the clock.

The car also serves as daily transport for him in the mild So Cal climate, the loud twin exhausts upsetting the locals still not used to the returned soldiers need for peacetime thrills. The era immediately following WW2 in Southern California was the time frame and inspiration for me to build an accurate recreation of a stripped down, dry lakes racing, late forties street roadster. Something of a time machine, so that a drive down the street or across the state could become a journey back sixty years.

Rancho Deluxe is my full time business, building traditional hotrod classics and components, and assembling period correct cars. The Rancho Deluxe roadster is my expression of a true Hot-Rod, a time machine back to when innovation was hand built, and the true test of man and machine was flat out across the Lakes”

-Ben Thomas
Owner of Rancho Deluxe
Melbourne/ Australia
ranchodeluxe.com.au/
The above article taken from:
Fuel Magazine Australia Issue No.4 fuelmagazine.bigcartel.com/product/fuel-magazine-issue-04
fuelzine.com
Check out another article on Ben Thomas:
mrblanc.com/ben-thomas-at-rancho-deluxe/
Director:
Tom Broadhurst
longwalkfilms.tv
Director of Photography:
Daniel De Silva
Assistant Camera Operators
Aaron Cuthbert
Tom Broadhurst
Editor/Color Grading
Daniel De Silva
Music
“Take the A Train by Bass, Bone, Blue”
Gemma Boyd
gemmaboyd.com
soundcloud.com/gemma-boyd

Rancho Deluxe from Long Walk Films on Vimeo.

Below is another bunch of Hot Rodders but this time it is in New Zealand, they have some serious machines and are as passionate about Nostalgia as I am.

Hot Rod Revue: Frankton Roadsters from Cal Thorley on Vimeo.

How about this awesome 1932 Roadster with a Riley Overhead valve conversion, piece of art I think, Love this Basso 32.

Next up is some cool vids of flattys.

MY Hot Rod Heroes

Posted on May 17, 2016January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

17 May

There is so many Iconic Builders, designers and owners or creators of Vintage Hot Rodding, it would take so many volumes to fill, but I am going to do a few of my own personal favourites of Hot Rod Royalty that inspired me when I was a kid and, 9000 miles away on a little Island you call Great Britain.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on Hot Rodding magazines in the UK in the late 1970’s and, living nearby all the old ww2 Bomber and Fighter Airfields, I felt a strange Euphora over WW2 American planes, Post war Belly tanks and of course Hot Rods.

I had my own 1932 Three window coupe in England and lived the American lifestyle and yearned to make that crossing to the United States and actually live my Dream, and here I am and live it every day.

So, one of my Early influences to this crazy Hot Rod fraternity was this Bloke- Dick Scritchfield.

THE DICK SCRITCHFIELD ERA
Dick Scritchfield has had a long and illustrious career in hot rodding. Yes, that’s right–career, being involved most of his adult life, both as professional (speed shop owner, the first NHRA Regional Rep, and Safety Safari participant, Associate Editor of Car Craft, and Advertising Manger at Rod & Custom), just to name a few, all the while actively participating as a hobbyist as well.

In 1944, as a lad of 14 living in Missouri, Dick purchased his first car, a ’29 Model A coupe, and was granted a valid driver’s license. Other cars would follow, with his first Deuce (a Sport Coupe) acquired in Washington, D.C., while he was stationed there as a drummer in the Navy, which he joined in 1948 (Dick is still a percussion instrument kind of guy). Dick went on to be stationed in Puerto Rico, where he cruised in another Deuce, this time a five-window, which was the only hot rod on the island. As Dick was one of those “hot rodders,” he was asked by the base brass to organize a drag race to keep the sports car guys (both enlisted and locals) from racing on the streets, where there had unfortunately been a few fatalities. Can you imagine for a moment that it was the sports car boys who were the ones they were trying to get off the streets? Dick eagerly complied, then promptly kicked some serious sporty car butt with his fender-free and channeled Deuce coupe. It was also while in Puerto Rico that Dick became a partner in a garage where he honed his bodyworking and painting skills during off-duty hours. He would later return to the island after his tour of duty, where he and his partner imported speed equipment from the States and performed engine swaps. However, as he was already an NHRA rep by this time, he returned to his new rodding career Stateside, moving to SoCal in ’56 to work at NHRA headquarters. One day Dick chanced to see a great looking yellow Deuce highboy roadster for sale in a gas station and acquired same forthwith. Now if you guessed it was Bob McGee’s roadster, you’re correct.

