2012 Sporting Memories: Autosport International Show

As with the start of every calendar year, the Autosport International Show gets the wheels in motion for the up and coming Motorsport season. Held at the the N.E.C in Birmingham, race-series from across the world are represented and displayed across the worlds biggest Motorsport exhibition, and 2012 was no exception.
With literally hundreds of Stands, cars, bikes, and entertainment features on offer, it's certainly one of my most fond memories from the year, with the chance to meet McLaren-Mercedes driver Jenson Button and F1 commentary god Martin Brundle, only adding to the pleasure of the day. 
One of the greatest aspects to the show, is the sheer diversity in Motorsport on show, with Touring Cars to Stock Cars, and the World Rally Championship to British Superbikes. But at the centre of the show, was the Autosport Central Stage, showcasing a whole host of infamous names both from inside and outside the cockpit, but all from the world of Motorsport. Such examples from 2012 stand as: F1 stars Anthony Davidson (pictured) & Paul Di Resta, Sportscar legend Allan McNish,  and double BTCC champion Matt Neal.
One of the greatest highlights for me in 2012, was the Lotus stand (pictured top-right), which showcased some of the companies finest examples of machinery from across it's international involvement in Motorsport, from race-prepared Lotus Exige's all the way up to the brands flagship machine, it's Formula One car.
Without intending to be a PR agent for the show... I'd genuinely recommend the 2013 ASI show to anyone with even the vaguest whiff of interest in sport. Any sport. I know first hand how it helps bring new fans in, thanks to members of my own family coming away from the show with a newly lit passion for Motorsport!
But back to the task in hand, and as a vivid memory from 2012, I can safely say that the 2012 Autosport International Show was one of my personal highlights from the past year of sport.