Backseat Driver

It’s me, Mark Stone, and in this episode of the Backseat Driver Podcast, I’m reporting from the Ilkley Jubilee Historic Rally, where some truly dreadful weather did its best to disrupt one of the highlights of the historic rallying calendar.
Despite torrential rain, strong winds and increasingly difficult conditions, 83 crews gathered in Otley Market Square for the start of the event, determined to tackle a challenging weekend of historic motorsport.
I catch up with organisers, competitors and marshals as the rally gets underway, discovering how an extraordinary amount of planning, teamwork and determination kept the event moving despite everything the weather threw at it.
With more than 100 volunteer marshals braving the elements, the rally featured a wonderful variety of historic machinery, including Ford Escorts, Lancia Fulvias, Porsches and some rather less obvious rally cars, from Nissans to Austin Allegros.
We follow the action through Saturday's tests, where standing water, mud and difficult road conditions made life particularly challenging for the crews. Unfortunately, the weather continued to deteriorate, and with fallen trees and blocked roads creating serious safety concerns, organisers were forced to cancel the planned Sunday action at Bramham Park.
Despite the disruption, the rally produced worthy winners, with Nick Bloxam and Ollie Waldock taking victory in their Ford Escort Mexico, ahead of John Dunning and Ian Tully in second place.
Throughout the weekend, one thing became abundantly clear: events like the Ilkley Jubilee simply couldn't happen without the dedication of the organisers, officials and volunteer marshals who give up their time to keep historic rallying alive.
It's a celebration of the cars, competitors and remarkable community spirit that make historic rallying so special, and a reminder that sometimes simply getting an event to the finish is an achievement in itself.
My thanks go to everyone who helped make the rally happen, particularly those who spent the weekend standing in the wind and rain so the rest of us could enjoy the spectacle. Here's to the next Ilkley Jubilee Rally, hopefully with considerably better weather!