If the roadster had been both daily driver and race car to Bob, Dick added yet another element–movie and TV star. The “B” movie producers were always on the lookout for prop cars that screamed “HOT ROD!” and were willing to pay good money to rodders who wished to supplement their incomes by renting them to the studios, as evidenced by Norm Grabowski, Tommy Ivo, and numerous others. This concept wasn’t lost on seminal L.A. Roadsters member Dick, and soon the Deuce was involved in all kinds of socially inappropriate automotive hijinks on the silver screen. Dick, Tex Smith, Tony LaMesa, and other roadster owners decided a club dedicated to topless motoring would not only be fun, but give owners of such cars a responsible, public image as well. So, on one fateful Spring day in 1957 (A Sunday afternoon to be exact) the first formative meeting was held at Weiand Equipment Co., where Dick was voted President, and awarded membership card number one! His roadster went on to appear in such flicks as Hot Rod Gang, Hot Rod Rock, and other, more forgettable films as well. The now Scritchfield roadster (he owned it for some three and a half decades, 1956-90), also appeared on movie posters and lobby cards, album covers, and in many magazine how-to articles as well, making it one of the most visible public representations of the hot rod esthetic of its day. It also appeared on television shows like Dragnet, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, The Real McCoys, 77 Sunset Strip, and of all things, The Lawrence Welk Show, serving as a hot rod stage prop for the Lennon Sisters, which showed rodding’s more acceptable side to the “Geritol Generation.”

Over the years the ’32 was subject to many mechanical changes (flathead exchanged for 283 Chevy small-block, etc.) and cosmetic changes (first non experimental Metalflake paint job in 1960, which was the subject for a breakthrough article in Hot Rod, inspiring a young Jerry Weesner to do likewise with his own set of wheels, a ’48 Ford convertible). Dick would then build, with Dave Carpenter’s help, a 350cid small-block Chevy that would carry the roadster to a two-way average of 167.212 mph at Bonneville in 1971, with full street equipment. He not only set a record (C/STR) that would stand for a number of years, but the car was given the enviable title of The World’s Fastest Street Roadster as well. In a recent conversation with Dick (who now resides in Hawaii), he disclosed that he would drive the roadster on the street equipped just as it had run on the slat, so the title was both legitimate and well earned. And by the way, those over-the-frame headers that Dick ran and nobody could ever quite seem to identify, were Sanderson Chevy marine items turned upside down.

To backtrack just a scoach, in 1964 Scritch had it made, sharing a bachelor pad with fellow L.A. Roadsters’ member Sam Conrad, had a garage full of roadsters and parts, and a new position with his then employer, the Auto Club, where he had been transferred to the Claims Division. When our boy was introduced to his new secretary, one Marian Wilson, that was it–love at first sight! So what did our young couple drive on their honeymoon? If you guessed the Deuce, you’re still in the ballpark.

When Scritch finally retired to Hawaii around a decade ago, Marian restricted him to only taking some half-dozen vehicles with him. So, with all kinds of motorized transport to choose from, including a Deuce Phaeton he built while at Car Craft (and which he still regularly drives), the roadster was put on the block, as Hawaii still had those pesky fender laws (which varies from island to island), which had caused Bob McGee to sell the roadster all those many years before as well.

An Icon and always will be.

Photos taken from Internet from Rod & Custom, HAMB and google, please let us know any other credits so we can show the people who took these wonderful shots.

Pendine Sands Hot Rod Beach Time Trials 2015

Posted on July 9, 2015January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

09 Jul

I Many of you know me as the Cafe Racer guy, but- I am also a crazy Hot Rodder and have owned a 31 5 window A Bone, I had a 1932 3 Window Coupe and when I moved here to the States in 2000 I built a 1929 Model A on B rails.

