Revival of the golden era of motorsport

This year’s revival meeting was once again packed with many unforgettable moments and with a record sell-out of 140 000 spectators and competitors all out to enjoy the fabulous occasion. Set in glorious weather, this was once again an overdose of beehive hairstyles, tweed costume jackets and silly hats over two days of cut and thrust races of which there were eight special events per race day.

Jaguar focus
Not only were there no less than 25 D Type Jaguars racing along with thundering XKS1 1950 racers in the Lavant Trophy, it was a wall of sound blasted by all those powerful straight sixes, all singing in unison. It was quite unforgettable while the racers strutted their stuff.

The public was witness to some pre-1974 Jaguars, set at the entrance to the circuit. It produced some 4 500 veterans and pristine concours-type machinery in another day dedicated to Jaguar’s greatest classic cars all on show at the historic fun fair. They came from Switzerland, Germany, Italy – from all corners of the world to be part of the great Browns Lane Classic Display.

Maserati’s greatest racers
Maserati took centre stage at Goodwood with the spectacular sight and sound of 16 Grand Prix Maserati 250 FS’ racing it out in a double celebration of the car’s 60th anniversary and centenary of manufacture. Centenarian Jaun Fangio drove a 250 F to its first victory in 1954 at the Argentine GP and with that they went on to take the title in 1954 and 1957. Other great drivers like Sir Stirling Moss and Ray Salvadori paraded daily and also raced in the Richmond Trophy with a star-studded line-up of drivers in
that race.

Jackie Stuart
Sir Jackie Stuart got his big moment of glory this year at Goodwood with a 50-year line-up of his great race cars. Right from the early BRM P261 to a Marcos GT Xylon he drove in his first race.

Speaking from the special podium, Stuart said to finish first, you first have to finish. He went on to say that he was privileged to have worked with some of the finest mechanics and team managers of all time. Ecurie Ecosse, in the 1950s, his race team saw legends like John Surtees, Sir Stirling Moss and Mark Webber show some style in the Tyrell GP racers on the parade laps.

Mr Bean
He luckily escaped physical damage when he was involved in a shunt in his Ford Falcon V8 driving the first Shelby Cup Race. Rowan Atkinson muscled the huge V8 powered classic in fine style until he hit another competitor and spun off forcing him to abandon the Saturday race.

With so much going on each day, the dawn patrol aviation demonstration opened each day’s activities with a fly-past from a PSL Mustang along with a Spitfire and German fighter Aircraft to replicate the Battle of Britain theme. You could be forgiven for missing the sweet-sounding BRM 1950 V16 one and a half litre type-15 racer as it noisily went about laying out some track rubber at the races.

Other activities abound at Goodwood such as a vintage aeroplane static display, along with fly-pasts of Lancaster bombers and Canberra jet aircraft. The bands performed endless swing numbers from the dance tent on the lawns and the recreated mods and rockers faced off like they did in 1964.

Outside was a recreated Brighton Pier, just like the old days reincarnated. All this while real gear heads were treated to a festival of memorable racing like the Barry Whizzo Williams track dice with stiff opposition with his 1959 Sunbeam Rapier in the Saint Mary’s Trophy races.

With great weather to bless this blissful retro racing pageant it once again proved to everyone who attended to race or watch that there is nothing quite like it anywhere in the world that can take you back into the 1940s and ‘60s period like the Goodwood Revival.

It is absolutely unique in the phenomenal way that everyone joins in to get dressed up for this great racing occasion and that’s why it remains such a captivating event, for it is much more than a car show, its an indulgence of petrol-head nostalgia.