Fifty years after the Goodwood racing circuit first closed its doors to competitive motor racing, the doors were opened once again for a 19th step back in time to visit a bygone era that is the Goodwood Revival. Full theatrical stage settings, props and performers were on hand to bring the past back to life. In the main, it was 1966 that was the golden year celebrated. A year when England ruled the world of international football by beating the old foe Germany — or rather West Germany, as the Berlin Wall was still standing in those days — 4 to 2, to take the Jules Rimet Trophy. Yes, the huge hoardings outside Goodwood’s main entrance headlined “England v West Germany – World Cup Final” rather than advertising a motor race, staff around the gate wore red and white England scarves shouting a welcome to Wembley Stadium, perhaps a subliminal ploy to transport the minds of visitors back to the time when the nation was on the crest of a wave, in great spirits and World Cup Willie ruled.
So, with period attire the order of the day, rose-tinted glasses fully fitted and minds set in the right gear, yes, motor racing was still the star of the three-day festival with a full program of historic racing over the weekend. Sir Stirling Moss, now in his 87th year, John Surtees, Derek Bell, Brian Redman and Sir Jackie Stewart — all of whom plied their trade on the Goodwood tarmac in the “swinging ’60s” — were on hand to sign autographs, have photos taken and reminisce with those old enough to remember these celebrities in their youth, or educate others who can only imagine what motor racing was really like back in the day.
The on track “jewel” for Friday was the last race on the program, the inaugural running of the Kinrara Trophy for pre-1962 GT cars. If atmosphere was required, it was the dusk race replicating the twilight hours of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. A late replacement driver change, due to the unexpected absence of BTCC’s Jason Plato, was nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen to partner Joe Macari in his Ferrari 250 GT SWB. This move would prove significant as the race wound to a close. Despite the enormous value of the competing cars, no quarter was asked or given. Just 11 laps after the Union flag waved to start the safety car was deployed, temporarily interrupting proceedings after a number of major “offs” littered the run-off areas. To that point Rob Hall in the E-Type Jaguar had shown the way with some spirited driving and dicing, at first with Macari’s Ferrari and later with James Cottingham’s E-Type. After the prescribed driver change, the order also transformed with star driver Kristensen exerting his presence. Despite having had minimal time to get acquainted with his steed, the 250 GT SWB soon began setting fastest lap upon fastest lap. It was purely a matter of time for the cream to rise to the top as the Great Dane moved to 3rd, then 2nd and ultimately led the final laps with headlights ablaze as the checkered flag fell. Wolfgang Friedrichs and Simon Hadfield were 2nd in their 1960 Aston Martin DB4GT with James Cottingham and Andrew Smith in a 1961 Jaguar E-Type finishing off the podium places.
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The weather gods really didn’t play the game on Saturday, when the fog and heavy clouds led to a deluge of rain and inclement conditions prevailed for the day. Period garb was covered, umbrellas were employed and the whole party spirit dampened by conditions more associated with a dark November day rather than a balmy late summer afternoon. Racing fell victim of the climatic conditions too, with many races shortened due to the volume of water on the road surface and resultant spray. Memories of Sir Jackie Stewart’s win aboard Ken Tyrrell’s Matra International MS10 at the Nürburgring in 1968 literally flooded back. I believe JYS described the experience as “teeth gritting,” whatever, it certainly concentrated the mind — his winning by some four minutes showed the true measure of his driving prowess. Despite all this, there was sunshine through the rain with exceptional racing, given the state of play. Saturday’s St. Mary’s Trophy Race, Pt. 1, was the crowd pleaser for the day with 30 celebrity drivers at the wheel of Austin A30s and A35s. The multi-talented grid included many famous names both past and present, with Gordon Shedden and Andrew Jordan, both former BTCC Champions, leading the pack with veteran Steve Soper completing the front row — these three dominated the race with Jordan taking the spoils, just 0.14 second ahead of Shedden and Soper in 3rd place, but in a position ready to pounce should the two hot shots come to grief.
