The Bentley Boys Are Back In Town

We’ve said it before and we’ll no doubt say it again, we live and breathe classics here. Car & Classic may well be the world’s largest classic marketplace but we don’t just provide a platform to buy and sell, far from it. We’re enthusiasts, unashamedly obsessed with classic cars, bikes, trucks and everything in between and so when the opportunity arose to be a part of Benjafield’s Racing Club‘s centennial celebrations at the Le Mans Classic this year as honorary Bentley Boys, well, we jumped at the chance. Who wouldn’t?!

In a bona fide bucket list adventure we travelled to the Circuit de la Sarthe earlier this summer to support our very own Tom Wood as he raced his Bentley 3/4½ Litre alongside over 70 other pre-war models at the event. Making up this remarkable group were various 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, and to say it was an extraordinary experience would be a gross understatement. We went full send both on the track and at the bar, embodying that true Bentley Boys spirit of camaraderie, fast driving and hard partying and boy what a weekend it was!

We arrived at the paddock on Friday morning to find Tom and his Bentley (car number 71) amid a furore of some last minute fettling after passing scrutineering the day before (as well as some much welcome expertise and a helping hand from the one and only Ivan Dutton prior to even leaving for France) and it was all hands on deck to get the car properly prepped and ready for qualifying. With the all-important camera mounts fitted and everything given a final check over we headed out, en masse, to line up pre-grid at the track with the rest of the group amid a howl of Bentley engines, cheers, whistles and the requisite celebratory honking of horns.

It was at this point that the gravity of the undertaking we were embarking on began to sink in and we truly realised how important Bentley still is at this hallowed ground and how popular these cars remain and how the spirit of the the Bentley Boys still holds so much weight among fans as they lined up in their droves to send us on our way to the starting line for qualifying. To see so many of these wonderful machines in convoy was a sight to behold and to actually be a part of it is something that will stick with us forever.

In typical fashion, however (some would call it sod’s law), our car wasn’t performing at its best for its first foray on track. Having finished the practice session way down in 60th place due to a suspected magneto issue we immediately set about attempting to get to the root of the problem before racing proper the next day. Looking back now we can see this post practice paddock period as a Rocky style training montage as we frantically tooled and tested on the old girl to get her back to full power. Day to day, believe it or not, the car is used as a family wagon (and yes, it does have Isofix in the back for the kids in case you were wondering) and so it has never really been used in anger on a race track before.

We weren’t the only ones with mechanical gremlins…

The Getleys heading out to Le Mans centre

With the car in safe (ish) hands, a few of us at least were able to turn our attention to the other racers involved and we had a chance to catch up with some of the competition. Not only was Ewen Getley of vintage Bentley specialists Kingsbury Racing representing on the day (driving in not one, but three races) but his two daughters, Bentley Girls Anna and Louisa were also piloting their very own 1924 3-Litre (now a 4½) and the familial rivalry was in full swing. It hadn’t come to blows just yet though.

It was in at the deep end for Peter having never driven at Le Mans until the very day of the race

Veteran vintage racer Julian embodies the original Bentley Boys spirit

Amongst others we also spoke to Peter Batty who had never even driven his Dad Christopher’s yellow 3 Litre VDP Tourer on track before qualifying that very morning, despite being a regular visitor in the car to the Classic. Veteran Bentley racer Julian Grimwade, who was competing in his stock 4½ Litre Le Mans Bobtail, was on hand, too to regale us with tales of racing these trucks, telling us you should never buy a car as an investment but because you want it and you want to use it. Well said. Whomever we chatted to, however, the main take away from all the banter was the complete and distinct lack of pretence. Everyone had their own unique story to tell but were all united in a common love for the Bentley marque and the pure joy of actually using and driving these cars, all of which combined to create a truly convivial atmosphere.

With plenty of new friends made it was then time for a change of scenery as all of the cars headed off in convoy for a celebratory parade into old town Le Mans, parking up in the imposing but really rather stunning shadow of the 14th Century Cathédrale Saint-Julien du Mans in the centre of the city. At least that’s what we were supposed to do. Unfortunately we had been a bit naughty and parked our support van where we shouldn’t have. It turns out you can park a pre-war Bentley pretty much anywhere you like at the Circuit de la Sarthe but when it comes to a huge great Mercedes Sprinter on UK plates, not so much. To cut a long story a tad less long it was towed, and we had absolutely no idea where to.

After some sleuthing, as well crossing the correct palm with the prerequisite amount of silver, the narrator of this particular tale was subsequently scootered to the undisclosed secure location, closely followed by our Bentley, packed to the rafters with the team so that we could reclaim our van (and the Bentley’s rear seats and spare magnetos!). For anyone who says a pre-war Bentley 3/4½ Litre is not a practical car can get in the sea because after dismantling a metal fence in order to liberate our van from its enforced incarceration due to the lack of an actual key to said enclosure (our very own storming of the Bastille) we then piled back in the vintage racer (all seven of us!) and headed off into town.