But fast Forward to 2015 and they have the Time trials at Pendine Sands in Wales and boy what a turn out, over 100 Hot Rods and such warmth and Camaraderie, it will be hard to beat that anywhere around the globe, so below is just a sample of what went on via peoples photos.

I love the Traditional old style Hot Rod and hope to have another again soon.

But, Pendine sands back in the UK is a great piece of historical History that not many people know about.

So Below is a bunch of photos from people that made the 2015 Pendine Sands meet and boy are there some corkers there, you can feel the friendly atmosphere and sure wished I could of attended.

All shot on Canon 6D bodies and wide open Sigma 24mm and 50mm F1.4 Art Series and Canon 135mm F2 L lenses.

Post processing in Lightroom with VCSO filters.

— with Shaun Veness.

I cannot tell you how cool this is to see, I am 5000 miles away and this is such a great sight to set my mince pies on, look at all them cool rides.

Check out Harley Peters and his 4 Banger Roadster, built from scratch in 18 months and driven all the way there and back for the first time.

Just look at the great shots here, you cannot put a Date here as it is so Nostalgic, I love these photos as it really captures the era and the fun.

Just look at the beach dead flat and the view of all them Hot Rods is breath taking, someday I shall get home again to see this for myself.

Cruising along and listening to the V8’s, Flatties and 4 bangers must of been something to behold this weekend as you look through your Hallock windshield.

Be it a Convertible, A Speedster, a Roadster pick up or a 5 window Coupe, everyone was enjoying this great occasion.

How about this shot, A pick up, Tudor, 5 window coupe and Roadster, all henry’s finest on the sands.

Hot rods as far as the eye can see as they Blap along the Sands in formation, what a sight and what a sound I bet?

From Jalopy’s to Cal Customs, these machines were all enjoying their little bit of freedom together in one place.

Great Cloud formations shows it must of got a little windy at times and maybe some H2O but who would care as this was Hot Rod heaven.

below, this photo could of been taken right out of Hot Rod magazine back in the day, a Brilliant shot that’s for certain.

So many great rides and people here in Wales for this meet and boy were there some superb examples of the Hobby I still have such a passion for.

How cool is this shot Below, Looks Like a McCullough Blower set up with that awesome intake poking out of the Hoot, pure Hot Rodding.

Turtle Deck T Roadster sits on the beach I wonder what ed Iskendarian would think if he saw these photos, I will hopefully show these to him.

Gow Job- this is the old style that you never get to see very often and love the whole concept of this Roadster, Love the Hood sides.

I love this Right Hand drive Brit Roadster and the commercial lights, real Hot Rodding at its best, super job matey!

Cabriolet Looked wicked with old continental kit for front fenders, an old Hot Rod trick back in the day and Lakester style Headers too!

Dick Mann would be proud of this machine, altered gow job in all its glory.

I love seeing Girls in Hot Rods and this is a great shot, angled windshield as this Small Block gets it down the beach in no time.

I love the Wish bones and the Exhaust existing through the 32 rails.

Having owned a belly Tank this was such a cool sight to see and where many drop tanks ended up after the war.

Flag start- just how it used to be, nice shot here.

Really great old style photo with this geezer in all the cool Nostalgic gear, a really cool shot this.

BRAAAAAAPPP!!! I love this Three Window shot.

With hardly any vision in this chopped and channeled 5 Window this is how many Hot Rodders did it in the day.

Another Classic photo that could be in Hop Up or Hot Rod magazine, just a timeless shot.

Two of my mates below, 61 is Tim Sparks and behind is 74 Harley peters, they must of had a ball driving all the way here and back home too.

Going full tilt with no cops chasing you.

Love this 5 Window High Boy, doing what they did back in the day and, loving it I bet!

Talk about getting right into it, such a great photo of this fella giving it the beans as he leans into the Roadster.

This should be titled “The element of Speed”

So nice to see a few steel Pick ups out there too, something for everyone, but- I love them all.

Look at this 5 window, what a great stance, sheer determination as he changed gear mid track.

Just so many good rides out here and enjoyment for anyone that was lucky enough to witness this Classic Occasion in Wales.

I am sure everybody who drove on the beach will never forget this day as I don’t think I will looking at these great photos.

