Four-strong works team for Le Mans Classic recreates famous 1929 Bentley Boys photo

Four modern Mulliner-built and race prepared Continuation Series Bentleys will contest their class in the Le Mans Classic on July 3-6. Three Blower Continuation Series cars and one Speed Six Continuation Series example will be in action, making this the largest Bentley works team to race at the La Sarthe circuit since 1930. The owners of the four-strong squad have been supported by Mulliner through its classic racing programme, with preparation including race practice over several months. To celebrate, the owners and their cars gathered in London to recreate an iconic photograph taken in 1929.

All four Bentleys have been painstakingly prepared by the Mulliner Classic team, and each driver will be supported by a dedicated duo of engineer and mechanic from Bentley. Responsibility for the smooth running of all four entries will be in the capable hands of Race Manager Dave Argent, whose CV includes several seasons as a technical manager for the successful Bentley Motorsport Continental GT3 race team.     

Reviving a pre-war Bentley works team tradition, the works Continuation Series Bentleys, their drivers and team manager assembled on 24 June at Mount Street in Mayfair for a team photo. This location was the backdrop to a famous photograph of the works Bentley team after the 1929 24 Hours of Le Mans, and is just 150m from the Mayfair apartment owned by Bentley Boy  Bernard Rubin.    

That year, the team went on to record the company’s fourth Le Mans victory, with Barnato and Birkin’s Speed Six heading home three Bentley 4½ Litres for a dominant 1-2-3-4 finish. The works team of 2025 will be hoping for similar fortunes at the Le Mans Classic on July 3-6.     

The original photograph features the two Bentley 3 Litres that won in 1924 and 1927 respectively, the 4½ Litre that won in 1928, and the Speed Six that was victorious in 1929 – making them the four most successful cars of the first ten years of Bentley Motors. The original Bentley Boys appearing in the image are Frank Clement, Sammy Davis, Dudley Benjafield, Bernard Rubin, Woolf Barnato and Tim Birkin.    

The 2025 recreation features the four drivers for this year’s race, plus Ben Linde, Special Projects Leader at Mulliner – who looks ahead to the race weekend with optimism:    

“Through our classic racing programme, we give the owners of our Continuation Series products the chance to compete as part of a Works team – just like the original cars were raced in the 1920s. Not only does this create a new generation of pre-war era Bentley Boys and Girls, it also allows our customers to explore the full potential of their machines, which were of course designed and engineered to race. The feedback from our entrants and drivers after our preparation race was very positive – there was work to do, of course, but that’s racing; it all helps prepare us for the challenge of Le Mans. We’re proud that we’ve been recognised as an official factory team, and we will keep the Bentley wings flying high this July.”

May shakedown at Donington

The three Continuation Series Blowers and single Speed Six contested the ‘Mad Jack’ Trophy for pre-war sports cars at the Donington Classic in early May. The event brought together all four entrants and drivers while providing an invaluable opportunity to take the cars to the limit in race conditions.    

After the race, owner/driver Mark M. reflected on his experience racing the Continuation Series Speed Six:

“These cars take a lot of muscle to hustle around…hats off to the guys who did that for 24 solid hours! I had a good dice at the end of the race, which is more fun than circulating on your own. I think I bettered my qualifying time, so I’m getting the hang of it.” He summed up the weekend’s appeal succinctly: “I’ve driven an authentic 1930 Bentley in a race. Not many people can say that.”

A racing fraternity

One of the entrants, Jack Boyd Smith Jr., had flown over from the United States with his wife Laura to see their Blower Continuation Series in action at Donington. In 2023, Smith Jr.’s inaugural experience as a Bentley Blower racing owner came tantalizingly close to a spot in the winner’s circle at the Le Mans Classic. He’s hoping driver Stuart Morley will make the next step up to the podium this July.    

One of the world’s authorities on rare pre-war automobiles and driving force behind the acclaimed JBS Collection, Jack Boyd Smith Jr. explains what persuaded him to become a Continuation Series owner:    

“First, I love the look. When our Blower is on display at the JBS Collection it always draws a crowd. But above all I became involved because Bentley was doing it. It’s authentic. There are only twelve of these machines in the world and owning one makes you part of a special fraternity of true enthusiasts.”

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