Fortunately we weren’t the only ones to turn up late to the parade as we had unwillingly led a handful of other Bentley Boys and girls to the penitentiary for poorly parked vans, with them falsely presuming that we were leading the convoy! After apologising profusely we finally made it to the Cathedral, and to see all of the Bentley’s assembled at such a visually arresting location was glorious. Drinks were served as we regaled the mob with tales of our adventures before heading back to the circuit, doing the rounds at various bars and eateries where crowds would swarm around the car like bees to honey. It then came time to retire the Bentley for the night at the paddock and head back out on foot to revel in the party atmosphere that is the Le Mans Classic after dark.

Before we knew it (and maybe with a slight hangover) race day was upon us and the first order of the day, naturally, was to check the car over again to ensure the fluids were still safely contained, that the electricity hadn’t fallen out overnight and get it all running perfectly for the main event. As it turns out the carbs weren’t set up for enough fuel at 3000+RPM on the Mulsanne straight so it ended up sputtering and banging its way around the track under fuelling. We fixed it by freeing up the choke mechanism and then Tom used that to richen it up on the straights. We also gave the mags a little balance as they were slightly out of phase. All that resulted in much better performance.

It was at this point in proceedings that we had a rather special visit to our little corner of the Benjafield’s paddock as five time Le Mans 24 Hour winner and general racing legend Derek Bell popped in to have a chat. You can’t make this stuff up.

As gracious and accommodating as always Mr Bell MBE was kind enough to offer some advice to our Tom – after all, he does know a thing or two about the sport and Le Mans specifically, having picked up a few trophies along the way… As is par for the course, when an opportunity like this arises you make the most of it so we apologise to everyone for delaying the driver’s briefing before the race due to our in depth discussions with the man. We could have talked to him all day!

With the briefing done and dusted the cars all headed back to the track to line up on grid for a proper, historic Le Mans start whereby at the drop of the flag the drivers have to run to their respective cars before setting off like scalded cats. We set up camp in the pits with our driver board and trusty tool kit and waited with baited breath for the start of the race. Again, for anyone that thinks these cars aren’t hardy buggers, the fact that only two cars out of the whole bunch didn’t finish the race should be more than proof enough. Don’t forget these Bentleys were all manufactured between 1922 and 1931!

The atmosphere was palpable as we waited for the flag to drop and an eerie calm had descended upon the track before the storm of over 70 thunderous Bentley engines all of a sudden roared into life. Before we knew it it was time for the mandatory 60 second pit stop and so the board went up to call our car in. A brief check of the knock off wheel nuts and a quick chat with driver Tom were all that was required and we were soon back in the thick of it. Make no mistake, this wasn’t a sedate parade lap. Oh no, this was proper racing and seeing Tom exiting a corner sideways at full beans and going on to make up 23 places over the course of just six laps was testament to that fact. The spirit of historic racing was respected at all times but these guys were really driving and it was beautiful.

As the chequered flag descended on a frankly legendary race – with our car securing the 37th spot following an excellent drive by Mr Wood – we collected our precision tools and headed back to the paddock in high spirits. We could now kick back, relax and enjoy the rest of the day knowing that we had accomplished something incredibly special indeed. As far as tick boxes go, this was a big one. There was a collective ‘pinch yourself’ moment as we discussed how the race went and reflected on what had just transpired as well as waxing lyrical about what the final standings could have looked like had we had a correctly set up car for qualifying.

The icing on the cake arrived in the form of Mr Derek Bell who popped in again to catch up and ask us how it all went. He didn’t have to do that but that’s just the kind of guy he is. We now understand why German racing driver Hans-Joachim Stuck describes him as one of the nicest and most liked drivers of his generation. Hear hear! Herr Stuck, hear hear!

As the sun went down on the Benjafield’s paddock and so too on car number 71 we retired into the inner sanctum of the Circuit de la Sarthe to pick up where we left off the night before and bask in the collective, historic glow of Bentley at Le Mans as well as our our own stellar efforts over the course of the last two days.

The sheer amount of respect that this brand and these cars command here is both fascinating and uplifting, especially when you’re privileged enough to be a small part of it all. Despite the incredible breadth and volume of classics displayed here very few cars have such an alluring effect as a pre-war Bentley. Any other car at any other track couldn’t hold a candle to a pre-war Bentley at Le Mans. What started for W. O. Bentley as one man’s passion has flowered beautifully into an illustrious and esteemed legacy that continues to flourish and will live on forever in the hearts and minds of car fans the world over, thanks in no small part to the Bentley Boys themselves.

Here’s to the Bentley Boys – cheers to a job well done

It just so happens that we captured the entire weekend on film for you lovely lot so you can enjoy the full experience for yourselves. Head over to our YouTube channel now to see the results, suffice to say we’re particularly proud of this one and we’re pretty sure the original Bentley Boys would be too.