Below my mate Martin gives his A-Bone a good ringing out, he has owned this car for many years and love seeing this photo.

Roadster Pick up looks great as it Bimbles down the Beach in search of a fast time.

Super shot of the Closed cab and flatty powered, stepping on the loud pedal.

My Buddy Tin Sparks in his Navy Blue Roadster giving it a bit of welly down the straight away. Ive known him 3 decades.

1930 A Bone 5 window looks cool on the power.

This looks fast even standing still, so many cool machines here.

I call this the Buckland Special, they turn out awesome machines if you ever need one to be built.

Lovely unchopped Three Window Blapping along, love the Louvres.

I have spent a lot of time looking at these photos and love everything about it, what a great turn out too.

Ballsy move to take this Wickedly chopped 5 Window Custom out for a blap along the sand!

Hot Rodding at its very roots is right here in the shot, such a Nostalgic Photo and stoked he got the picture, I really dig this.

Love the A-Bone, giving it hell and just like they did over on the dry lakes at El Mirage back in the day! Brilliant A-V8 Roadster.

Just Spoilt for choice on all these shots, so glad he could capture the moment for those who couldn’t make the trip to Wales.

You have to love it all here at Pendine, and I know this event is only going to get bigger.

Super cool 5 Window A Bone on deuce Rails and nicely put together as well, the Rods all look really well built and I take my hat off to you all!

California Plated A-Bone looked great on the beach.

Gripping the Banjo Wheel as they get ready to flag start the time trial, and sure looks like fun to me.

This photo is right out of 1948 and could be at El Mirage or Harper’s dry lake, what a fantastic photograph!

The tirtle deck T reminds of my mate “Sinus” from the Shifters and another awesome shot.

One of the Sidewinders club members looking happy as he sits on the infamous Time trials beach at Pendine Sands.

Feels like I am reading early Hot Rod magazine with these shots and hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

On the Pedal hard as the A-Bone goes for his Goal on the flats of Pendine beach!

Well how about this Roadster? Fully fendered and gunning for a good time!

Sitting low to be more stream lined and a Classic photo here.

So cool to have a flag girl and we shall do it here at El Mirage one of these days as i hope to build another roadster.

OK- Enough of me Blubbering on, just scroll down to see some super cool Photos and video’s, great event and hope to get there one day.

Below: Harley Peters in his 4 Banger that he built himself testament to the younger lot who are into the Lifestyle, great job Harley.

The images are so Nostalgic and even though i was not there, it sure felt like i was, I am attaching all sorts of photos from other people that were there, that way you get to see everything about this Classic Event that one day i hope to visit and take to the beach and listen to the Flatheads roar!

Below – Harley Peters started his build 18 months ago with a Chassis and now is driving all over the place and made his maiden Voyage to Pendine.

here is Harley at Buckland where all the cool rides are now created back home in the UK.

Harley Peters and his hand built 4 Banger Roadster is really an superb Effort and ran like a top.

Big Matt Bolt sits in his machine and enjoys the fruits of his labor at this great beach meet at Pendine Sands.

Johnny Best and Tim Sparks Chew the fat.

FINALLY- A great shot of my mate Harley Peters, he built this A- Bone 4 Banger himself in Eighteen months and this was its maiden Voyage.

And it ran like a proverbial Top- Great Job mate.

Here is a bit I borrowed from the VHRA http://www.vhra.co.uk/VHRA/News/Entries/2015/7/7_Pendine_Speeds_2015.html

Here we have a Few Videos.

Below is some History and information you may like to know.

In the early 1900s the sands were used as a venue for car and motor cycle races. From 1922 the annual Welsh TT motor cycle event was held at Pendine Sands. The firm flat surface of the beach created a race track that was straighter and smoother than many major roads of the time. Motor Cycle magazine described the sands as “The finest natural speedway imaginable”.

In the 1920s it became clear that roads and race tracks were no longer adequate venues for attempts on the world land speed record. As record breaking speeds approached 150 mph (240 km/h), the requirements for acceleration to top speed before the measured mile and safe braking distance afterwards meant that a smooth, flat, straight surface of at least 5 miles (8.0 km) in length was needed. The first person to use Pendine Sands for a world land speed record attempt was Malcolm Campbell. On September 25, 1924 he set a world land speed record of 146.16 mph (235.22 km/h) on Pendine Sands in his Sunbeam 350HP car Blue Bird.

