Derbyshire Dales at Car Club Fest - Silverware Comes Home

Well, what a weekend. The TR Register's big new event, Car Club Fest, took over the Three Counties Showground at Malvern from 14-16 August, and the Derbyshire Dales Group was there in good numbers to fly the flag.

The headline news for us: huge congratulations to Jim & Chris, who came away with the Pride of Ownership CTM Trophy for their TR6. Anyone who has seen the car up close knows the standard they set, and it's brilliant to see that dedication recognised on the national stage. In Jim & Chris's own words: "Good Car Fest weekend. Thanks to all for the support and good wishes." Thoroughly deserved, both of you.

The timing could hardly have been better. The inaugural Car Club Fest paused to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of TR6 production, with special commemorative track parades honouring the model's heritage and a dedicated TR timeline display bringing together restored and modified TR6s - a proper tribute to the last separate-chassis sports car Triumph built. To take the Pride of Ownership trophy in a TR6, in the TR6's golden anniversary year, is a lovely bit of symmetry.

Built around the theme "Stronger Together", the event brought multiple car clubs together, and it showed. The Club Zone with its live-action arena, interviews and presentations gave everyone plenty to talk about, the Trade Zone kept everyone happily occupied between the autojumble stalls and all sorts of other pitches, and the Motorsport Zone served up AutoSolo, AutoTest and CarKhana action all weekend for those who like their Triumphs sideways.

Add live music, food and drink, evening entertainment and on-site camping, and it felt far more like a proper summer festival than a traditional car show.

But as ever, the best bit was the company. Plenty of Derbyshire Dales members made the trip down and the mood in our corner of the field was exactly what you'd hope for - cars polished, kettles on, stories swapped, and a lot of laughing. A big thank you to everyone who came along, supported Jim & Chris, and helped make the Dales presence felt.