Alfa Romeo models of all ages are set to star when the 2007 Schweppes East African Concours d’Elegance, the biggest spectator motoring event in East Africa, takes place at the end of next month at the Nairobi Racecourse.

The Concours will be the 37th in the series organised by the Alfa Romeo Owners Club and has been listed on the Kenya Motor Sport Foundation and African Motorcycle Union (AMU) calendars. The event is scheduled for September 30th at the Nairobi Racecourse. The 2006 event attracted entries from Australia, England, Germany, South Africa and Uganda and it is hoped that the forthcoming Concours will receive strong international support. The annual vehicle beauty contest recognises the high standards of preparation of cars and motorcycles by the entrants. Thanks to the Schweppes sponsorship there is a prize fund of 1.5 million shillings covering the awards for the overall winners and the top competitors in the 13 car and seven motorcycle classes which are open to all makes.

Judy Ndungi, the Coca Cola marketing Manager for Kenya, represented Schweppes at the launch function which featured the Premiere of the Concours TV programme. She said, "We are happy to reward competitors with a prize fund of 1.5 million shillings to recognize the time and effort they devote to their Concours cars and motorcycles. The growing international status of the event is a credit to the high standards of preparation by competitors, the work of the officials and the Alfa Romeo Owners Club's organization.

"The Schweppes sponsorship includes financing the production of the Concours TV programme and we are very pleased that this will be televised by DSTV five times in the 53 countries of Africa. The telecasts will also reach viewers in Southern Europe. This will promote the Concours as an international event, show Kenya in a good light and help to promote our country as a tourist destination," she added.

Car entries for the Schweppes East Africa Concours d'Elegance are already heading for the 50 mark and there will soon be more than 30 motorcycles on the list. Interest in the crowd pulling sports car category will be heightened by a 1965 Triumph TR 4A which will be shown by Sandra Webb. She is based in Dar es Salaam and will be driving her classic open two seater to Nairobi to contest the Concours. Last year this car won a silver award in the annual Concours run by the Triumph Sports Car Club of South Africa. Among Sandra Webb's sports car rivals will be the 1963 Chevrolet Nova entered by Fullbore Shades Limited and the unique Kenya made replica of an early 1930s Alfa Romeo 1750 Gran Sport.
 

The chassis and body of this Alfa Romeo-based racing car were built locally by the late Vittorio Cassini and Frank Hetimier and the machine is equipped with an Alfa Romeo engine, gear box and rear axle. Alfa Romeo will not be the only Italian brand on show as a 1924 Fiat entered by Thika motoring enthusiast Maurice Frost will have pride of place. Nicholas Patel, who also hails from Thika, will be showing a 1957 Chevrolet pick-up in the class for utility vehicles and will contest the sports car category with a giant 1963 Chevrolet Nova convertible. Another competitor with two entries is Maina Muthuma who will parade a 1969 Peugeot 204 and a Mini Morris at the Nairobi Racecourse on September 30th.

For the past 37 years, the Alfa Romeo Owners Club has held the annual Concours to reward the owners of well kept cars and motorcycles. The event also gives the entrants the opportunity of showing their treasured possessions to the motoring enthusiasts and their families who flock to the Racecourse for the classiest event on the motoring calendar.

The motorcycles which are already listed for the Schweppes Concours range in age from a 1928 Rudge Whitworth which will be shown in the judging ring by Harare based motoring enthusiast Bob Rose to new Suzuki trail bikes entered by Car and General. The Rudge will be up against the 1937 Moto Guzzi GTC of Rick Agagliate and a KTM entered by Sport Motorcycles.

Bill Parkinson, the Chief Judge, and a team of officials start the car judging at the Caltex Ramp to assess the underside. After this check, competitors drive along the judging line in front of the main Racecourse grandstand. There are check-points for the paintwork and external finish, the interior and boot and the engine. The process ends with a pair of judges marking road-worthiness. The motorcycles are assessed in a similar way in the Racecourse parade ring adjacent to the grandstands.

There are separate awards presented by The Winemasters for Concours competitors wearing costumes. Personalities make a rating of the costumes and interview the competitors in a prime location fronting the grandstand which is packed with enthusiastic spectators.