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Fourteen races spread across two days, some 350 cars and 30 classic motorcycles, 80 vehicle for 80 years as a tribute to Stirling Moss, 50 Minis for the 50th birthday and 15 ERAs celebrating 75 years of the famous racers. These are merely the bare figures of what happens on the track during the Goodwood Revival meeting. On four wheels and with one exception, the races feature cars of the period 1948 to 1966, the years when the Goodwood circuit lived and breathed some of the classic races of that era. The exception is the Brooklands Trophy which features cars of the pre-war period and celebrates the races on ‘The Track’ as Brooklands came to be known and the period when Freddie March himself raced. Single seaters, open sports cars, saloons and thundering TT cars, they are all here. No high pitched wailing or muted exhausts. This is pure unadulterated adrenalin and an assault on the eardrums of the best possible type. Further, these are not demonstrations but full bloodied races where the competition is fierce but always sportsmanlike. Just as it was in those bygone days. Where else other than Goodwood can you see former Grand Prix drivers (Stefan Johansson for one) mix it with rally drivers such as Rauno Aaltonen, sports car legend Derek Bell and touring car stars (Andy Rouse) in a field of original Mini Mk.1s? The RAC Tourist Trophy Celebration is widely regarded as the centrepiece of the action and comprises a field of mouth watering machinery such as AC Cobras, Ferrari GTOs, Aston Martins and Jaguar E-types. This hard fought one-hour contest has drawn star names through the years, some returning time and again to compete. Former Pink Floyd drummer and avid car enthusiast Nick Mason has taken part in every Revival Meeting since the start and finally this year managed to win in his Aston Martin, though this was not an easy win by any means as he was chased all the way by Patrick Blakeney-Edwards in his Frazer-Nash. This was a dice to the finish despite the latter having to make two pit stops to top up with water. Opposite lock and tyre smoke, that is what period racing is all about. ERA versus Alfa Romeo, Maserati versus Lotus, Aston Martin versus Farrari, BRM versus Brabham and McLaren and Lola versus Ford GT40. The makes themselves just pour history at you and a sunny September weekend at Goodwood it the best place to witness it. Although there was only ever one motorcycle race during the years that the circuit was originally open for racing, it was decided right from the start of the Revival 12 years ago that there should be a place for these machines. A stauch supporter right from the start was British bike hero Barry Sheene. So much to that following his death, it was decided to rename the morotcycle races after him. Now the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy caters for different categories in alternate years. 2009 was the turn of machines of the type that raced between 1962 and 1966. There are two races, each of 25 minutes duration with a compulsory rider change and the overall result is decided on an aggregate of the results. Racers old and new were there including Jamie Whitham, Mick Grant, Steve Parrish, Troy Corser, Phil Read, Jeremy McWilliams, James Haydon and Leon Haslam. Yes, the current stars of MotoGP, WSB and BSB like a bit of Castrol R as much as the ‘oldies’! Thanks as ever must go to Janet, Louise and all the team at Goodwood for all the help and hospitality and for yet again staging an event that truly is ‘One Of A Kind.’ |