75 years of The Sporting Car Club of Norfolk: A brief history

The Sporting Car Club of Norfolk (SCCON) has come a long way since eight local businessmen met in local venue The Castle Hotel in 1951 to form the club. Nowadays it offers the opportunity for members to partake in six different disciplines hosted throughout the East Anglian Countryside.

The first event hosted by the club in 1952 was named The Pancake Rally and consisted of a 60-mile route from Norwich cattle market to Watton, concluding in a range of tests on private land. The event was won by a farmer, Jimmy Risk; appropriately the club still honours that historic event with the Jimmy Risk trophy, presented to members who demonstrate exceptional service to the club.

In the early days of SCCON events rewarded both navigational accuracy and fast driving; during its first decade the club became well known for the annual Ten Test rally that started late on a Saturday night and continued into Sunday morning with competitors stopping only for breakfast. The tired participants would then have to navigate a series of timed test laps, one of which involved three high speed tours of Snetterton Circuit in which the drivers had to produce three identical times, right down to the second.

During its history the club hasn’t been shy of having a few famous members; Oscar-winning actress Olivia Coleman was a member of the club and often navigated for her father during 12-car rallies. The club has also spiked the interest of one of the members of the Royal Family as H.R.H Prince Michael of Kent competed in club’s Lancia Pointer Stages Rally in the early 1970s, placing 73rd.

The SCCON is a family-oriented club which encourages everyone to take part; in fact most of the club’s events can be entered with an everyday road car. The club also offers the opportunity for new and younger members to compete in autotests using one of nine Nissan Micras donated by committee member Howard Joynt.

SCCON is an incredibly active club, hosting many events throughout the year including autotests, high-speed rallies and hill climb trials alongside social events such as dinners and quizzes. To celebrate its 75th anniversary the club is hosting a Midsummer Classic Car Run on the 5th of July, which is open to new and existing members. To celebrate with the club enquire here.