BARC - The British Automobile Racing Club Audio News and Interviews

Ben Taylor - BARC Group CEO - Thruxton Retro Preview 20th - 22nd June 2025

·12 min·1 clip

Ben Taylor reveals how Thruxton invented 'Superfunk,' a 70s music festival, to attract a new audience to its historic racing weekend.

The episode features an interview with Ben Taylor, Group CEO of the British Automobile Racing Club (BARC), focusing on the upcoming Thruxton Retro event scheduled for June 20-22, 2025. Taylor begins by explaining the origin of the event's 'Superfunk' theme, a 70s-inspired music concept created to appeal to a new audience. He details that the core racing content remains the Thruxton Historic meeting, featuring quality historic cars, but attendance has been low. To address this, BARC decided to transform the weekend into a festival by adding music, a fairground, child's entertainment, and other attractions. Taylor emphasizes the importance of diversifying beyond the six annual race meetings, noting that events like the truck meeting have grown successfully. He discusses the need to create experiences for spectators who may not be hardcore motorsport fans, comparing it to attending horse racing or cricket for the social atmosphere. Pricing is highlighted, with weekend tickets at £60 and day tickets starting at £15, aimed at making it accessible for families. Activities include a track day run by Chris Harris on Friday, bands like Earth, Wind for Hire and Moonrider, a Dolly Parton tribute act on Sunday, and features such as a silent disco, beer tent, street food, and car painting. Taylor reveals that this inaugural year is not expected to be profitable, with the goal being to establish a positive experience for attendees to build upon. He expresses uncertainty about crowd projections, comparing it to the typical motorsport sales process where tickets often sell last-minute based on weather. The interview concludes with Taylor exploring the future potential of using Thruxton's 500-acre site for standalone festivals, though current planning permission only allows music alongside racing events. He notes the venue's advantages, including existing infrastructure like power, water, and parking, which reduce environmental impact compared to temporary festival sites.

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