Sunday was a much-improved day weather-wise, with sunshine replacing the showers. In racing terms everyone wanted to watch the RAC TT Celebration race (Top image, Roger Dixon photo), historically the climax of the Revival. A plethora of AC Cobras and E-Type Jaguars were joined by a sprinkling of Ferraris and Chevrolets as well as the odd Iso Grifo, Maserati and Aston Martin. It has to be said, some of those iconic cars once seen regularly at the Revival, especially in this race, are absent — perhaps investment has taken priority over racing in some quarters? Favorites for the race were Gary Ward and Gordon Shedden in the JD Classic’s E-Type took pole, with the Cobras of Hart and van der Garde, Squire and Stippler completing the front row and the Bryant and Smith, and Henderson and Turner cars on row two. As the flag dropped Henderson’s Cobra was slow to get away and although it caused a moment of panic for those following through billowing tyre smoke, all started the race unscathed. In the early laps Gary Pearson in his E-Type, starting from a relatively lowly 9th place, weaved through the field in his usual confident style to 5th. After the customary driver changes the second half of the race concluded after 41 laps and an hour and three minutes of racing with Shedden taking the flag for the top contenders’ victory, the Cobra of Squire and Stippler finished 2nd with Smith and Bryant 3rd. Once again the safety car was used after a number of close encounters — a Ferrari 250 GTO, an AC Cobra and a handful of other cars will need some bodywork repairs in the coming weeks.
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I’ve reported on three of the many races of the weekend, but a full and comprehensive list of results and various You Tube racing highlights can be seen via the Goodwood web site. A static celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Formula One’s “return to power” season was quite something, with a small corner of the Sussex racing circuit transformed into a pastiche of Reims, once home to the French GP, with a mouth-watering array of F1 cars to boot. The man of the moment 50 years ago was Revival favorite, the late Sir Jack Brabham, the only man to win a World Championship with a car built by his own hands — a feat that will never be repeated. Sons David and Geoff and other members of the Brabham family were on hand on both Saturday and Sunday for an emotional parade of cars synonymous with the great triple champion.
Summing up, this year’s Revival was both the same and very different from those before. There’s always something to keep not only a national, but global interest in the event. On the surface, it’s the same recipe served up year on year, but underneath the skin there are subtle and obvious changes to make the paying public thirst for more. While modern technology allows live streaming to be available, it could be it would keep many from attending. Instead it acts as bait to draw more and more to want to experience the atmosphere and ambience while absconding to a place where all seems happy in the world. Tickets for this year’s event were sold out way before the doors opened, and they will continue to do so until a time when the populace falls out of love with the theater that is the Goodwood Revival. When will that be? While nostalgia sells, not for a very good while yet — see you all there in 2017 for the 20th edition.
Goodwood Revival Results (Combined)
Barry Sheen Memorial Trophy – McGuinness/English – 1953 Norton Manx
Chichester Cup – Andrew HIbberd – 1960 Lola Mk2-Ford
Freddie March Memorial Trophy – Richard Woolmer – 1954 HWM-Cadillac
Glover Trophy – Nick Fennell – 1962 Lotus 25-Climax
Goodwood Trophy – Callum Lockie – 1938 Maserati 8CM
Kinrara Trophy – Joe Macari/Tom Kristensen – 1951Ferrari 250 GT SWB
Lavant Cup – Malcolm Harrison – 1953 Cooper T25-Bristol
Madgwick Cup – Andrew Newall – 1963 Lotus 23B-Ford
RAC TT Celebration – Gary Ward/Gordon Shedden – 1963 Jaguar E-Type
Richmond Trophy – Julian Bronson – 1960 Scarab-Offenhauser
Settrington Cup – Catherine Collings – Austin J40
St. Mary’s Trophy – Andrew Jordan/Mike Jordan – 1959 Austin A30
Sussex Trophy – Chris Ward – Costin Lister Jaguar
Whitsun Trophy – Rob Huff – Lotus 19-Oldsmobile
