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This page: A look back at the 2009 Pageant of Power preview day, and 150 photos taken at the main event.

2009 Pageant of Power - Preview and the main event.

A preview day for press & media was held on Friday 17th April, and a number of delectable motor-cars were displayed outside the castle. Following speeches from Lord Cholmondeley, the car's did a number of demonstration runs around the circuit used during the Pageant of Power. Heading this display was a Bentley Speed 8, one of several cars provided by event sponsor Bentley Motors Ltd. The Speed 8 completed two demonstration laps, and then it was the turn of some other historic motor-cars to show what they were made of. Included in the rapid demonstration runs were the Bentley Motors' 1929 4.5 Litre supercharged Bentley, a 1939 V12 Lagonda, ex-BTCC BMW M3, Lister Jaguar, two ex-works Audi Quattros, ex-Jackie Stewart E-Type Jaguar, Austin Healey 100S, Lada rally car, Mercedes Benz 300SL, Metro 6R4, Chevy Malibu and even a Triumph sidecar racer. Following on from the motor-car action, a Squirrel helicopter (ZJ270) from the Defence Helicopter Flying School demonstrated the manoeuvrability of this type, before heading back home to RAF Shawbury.

Below are some images from the 2009 Preview Day, click the thumbnails to see larger versions.

Pageant of Power 2009.

2009 saw the second hosting of this speed event, held in the grounds of Cholmondeley Castle in Cheshire. "Pageant of Power" sums up the event well, given the variety of displays and vehicles that took part this year. In addition to the racing activities on the track, added interest came courtesy of the airborne activities (helicopters and air displays), demonstrations of military hardware thanks to the Army, and the nautical goings-on over at the mere. However as this is essentially a motoring site, the majority of photographs featured here will concentrate on the two- and four-wheeled action that took place over the weekend.

As with the inaugural event of 2008, the weather at the 2009 Pageant of Power was less than perfect, especially on the Sunday. Despite this, the on-track action battled through despite the heavens opening on a number of occasions. There were some layout changes compared to the previous year, principally the inclusion of a separate paddock area, accessible to those with paddock enclosure tickets only, and a new pedestrian footbridge, much improving access to the trade area from the paddock.

Below are some of the photographs I took at the '09 Pageant - my thanks to David K from whose collection I sourced a number of the images. The featured marque this year was Bugatti, so I've grouped the images into two lots - the Bugattis, and then the remainder of cars, motorcycles and other vehicles seen over the weekend. In all there 150 photographs on this page, which hopefully go some way in summing up the Pageant of Power for 2009.

Click here to return to the main Pageant of Power page.

1. Pageant of Power - Bugatti.

Bugattis both old and new featured, including the latest Veyron which did a number of demonstration runs. However it was the pre-war Ettore masterpieces that really caught my eye. Models seen over the weekend included Type 35, Brescia, Type 40, Type 39, Royale (re-creation), and Type 57 Atalante.

2. Pageant of Power - Other cars, motorcycles & displays.

The Pageant was more than just a display of Bugattis, as the following pictures will demonstrate. Highlights for me were ERA R14B of Donald Day, the re-created Lancia Ferrari D50 driven by Willie Green, the Lotus BRM Elan, an AC Aceca spotted on a club stand, and the two preserved transporters - formerly the property of BRM and Tyrrell, parked away behind the Hall & Hall stand. The Napier Bentley was entertaining as always, so too was the ex-Malcolm Wilson Mk2 Escort, although perhaps the most spirited drives of all came courtesy of Justin Law (Lister Jaguar prototype) and Jason Minshaw (ex-BTCC BMW M3).