It’s me, Mark Stone, and in this episode of the Backseat Driver Podcast, I’m joined by Brenda Priddy, who spent twenty years making a living as one of America's best-known automotive spy photographers, tracking down and photographing secret prototype cars before the manufacturers were ready to reveal them.
Brenda's extraordinary career began almost entirely by accident in 1992, when she spotted a group of camouflaged vehicles near her home in Arizona. Grabbing her camera, she managed to photograph a prototype Ford Mustang, and when one of her pictures appeared on a magazine cover, the calls started coming in from automotive publications around the world.
What followed was two decades of detective work, patience and occasionally confrontation. Brenda explains how she learnt to anticipate the movements of manufacturers' test teams, staking out hotels, watching desert roads and using cameras, radio scanners and local knowledge to capture vehicles that car companies were desperate to keep under wraps.
We discuss some of her biggest scoops, including early Chevrolet Corvettes and even a presidential limousine, alongside the dangers of the job. From angry engineers and attempts to prevent her taking photographs to the physical risks of pursuing the perfect shot, Brenda reveals that automotive espionage was not always as glamorous as the resulting magazine spreads might suggest.
She also explains how her family became involved in her unusual profession, why working from public locations was so important and how the arrival of camera phones and the internet gradually transformed the market for exclusive spy photographs.
Having stepped away from the relentless pursuit of prototype cars, Brenda now channels her creativity into fine art photography, photographing hummingbirds, exhibiting her work and leading photographic tours.
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It’s me, Mark Stone, and in this episode of the Backseat Driver Podcast, I’m joined by motorsport journalist and author Gary Watkins to explore the remarkable rise of GT3 racing and how it became one of the most successful categories in international motorsport.
Gary's latest book charts the first twenty years of GT3, and together we look back at how Stéphane Ratel helped create a formula that transformed sports car racing. By combining production-based machinery, Balance of Performance regulations, and driver grading, GT3 offered manufacturers, private teams, and amateur drivers a chance to compete on a more level playing field.
We explore how GT3 emerged from the lessons of earlier GT1 and GT2 championships, and why allowing specialist tuners to develop and homologate cars opened the door to a remarkable variety of machinery. From the Lamborghini Gallardo and Ferrari to the growing involvement of major manufacturers, GT3 quickly established itself as an attractive alternative to increasingly expensive forms of racing.
Gary explains how the category's flexibility helped it spread around the world, becoming equally successful in sprint racing and major endurance events. We discuss the role of the SRO, the importance of privateer teams and how GT3 has provided opportunities for countless drivers to establish careers in professional motorsport.
But has GT3 become a victim of its own success? With increasingly sophisticated cars, rising costs and manufacturers developing machinery specifically for competition, we ask whether the category risks losing the accessibility and production-car connection that made it so successful.
It's a fascinating look at the evolution of modern sports car racing, the people and decisions that shaped GT3, and the challenges it faces as it enters its third decade.
Gary's book provides a comprehensive account of the category's first twenty years and is essential reading for anyone interested in how GT3 changed the landscape of international motorsport.
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It’s me, Mark Stone, and in this episode of the Backseat Driver Podcast, I’m joined once again by Ruben Verdes, an authority on Rolls-Royce and Bentley, as we turn our attention to the fascinating world of classic car concours, judging and the preservation of automotive history.
In the second part of our conversation, Ruben shares his extensive experience as a concours judge and vehicle valuer, explaining what really happens behind the scenes at some of America's most prestigious classic car events. We discuss the differences between British and American car culture, why the United States has such a thriving concours scene and what makes these gatherings so important to collectors and enthusiasts.
Ruben takes me through the judging process, from the initial practical checks to the detailed examination of originality, authenticity, condition and presentation. We explore how judges reach their decisions, why accurate provenance matters and the lengths organisers go to in ensuring that cars are genuinely what their owners claim them to be.
We also discuss the considerable influence that winning a major concours can have on a car's reputation and value, alongside some of the remarkable vehicles and personalities Ruben has encountered over the years.
Beyond the prestigious competitions, Ruben reflects on the wider American classic car scene, from major national events to local cars-and-coffee gatherings, and explains why both have an important role in keeping enthusiasm for historic vehicles alive.
Above all, this is a conversation about the responsibility that comes with owning and preserving significant cars. Ruben believes these machines should be seen, enjoyed and appreciated rather than hidden away in private collections, ensuring future generations have the opportunity to experience motoring history for themselves.
It's another fascinating insight into the world of Rolls-Royce, Bentley and classic car collecting, and a reminder that preserving automotive heritage is about much more than simply keeping old cars in immaculate condition.

It’s me, Mark Stone, and in this episode of the Backseat Driver Podcast, I’m joined by Hamish Robertson from the Watch Collectors Club to explore the fascinating relationship between motorsport and watches, and how the two have become almost inseparable over more than a century.
With the practical role of timekeeping in early motoring, when dashboard clocks and specialist watches could be found in cars from manufacturers including Bugatti, Peugeot and Mercedes. From there, we trace the rise of the chronograph and its transformation into the watch most closely associated with racing drivers and motorsport enthusiasts.
Hamish takes me through some of the watches that helped define that relationship, including Heuer’s Autavia, Carrera and Monaco. We discuss Jack Heuer’s clever approach to motorsport sponsorship, his relationships with individual racing drivers and how Steve McQueen helped turn the distinctive square-cased Monaco into a cultural icon.
We also explore the extraordinary story of the Rolex Daytona, a watch that was not always particularly desirable but eventually became one of the most recognisable and sought-after watches in the world. Hamish explains how changing movements, dealers, marketing and celebrity ownership all contributed to creating the Daytona mythology we know today.
But motorsport watches are certainly not confined to expensive Swiss mechanical pieces. We discuss quartz and digital watches, including the remarkable durability of Casio’s G-Shock, and why accuracy and resilience can matter considerably more than mechanical tradition when a watch is actually being used in demanding conditions.
From affordable microbrands and heritage reissues to some of the finest examples of haute horlogerie, we look at the enormous choice available to enthusiasts today and why motorsport continues to inspire watchmakers at every price point.
We also discuss the growing community around watch collecting, the role of clubs, exhibitions and specialist shows, and how organisations such as the Watch Collectors Club are helping enthusiasts understand and enjoy the stories behind the watches on their wrists.
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