THE OFFICIAL ALFA ROMEO OWNERS CLUB EAST MIDLANDS NEWSLETTER ■ Feb/March 2018 ■ Issue 206 Coming up ... Springtime Action Writing this coming out of our Section’s winter Talking of which have you March Meeting Night break of sorts, wow have we got a lot coming up! been on the main club George & Dragon, Thringstone Things start at the George & Dragon in Thringstone website to register for your with the last of our ‘indoor’ meetings of the winter chance to win a pair of free Wednesday 14 March, 7.30pm on 14 March where Viv Stephens will be giving us tickets to the meeting? As well as our usual natter about all things Alfa an informal talk on some fascinating Alfa stuff. No This is one of the key and a look ahead to the fun coming this year, games or quizzes this time. On 23 March club reasons us on the Club board decided to sponsor we’ve roped in Viv Stephens (vehicle design regular Graham Whiteside has used his contacts at the team, i.e. for the benefit of Club members, not engineer extraordinaire) to talk about various Rolls Royce to get us in on a special visit to the just advertising. things including his recent 3 day visit to the company’s Heritage Exhibition in Derby. See page 2 There’s no let-up in May either, with the big fabulous Alfa Museo Storico near Milano, which for more on that but it should be excellent - we still Spring Italian Car Day at Brooklands on Saturday included an amazing exhibition of the glorious have places left. the 5th and the Donington Historic Festival on the Alfa T33 endurance racing cars. Next month we will have more on the many and 6th. With all this outside stuff now's a good time to varied April activities. On the 13th we are returning buy a new Alfa jacket and/or fleece I think. Happily to the Curborough Circuit for a fantastic low-cost Danielle has got fresh stocks in at the Club shop! and low-pressure track day - Brian Smith is pictured For the summer, the calendar is as packed as above there in full flight in his 4C Spider. We’re tight ever too. A key one of course is our big event, on numbers now, but let me know if interested, and MITCAR, At time of writing we’re in negotiation with spectators are welcome. After that we’ve got the another new venue which will be number 18. With first BIG outdoor Alfa gathering of the year - well, all of the racing action this year we’re aiming for a after our ‘outdoor’ meeting at the G&D on the 11th. more relaxed day for people, a traditional summer On Sunday 22 April it’s AROC Spring Alfa Day at the picnic in beautiful parkland surroundings, which Imperial War Museum, Duxford. That’s always a was the original ideal way back in 2001. The goal is firm favourite venue with over 500 Alfa Romeos to have it all ready to be announced in March. With expected among brilliant aircraft exhibition halls so much on available dates are tight so we might be and hangars. Then on 29 April we’re at Donington at the mercy of August bank holiday weekend Park to cheer on Rob Austin racing the AROC weather! I’m sure we can cope. sponsored Alfa Romeo Giulietta in the British I hope you’ll be able to attend a lot of these Rolls Royce Exhibition Touring Car Championship. That should be brilliant gatherings and get the most from L&CD Centre, Wilmore Rd, Derby fun - the car looks terrific too as you can see inside. your Club membership. Cheers! John Friday 23 March from 5pm A special guided tour looking at the history of Alfisti is originated by the world famous company at its LDC site in Derby. It covers Rolls Royce’s earliest John Griffiths beginnings through to its leading-edge AROC East Midlands Section Secretary technology of today; cars, aero engines and a 0774 8881317 lot more. See more info on page 2. Visit will end around 7pm and we will then go for a pub Email: [email protected] meal. Spaces are limited so please contact John asap to book. See our website for all the latest . AROC-UK.com/EastMids Alfisti is sponsored by @AROCeastmids Superb GTAm captured by Matt Cox at Bicester in Jan. Coming up . Gazetta News Snippets Date Activity Monthly Meeting at The George & Dragon in Thringstone. Wednesday 14 Some extra entertainment is being planned for this one, hopefully March 2018 not involving clearing snow off our cars like we had to in December! from 7:30pm Viv Stephens will be doing an informal talk about a recent trip to a special Alfa exhibition in Italy. It should be a very enjoyable evening. Visit to Rolls Royce Heritage