Event: GTI International 2014

27 years. As VAG Enthusiast shows go, Britain’s GTI International (a.k.a. “Inters”) might just be the granddaddy. No doubt, it is also the biggest of its kind in the UK, gathering custom and high-performance Volkswagen Group models from far and wide and bringing them together at the Shakespeare County Raceway.

Like other events in the USA, a quarter mile drag strip is one of the main focuses of the event. That the strip also boasts grandstands for roughly 3,000 assures there’ll be plenty on hand to witness each run. This might be why many of the top tuning companies in the UK come here to settle scores.

Of course, there’s also the show itself. Who doesn’t like looking at handsomely (and occasionally not so handsomely) tailored cars sitting in the warm summer sun. This area includes a hard paved show field for the top crowd-getters, dedicated club display areas and more.

Vendors are also part of the deal here. This includes everything from flashy tuner displays to more Sanford & Son “auto jumbles” of used parts. It also includes overnight camping, something many of the North American shows simply don’t.

UK contributor Si Gray was on hand for us this year and managed to capture the event in his own unique style of photography. Some of his photos are in this layout. Even more can be found in our photo gallery attached at the bottom of this story.