Top Gear Festival 2011

Attention all petrol-heads and motor enthusiasts, the time is drawing nigh for the most anticipated event of the motor industry: The Top Gear Festival.

Those unfamiliar with Top Gear need only know that it is one of the most popular Motor Shows on television, the Top Gear festival is accordingly inspired by this highly popular BBC series.

Though not the first time to be demonstrating their motor-prowess on South African soil, the Top Gear Team will be showcasing their skills and entertaining across the board on an entirely new level of showmanship. This year will see the Top Gear Team take over the Kyalami Grand Prix, which is actually quite fitting, as Kyalami Gran Prix is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year.

Taking place in Johannesburg, at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit from the 17th – 20th March 2011, this coming weekend is sure to be a plethora of all things fun in the sun, when it comes to motoring, designed specifically with its many thousands of fans in mind…

The Top Gear Festival will replace the previous years’ experience of a more intimate indoor car show with an experience to make the senses boggle. One is promised an interactive encounter, resulting in an expansion from a ‘theatre show’ to an all-encompassing motor festival.

So, what can all the eager and hot-headed motor enthusiasts expect to see and experience at this year’s Top Gear Festival? Brace yourself, there is so much to do, you might need to buckle up for the ride…

Drag racing, power testing and time trials will take place at “The Strip”, while drifting, rallying and off-roading will be key activities taking place at “The Bowl”. Additional motoring fun will be seen by the BP Stunt School, Freestyle Motocross bikes, Kart Track and Motoring Pavilion.

This years’ festival will still be hosted by your favorite Top Gear presenters: Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May – who will, in turn, be joined by the highly capable and equally skilled Red Bull Racing Formula One Team and South Africa’s own Formula One Champion Jody Scheckter.

a preview of what one can expect from Jody Scheckter at the Top Gear Festival.

This is not all though; there are many more celebrities of the motor world who will be gracing us South Africans’ with their presence at the Top Gear Festival. One can expect to see the likes of David Coulthard; the legendary Sir Stirling Moss; Derek Bell, a five-time winner at Le Mans; Eddie Jordan, the BBC’s F1 pundit and owner of Eddie Jordan Racing; Nick Mason, best known as Pink Floyd’s drummer, but a renowned car collector and participant in the 24 Hours of Le Mans as well. The current co-presenter of Fifth Gear on Britain’s Channel Five network Tiff Needell will also be taking part in the Top Gear Festival. Last, but not least, Sabine Schmitz, the female motor racing driver and TV personality, known as the “Queen of the Nurburgring” will also be on sight at the Top Gear Festival held at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit.

One thing is for certain, the Top Gear Festival promoters have gone out of their way to make sure that motoring action will be taking place over every inch of the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit’s facilities, including the kart track, the old pit complex where show cars will be on display, an off-road section where freestyle motocross and rally exhibitions will happen, Stig’s garage in the current pit building, a drag strip set up on the full circuit’s main straight and a drifting demo in the famous “Bowl” turn.

I guess there is only one last question left to be answered: How much will one need to beg, borrow, steal to make sure they have front row seats to the festival?

The ticket information is as follows:
Bronze Festival Ticket with BP Ultimate- R250
(Does not include Top Gear Stunt Show)
* Available at any BP Express across Gauteng
* Entrance into the festival
* Park & Ride ticket to Waterfall Country Estate
* Includes FREE Top Gear DVD to be collected at the BP stand at the festival in exchange for your BP Express till slip
* Simply go into any Computicket outlet and for an additional R115, you can upgrade your BP Bronze Ticket for your ticket to the spectacular Top Gear Stunt Show with Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond & James May. Please present and retain your BP Ticket Receipt
* In the event that you upgrade your ticket please note that your BP Ticket Receipt must be retained with your Computicket and both must be produced to gain entry to the Top Gear Festival as well as the Top Gear Stunt Show
* Track down the missing BP Ultimate Rally Car to win a VIP trip for two to Top Gear Live in the UK www.ultimatescore.co.za

Silver Festival Ticket – R365
* Entrance into the festival
* Theatre ticket to Top Gear Stunt Show
* Park and Ride ticket from Waterfall Country Estate

