MOTORSPORT News, one of the UK's top motor racing publications, is celebrating 50 years in print with a host of action at Brands Hatch this weekend.

Punters will not only get to enjoy great racing from Ford, Volkswagen and Renault, but also meet racing stars, experience a passenger ride in a rally car and see an aerobatic display team.

The event aims to promote the best of British motorsport from grass roots level up to international racing.

Rallycross legend Will Gollop, former British Touring Car champion Jason Plato and Gary Paffett, runner-up in the 2004 German DTM series, will all be there.

There will be several forms of racing on the track, including the ever-competitive Ginettas, single-seaters from the UK Formula Ford and Formula Renault BARC Championships, and saloons with the VW Racing Cup.

Local interest in the VW Racing Cup will come from Sidcup’s Paul Sanderson, who will be driving a Mk I Golf GTI and Shaun Hollamby, who races a 3.2-litre Golf R32.

Hollamby, from Chelsfield, will be the frontrunner as he lies second in the championship behind Philip House, who is based in Ripley, North Yorkshire.

There is also great variety in the off-track action, with the Torquespeed SCSA team running a pit stop challenge and the chance for people to enjoy passenger rides around the circuit’s rally course.

For the kids there will be bouncy castles and face painting and everyone can enjoy the Utterly Butterly Wingwalking Display Team, who will be showing off in the skies over the circuit.

As well as a parade of top racing cars from the past 50 years, MotorSport Vision chief executive Jonathan Palmer will be reunited with a car from his past.

The 1981 British Formula Three Champion and former Formula One driver has driven numerous machines in his time, and while the identity is being kept closely under wraps, it is believed to be a "very special" car.

Tickets for the anniversary celebration cost just £12 per day, with children aged 12 and under admitted free.

Qualifying is set to start at 9.00am on Saturday, with the first race starting at 12.40pm. On Sunday, qualifying begins at 10.00am, with racing from 10.30am.