100 Years of Bentley at the Le Mans Classic
May 8, 2023
We’ve covered Le Mans here at Car & Classic before, all 24 glorious hours of it. It’s the oldest sports car endurance race in the world and one of the highlights of the motorsport calendar ever since its inception a century ago. Well, there’s another event that’s held at the Circuit de la Sarthe that to us at least is even better, and that’s the Le Mans Classic. Without getting into the semantics and correct usage of the word ‘biannual’ the Classic is held once every two years and this year is a rather special one.
2023 doesn’t just mark an important anniversary for the 24 hour race, it also marks a significant period of time for Bentley, too as it will be the centennial of Bentley Motors founder W. O. Bentley’s participation in the very first 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1923. It’s no secret that Bentley’s early history was greatly influenced by this historic race. From those first forays and winning in 1924 to its last victory with the Speed 8 in 2003 and beyond the two have been closely associated since day one.
Car & Classic’s Tom Wood with his very own Bentley 3/4½ Litre
As part of these centennial celebrations, and in a nod back to those early years of racing in France, Benjafield’s Racing Club has teamed up with prestigious race events organiser Peter Auto who together are bringing a whopping 75 vintage Bentleys to the starting Grid at the Le Mans Classic in July this year, one of which will be our very own Tom Wood’s Bentley 3/4½ Litre, with the man himself at the helm. To say we’re honoured and excited to be involved would probably be the biggest understatement to ever be understated in the history of understating things.
The original Bentley Boys, courtesy of Bentley
Benjafield’s Racing Club was formed by a small group of Bentley racers spearheaded by former fighter pilot Vaughan Davis with the collective spirit of the original Bentley Boys coursing through their veins. Taking inspiration from that infamous close-knit group of extraordinary playboys, racers and adventurers whose passion for driving during the 1920s and ’30s was unmatched and whose influence and legacy can still be felt today, the BRC, which is dedicated to all forms of competitive motorsport, continues to honour that rich heritage in order to help preserve the spirit of camaraderie and sportsmanship which inspired J. D. Benjafield and the great racing team for which he drove. The club itself is named after ‘Benjy’, who was once toasted by W.O. Bentley himself as “the first of the ‘Bentley Boys’, a grand and most reliable of drivers.” A fitting epithet then.
DR J.D. ‘Benjy’ Benjafield, courtesy of Bentley.
And the club is bringing that spirit to the Le Mans Classic this year with those aforementioned 75 vintage Bentleys coming together from the UK, Europe and even the United Sates, Canada and South America to convene at the famous starting grid at the Circuit de la Sarthe, including Monsieur Wood and his Bentley 3/4½ Litre. We live and breathe classics here. We buy them, sell them, modify them, drive them and race them and this is just another example of that passion which we share with all of you like-minded enthusiasts.
Other entrants include a whole host of 3 Litre, 4½ Litre and Speed Six Team Cars that actually raced at Le Mans between 1923 and 1930 amassing a total of five victories between them. It’s a varied pack that will adhere to a race program of qualifying on Friday the 30th of June with the actual race taking part on the following afternoon. Bentley itself will also be parading its continuation series Blower Zero at this year’s Classic too, a car we have covered in detail, so if you’re a fan of the marque then this is definitely the event for you.
Benjafield’s is raising funds for UK Sepsis research charity FEAT in order to further honour the Bentley Boys, specifically Sir Henry “Tim” Birkin who tragically died from the disease at the tender age of 36. Sir Henry took the win at Le Mans in 1929 driving a Speed Six but sadly succumbed to sepsis after burning himself on the exhaust pipe of his Maserati 8C at the Tripoli Grand Prix in 1933. He was searching for a cigarette lighter during a pitstop. Grand Prix races were very different back then.
It’s a fitting tribute to both Le Mans, Bentley and indeed, its boys, so join us for an action packed weekend of classic and vintage racing. We’ll be fully documenting the proceedings for both the Car & Classic Magazine and YouTube channel so even if you’re unable to be there in person you can still catch up with all the celebrations.
