A near 25,000-strong crowd of passionate enthusiasts descended on Stoneleigh Park for the motorsport-themed Race Retro show across the weekend of 20-22 February, 2026.
This year’s record attendance figures signalled the event’s continued recovery since facing significant post-pandemic and weather-related hurdles.
The increased footfall was matched by strong trade support, with industry heavyweights such as Stilo, Radical, HRX and Caterham reporting ‘brisk business’.
‘The great thing about Race Retro is that you can arrive without a licence, a medical, any gear, or even a car and find everything you need to be a motorsport competitor by the time you leave,’ said motorsport commentator and racing driver Alex Brundle of the event.
Inside the exhibition spaces, the show was headlined by the Hall of Fame that debuted in 2025. This year’s Martini Magic theme showcased a stunning lineup of race and rally machines wearing blue and red Martini colours, including Lancia’s 037 and Delta Integrale rally cars and LC2 Group C racer.
Race Retro also paid tribute to the 60th anniversary of the Ford GT40’s Le Mans triumph, 100 years since the first British Grand Prix at Brooklands and the 30th anniversary of the Mighty Minis motorsport series.
Another highlight was the Pride of the Paddock, where 20 competition cars vied for visitors’ votes. This year’s winner was Damien Bradley’s 1992 Subaru Legacy ‘Pikes Peak’, followed by Rory Clague’s Vauxhall Nova with Nishit Khambhaita’s 1971 Datsun 510 Deluxe rounding out the podium.
Away from the show halls, visitors witnessed more than 100 rally cars – including monstrous Group B machines – take on the event’s bespoke rally stages.
Iconic Auctioneers returned to host its official Race Retro auction, which proved successful despite some unfavourable weather. Split between collector and competition cars, plus automobilia and motorcycles, Iconic achieved over £7m in total sales.
The Collector Cars auction was led by a 1984 DeTomaso Pantera (£180,000), while the Competition Cars sale was topped by a Renault 5 Turbo Superproduction (£331,875). Other standout results included the £187,755 paid for a Subaru Impreza 22B and the £132,750 achieved by Richard Parry-Jones’ low-mileage Ford Escort RS Cosworth.
‘Once again, Race Retro upped the ante when it comes to delivering an event that encapsulates the entire motorsport movement,’ said show director Lee Masters. ‘Huge thanks to all the exhibitors, partners, racing and rally drivers, and visitors who continue to support the show and its growth.
Race Retro will return to Stoneleigh Park from 19-21 February 2027. Click here for more.
