Editor's note: Those crazy Brits. They drive on the wrong side of the road. They refer to a hood as a bonnet and the trunk as a boot. And don't even get us started on Tony Blair. But Simon Cooke knows the score. He hardly ever eats bangers and mash, and he took down his Baby Spice poster years ago. Check out his report on the TRAX 2002 show with a few highlights on some of the more choice vehicles in attendance.
TRAX 2002 is the U.K.'s biggest one-day show for modified cars and it takes place at the Silverstone F1 Grand Prix circuit. How big? Well, over 17,000 people poured through the gates to see almost 100 traders (Er, vendors?-JN) and 112 club stands with 15 of them devoted solely to Japanese motors including clubs starring GTi-Rs, Nissan 300ZXs, Mazda RX-7s and MX-5s (Er, Miatas?-JN), Mitsubishi Evos and FTOs, and last but not least, Subarus. However, it would be a shame to go to such a famous race circuit and just park up (Er, hang out?-JN), so the organizers offered other indulgences as well-such as a 0-60mph sprint up the dragstrip and a chance to do high-speed laps on the F1 track. The fastest time of the day on the 0-60mph sprint was a 3.10 seconds recorded by a twin-engine Renault R5 Turbo, which produced 520bhp. A mere 9 (Er, $14?-JN) paid for a run up the dragstrip while 38 (Er, $60?-JN) bought you a 20-minute session on the track-and 600 people went home with a smile on their face having lapped the British Grand Prix circuit. Gentlemen start your engines...