Four other record breaking runs were made on Pendine Sands between 1924 and 1927; two more by Campbell, and two by Welshman J. G. Parry-Thomas in his car Babs. The 150 mph (240 km/h) barrier was decisively broken, and Campbell raised the record to 174.22 mph (280.38 km/h) in February 1927 with his second Blue Bird.

On March 3, 1927 Parry-Thomas attempted to beat Campbell’s record. On his final run while travelling at about 170 mph (270 km/h) the exposed drive chain broke and partially decapitated him; Babs went out of control and rolled over. Parry-Thomas was the first driver to be killed during a world land speed record attempt. This was the final world land speed record attempt made at Pendine Sands.

Parry-Thomas’ car Babs was buried in the sand dunes near the village of Pendine. In 1969 Owen Wyn Owen, an engineering lecturer from Bangor Technical College, sought and received permission to excavate Babs. Over the next 15 years he restored the car, which is now housed in the Museum of Speed in Pendine village.

In 1933 Amy Johnson and her husband, Jim Mollison, took off from Pendine Sands in De Havilland DH.84 Dragon G-ACCV ‘Seafarer’ to fly non-stop to New York. Blown off course, they landed down-wind in the dark at Bridgeport, Connecticut after flying for 39 hours over a distance of 3,300 miles at an average speed of 85 mph, overshot, and were both seriously injured in the crash.

During the Second World War the Ministry of Defence acquired Pendine Sands and used it as a firing range. The beach is still owned by the Ministry of Defence; prominent signs warn of the dangers of unexploded munitions and public access is restricted. Monday to Friday part of the beach is closed off because of MOD operations.

In June 2000 Don Wales, grandson of Malcolm Campbell and nephew of Donald Campbell, set the United Kingdom electric land speed record at Pendine Sands in Bluebird Electric 2, achieving a speed of 137 mph (220 km/h).

Top Gear filmed a review as part of the fifth episode of their fourth season, and returned to film a second review for the first episode of the fifth season. Scrapheap Challenge used the beach as the venue for the challenge in Season 10, Episode 1, aired in 2008.

Today Pendine Sands is sometimes used as a stage in rally car events, although spectator access is limited for safety reasons. It is also a popular venue for kite buggying and homebuilt hovercraft.

Between 9 July 2004 and May 2010 all vehicles were banned from using Pendine due to safety concerns, however since May 2010 cars have again been allowed access.

Records Set at Pendine Sands

Date	Location	Driver	Driver Country	Vehicle	Power	Speed over 1 Km	Speed over 1 Mile	Comments
September 25, 1924	Pendine Sands, Wales	Sir Malcolm Campbell	Great Britain	350hp Sunbeam Blue Bird V-12	IC	146.15 mph (235.21 km/h)	146.16 mph (235.22 km/h)
July 21, 1925	Pendine Sands, Wales	Sir Malcolm Campbell	Great Britain	350hp Sunbeam Blue Bird V-12	IC	150.86 mph (242.79 km/h)	150.76 mph (242.62 km/h)	First person ever officially to go over, and set record in excess of 150 mph
April 27, 1926	Pendine Sands, Wales	J. G. Parry-Thomas	Great Britain	Higham-Thomas Special Babs 45 degree V-12	IC	169.29 mph (272.45 km/h)	168.07 mph (270.48 km/h)
April 28, 1926	Pendine Sands, Wales	J. G. Parry-Thomas	Great Britain	Higham-Thomas Special Babs 45 degree V-12	IC	171.01 mph (273.60 km/h)	170.62 mph (274.59 km/h)
February 4, 1927	Pendine Sands, Wales	Sir Malcolm Campbell	Great Britain	Campbell Napier Blue Bird Napier W-12 Cylinder	IC	174.88 mph (281.44 km/h)	174.22 mph (280.38 km/h)	Last record set in Europe

Records Set at Pendine Sands

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