RACE RETRO STARTS 2009 IN POLE POSITION

London, January 9, 2009: Race Retro, the international historic motorsport show, has started 2009 in pole position, with a new promoter, the return of H&H Auctions and some stunning cars secured for when it races into Stoneleigh Park from the 13th to 15th March.

The three-day show will pay tribute to all forms of motorsport, from the historic to the high-speed; from the rare to the retro. Visitors will see live racing, famous drivers and celebrity guests, as well as displays of racing cars and motorcycles, motorsport memorabilia and indoor bike trials.

The chosen marque for 2009 is the stunning Aston Martin, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of its 1959 World Sports Car Championship win. There will be a static display of the DBR1 and the amazing DBR9 LMGT1 representing the class wins at Le Mans 2008, as well as the V8GT Rally car, which will be in action on the Live Rally Stage with Rauno Aaltonen at the wheel.

There will also be a special tribute to the Mini, celebrating 50 years of success on the world motorsport stage, with six significant classic ex-works Minis on display alongside others from the Mini Cooper Register and other invited guests. Aaltonen will also drive his ex-works Monte Carlo Rally Mini Cooper S on the Live Rally Stage.

Another feature will be a tribute to the late Pat Moss-Carlsson, with a static display including the ex-works 1960 Healey 3000 which she drove to outright victory in Liege-Rome-Liege Rally and an ex-works Alpine A110 which she drove on the Monte Carlo Rally later in her career.

Other celebrity drivers confirmed so far include Paddy Hopkirk and Russell Brookes, who will be driving his championship-winning Andrews Heat for Hire sponsored cars on the Live Rally Stage, including the Opel Manta 400, Lotus Sunbeam, and Ford Sierra Cosworth.

Slowly Sideways GB is back, with over 20 genuine ex-works Group B rally cars tearing it up on the Live Rally Stage. These will include the Audi quattro S1, Ford RS200, MG Metro 6R4, Lancia 037 Rallye, Peugeot 205 Turbo 16, Renault R5 Maxi Turbo, Porsche RSR and an Opel Manta 400, as well as an impressive array of Ford Escorts. The organisers are also hoping to have the Ferrari 308 GTB Rallye in action alongside the impressive marques previously mentioned. The outdoor live action line-up will be completed with a demonstration from the popular Historic Kart Racing.

A first for Race Retro is the chance for visitors to get a taste for exhilaration themselves, as they have the opportunity to ride in a Caterham within Stoneleigh Park. For just £10, visitors will be taken around the circuit by a professional racing driver, as well as receiving a memento of their ride.

For those who prefer two-wheeled racers, there will be a tribute to 50 years of the Triumph Bonneville and racing Triumphs with an amazing display, including the spectacular "Texas Cee-Gar" streamliner, as well as other racing Bonnevilles and racing Triumph models.

The motorcycle live action will take place indoors, as the Pre-'65 Motorcycle Trial Demonstration returns to Race Retro. Including action from solos and sidecars, the course has been created by riders Mick Grant (seven-times winner of the Isle of Man TT and the Macau Grand Prix) and trials champion Neil Gaunt.

Mick and Neil will be joined by other celebrity riders, including Steve Parrish and Guy Martin. Steve became a professional motor cycle racer in 1976 at the age of 22, joining Barry Sheene in the Suzuki GP team. In 1978 and 1979 he clinched the British Motor Cycle Championships, joining Yamaha in 1980, before turning to truck racing in the 1980s.

Guy Martin currently races in the world-renowned British Superbike Championship on Honda's legendary Fireblade, a bike tuned to make over 200bhp and travel in excess of 200mph. He also competes - setting record lap times and winning - in other races, including the Isle of Man TT, the North West 200, and the Ulster and Macau Grands Prix.

The Ken Fox Troupe will be back performing on the Vintage Wall of Death and the Ace Café Racer Concours returns, along with trade stands offering spares, parts, tools, memorabilia, clothing and everything else you need for your motorsport collection.

If all this inspires you to invest in a competition car of your own, visit the H&H Classic and Historic Motorsport Auction, with entries including a 1954 Arnolt Bristol Bolide which is rumoured to have raced with the SCCA in the Oklahoma area during the 1960s, as well as the opportunity to conduct private car sales and test drives.

And if all that is not enough, the organisers have reduced adult ticket prices to just £20 for Friday and £15 for Saturday and Sunday when booking in advance and now offer free parking. Children's tickets on Friday are £5, but are then free all weekend. The show is open from 9.30am each day and closes at 5.30pm on Friday and Saturday and 4.30pm on Sunday. To book tickets and for the latest updates, please visit http://www.raceretro.com