Exhibition. A special guided tour Friday 23 looking at the history of the world famous company, from its March 2018 earliest beginnings through to its leading-edge technology of today. from 5pm. This is not something general public would get to see! Spaces are limited—please contact John to book. (See panel below.) TRIUMPH FACTORY TOUR IS ON Monthly Meeting at The George & Dragon in Thringstone. It’s the Friday 1 June at 12:00 is the time. We will Wednesday 11 first light evening of the year, but bring a brolly in case. Our local start with Tea/Coffee and biscuits, then a April 2018 from Autoglym franchise will be in attendance with bargains galore! We 90 minute tour seeing the fascinating 7pm had around 45 Alfas along last April for a super evening. Bring a factory in action, followed by a tour around brolly in case and wrap up warm! the new and extensive visitors centre, This is a very special group opportunity and Curborough Circuit Experience – Our Section take on the limited to 15 Club members only. Cost is challenges of this tight and twisting circuit – the Nurburgring of the £18 payable all in advance to John. You Friday 13 April Midlands. £30 non-returnable deposit required to book your car’s can get your name on the list NOW. 2018 from place. Please contact John. Overall hire cost will be divided by all Our last visit was way back in 2005, will be 9:45am drivers who take to the track. Spectators are free. Cost should be very interesting to see what’s changed, in the region of £69 each. A FEW SPACES LEFT. AROC Spring Alfa Day at Imperial War Museum, Duxford (Cambs) Our Section convoy, will meet at the A14 services (McDonalds) near Sunday 22 April Rothwell (J4) to depart at around 8.30am. 2018 Advance discount tickets will be available for members via the main AROC website; aroc-uk.com BTCC Donington Park - Watch the HMS Racing Alfa Romeo Giulietta, as sponsored by AROC! Arrangements are still being Sunday 29 April made around a Club presence at the circuit (i.e. potential special 2018 parking area), but we should know more for next time. More details in the Next Alfisti but it’s one for the diary for certain. Donington Historic Festival - Features Alfa Romeos racing in various classes plus LOADS of glorious Classic racing cars. Special AROC Sunday 6 May infield parking and display area on all days of the event (Friday 28 2018 – Sunday 30). Special AROC “2 for 1 in 1 car” ticket discount code available - see Club Forum and aroc-uk.com Register by 20 April. NEW FUN CONCOURS TROPHY This super new foot-high trophy has been hand-crafted by Club member Steve Weston. It’s sold wood carved into a beautiful Alfa ‘Scudetto’ shield, with a Rolls Royce Exhibition Visit special inlayed mirror. A genuine work of Friday 23 March (5pm - 7.30pm) art! It will be awarded to the winner of our annual Fun Concours contest in June, as chosen by public vote on the night. We last had a visit to the Rolls Royce Heritage Trust in (Winner will keep for a year, it will be fitted Derby back in 2014. It was a really enjoyable morning with a nameplate on the reverse, then with loads to see, That main centre is still undergoing an replaced by a version to keep forever.) extensive refurbishment, however, there is a special Now we need to come up with a name! exhibition at The Learning and Development Centre (LDC) and our inside man at Rolls Royce, Graham Whiteside, has got us in for a very special guided tour, led by one of the trust’s veteran volunteers. Our group will meet at LDC site from 5 to 5.30pm, ready for a tour of the special display which will end by around 7pm. Following on from that we will move to a relatively near by pub for an evening meal and/or drinks. NUMBERS ARE LMITED to 20 in total, so if you’d like to go please email me asap. John Our Section raised £400 for Macmillan Cancer Support at our New Year Meal raffle. Just tremendous! Thanks to We have stacks more exciting things to come this year - visits, navigational runs, Karting, convoy runs to big everyone for their generous prize events, including of course MITCAR which is still being organised for this year…. All will be in Alfisti, on our donations and to everyone who bought Website and details will be emailed to members too. tickets on the night. (We received a very nice thank you letter from the charity.) The Small Print: Alfisti is the newsletter of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club UK East Midlands Section.