Gold Festival Ticket presented by DSTV – R495
* Entrance into the festival
* Theatre ticket with premium seating to Top Gear Stunt Show
* The Top Gear Stunt Show Backstage Tour presented by DSTV – This is a unique opportunity to see the line-up of props, cars and crew from Top Gear Stunt Show. See the high-pressure environment where our mechanics are fixing, tweaking and repairing all the damage inflicted by those unruly presenters during the Stunt Show!
* Park and Ride ticket from Waterfall Country Estate

Park and Ride – Waterfall Country Estate is 1.5km from the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit situated in an area south of the M39 between Woodmead Road (R55) and Allandale Road.

Buses will operate between the Waterfall Country Estate and Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit during the following times:
Thursday:    15h00 to 23h30
Friday:     13h00 to 23h30
Saturday:     08h00 to 20h30
Sunday:     08h00 to 20h30
Park and Ride GPS coordinates: Maxwell entrance: 26°1’18.61”S  28°5’15.61”E, Allandale entrance: -26°0’35.28”S  28°6’11.22”E

Platinum Clubhouse Festival Ticket – R875
Corporate Hospitality
To book a package, contact Lauren at lauren@brandeventssa.co.za
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* Entrance into the festival
* Theatre ticket with premium seating to the Top Gear Stunt Show
* The Top Gear Stunt Show Backstage Tour presented by DSTV
* Complimentary premium bar facility
* Latest Top Gear DVD gift
* Club House is open for 90 minutes prior to your selected show time
* Catering options available (prices on request)
* Park and Ride ticket from Waterfall Country Estate
* For packages of 20 or more guests, exclusive area with branding options

Top Gear Festival Sky Boxes

We have created 9 Sky Boxes in the Top Gear Festival Stunt Arena that hold 25 people per session. Book your own private space per individual performance or for all 8 shows and entertain up to 200 guests.

* Entry into the Top Gear Festival
* Sky Box seating in the Top Gear Stunt Show
* Private area in your Sky Box for 25 guests per session
* Session opens 90 minutes prior to your selected show time and closes at the end of the show
* Luxurious seating for guests in an exclusive area
* Branding options in your area with hosting tables for you to greet your guests
* Complimentary premium bar facility
* Dry snacks or catering options available (prices on request)
* The Top Gear Stunt Show Backstage Tour presented by DSTV
* VIP Parking

Individual shows – 25 guests – R37 500 (excl. VAT)
All 8 shows – 8 x 25 guests – R250 000 (excl. VAT)

Top Gear Festival Jody Scheckter Tribute Dinner
Friday 18th March 2011- 21:00 – 00:00

Top Gear Festival will be honoring South Africa’s own Formula 1 Champion, Jody Scheckter on Friday 18th March 2011 at the Top Gear Festival Johannesburg.

Join the 3 Top Gear presenters and our other national and international motoring celebrities for this exclusive event. Be there for this once in a lifetime exclusive experience.

* Cocktails and canapés around Jody’s iconic collection of cars
* Top Gear Hall of Fame tribute to the South African Formula 1 legend
* Exquisite meal in our Top Gear Festival Dinner Hall
* A Jeremy, James and Richard tribute to Jody Scheckter
* Complimentary premium bar
* VIP Parking in Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit
* Limited access
R16 000 per table (excl. VAT) – Minimum booking of 1 table of 10 people
R20 000 per table (excl vat) – Include a Gold Ticket to the Top Gear Stunt Show
R23 000 per table (excl vat) – Include a Platinum Clubhouse ticket

Now that you have the low-down on prices and ticket information, what more would one need besides the actual performance times of each event?

Read below for an itinerary of the Top Gear Festival:

Performance Times
Top Gear Festival Venue Open Times:
Thurs 17 March     16h00 – 23h00
Friday 18 March     14h00 – 23h00
Saturday 19 March     09h00 – 20h00
Sunday 20 March     09h00 – 20h00

Now that it is all in front of you – all the information one would need – only thing left to do is get to your nearest BP Express shop, or your closest Computicket outlet – and book your place to hang out with many a motoring celeb and star-making this coming weekend one to go down in the history books.

Remember, safe driving!