Wednesday 16th May 2012

Cholmondeley Pageant of Power gears up for 2012

CPoP is back, and for 2012 it's bigger and better than ever

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Summer is on the way, and that means everyone's favourite motoring event based at a hard-to-pronounce stately home in the North West, the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power, is back.

And if it doesn't quite seem like a year since the last CPoP, that's because it isn't - the organisers have moved things forward a month in an effort to chase better weather, with this year's pageant taking place on 15-17 June. It seems that they've looked at rainfall averages over a number of previous years and found June to be a consistently drier month than July.

Which means that the 150 historic and modern racing cars and motorbikes taking to the 1.2-mile U-shaped sprint track in Cheshire should be bathed in summer sun...

What's new?
So aside from guaranteed sunshine, what else has CPoP got up its sleeve for this year? Well, new for 2012 is...

The 'Supercar class', entrants for which include: Lamborghini Aventador, BAC Mono Bentley Continental V8, BMW M5, Porsche 991, Vauxhall Maloo, Ferrari 458 Italia, Ariel Atom V8, Radical SR3 SL, Mercedes SLS AMG and Ford Transit SuperSportVan.

A 'Bond in Motion' exhibition in partnership with Beaulieu's National Motor Museum, celebrating 50 years of 007. Cars include the 'vanishing' Aston Martin V12 Vanquish from Die Another Day and a miraculously un-sawn-in-half Z8 from The World Is Not Enough.

A 50th anniversary tribute to the AC Cobra, with a special race class dedicated solely to the iconic Anglo-American sports car and a static display of Cobras.

Rockers Restaurant, an 'Ace Cafe away from home', which CPoP describes as 'recreating the iconic rock 'n' roll atmosphere for which the venue in Stonebridge, North London is famed'.

Visitors will also get the chance to take part in a Nissan/PS3 GT Academy 'Wild Card' event - many PlayStations, big screens, race seats and force-feedback steering wheels open to the public, and one winner per day will be put forward for the UK national final of GT Academy. The UK winner from 2011, Jann Mardenborough, now races in the Blancpain Endurance Series and will be at the Pageant throughout the weekend.

And don't forget...
All of which is on top of the usual CPoP fun, such as the dedicated rally stage, aerobatic displays (including the Breitling Wingwalkers), helicopter displays and flights (the largest private helicopter show in Europe), powerboat/hovercraft racing on the lakes, a fireworks concert on the Saturday, and the magnificent aero-engined cars for which CPoP is becoming renowned.

PHers go cheap!
Entry to the pageant is £30 on the door, but PHers can get in for £20 by quoting the code PHPT. The three-day ticket, which includes the Saturday fireworks concert, is £85 booked in advance, but £72 for PHers with the code PH3DT.

[Flat6]

Shame they picked the same weekend as LeMans..

[team will]

£10 it rains!

[swissstef]

Same weekend as Le Mans. Typical!

[anonymous-user]

I've never heard of this before!
Going now though as it is only an hour away Thanks for the heads up PH

[TvrJohn]

This is a must attend event for any PH'er

[White-Noise]

Not heard of this, is it the Northern version of the Festival of Speed?

[chevronb37]

It is vaguely akin to the FoS. More relaxed and informal though. It's a great event and well worth attending if you like fast cars - and bikes and helicopters and boats and tanks!

[sinbaddio]

Never been to FoS but with CPoP being less than ten miles away I've been every year and it just keeps getting better. It's truly a great day out, and lest we not forgot Chris Evans is using the venue for his CarFest North (all sold out apparently). The cars are awesome obviously but there is plenty more. Last year's helicopter agility test between the RAF, Army and Navy was incredible as are the military battle re-enactments using mobile bridges etc. The power boat racing is phenomenal too, real close battling and obviously not there just for show. See you there!

[myhandle]

http://images.pistonheads.com/nimg/25695/tn_cpopde...

Marvellous!

[pajsh]

Been to both FOS and CPOP.

FOS is polished, expensive, very well organised and you see the stars & the cars.

CPOP is rougher around edges, cheaper, slightly disorganised and you won't see the big cars or the big names.

CPOP for me is better as it's nearer, better value and more to see. I loved FOS though and will go again when I can afford to stay for 3 days.

It's a great day out and getting better every year.

[Fluffsri]

White-Noise said:

Not heard of this, is it the Northern version of the Festival of Speed?

Its like the FoS used to be

[Mark Smith]

White-Noise said:

Not heard of this, is it the Northern version of the Festival of Speed?

Yes it's a Northern take on it. It's getting bigger and better every year. I was one of the marshals there last year and got absolutely soaked on the sunday. I hope this years pageant is a dry affair. I'll be there doing my bit with the rest of the orange brigade on the friday and sunday.

[Straff99]

I don't think the rally stage will be happening this year...

[anonymous-user]

Straff99 said:

I don't think the rally stage will be happening this year...

Why not?

[LukeSi]

o0 great, tickets ordered glad I waited. PH parking in the same area again this year?

[Gorbyrev]

That airborne Chevette has to be a candidate for POTW Riggers!

[syuile75]

Shame it's the same weekend as Le Mans as I would definatly go as only live up the road. Oh week, will have to stick with Le Mans and Goodwood FOS this year.

[anonymous-user]

Just ordered my tickets for the Sunday

[Court Jester]

Is there a dedicated PH parking area this year? If so does anyone know if it is it in the same place as last year, with trackside view please???

It was a great event last year although the PH car park did seem v empty.

[CraigMST]

Absolutely pissed down last year and me and the misses weren't wearing wellies
Not a bad event. I'd say it is worth the £20 for the day. If it was £50 for the day I wouldn't bother tho.
Parked on the grass last year with the rest of the other general public. Was ok.
Last year there was a Veyron, Superleggera, Gallardo, Miura, Jaguar XKR-S parked up in the middle of nowhere to mooch around (locked), 458, 599, in the Ferrari enclosure and then not to forget the paddock area with owners of such cars as the Gallardo Performante, McLaren MP4-12C, varied classics and heavily modified cars all revving their engines making the rain seem distant.
I'd like to see an F40, Zonda, Aventador etc etc hypercars there this year. Can't see it happening but would be nice