Blistering weather and stunning on-track (and in-air) action once again, for the annual celebration of historic motor racing that is the Goodwood Revival. Incorporated in a slightly re-arranged timetable, the RAC TT Celebration was still the highlight of the weekend.
It’s billed as having one of the most expensive grids in the world. You can pick a number out of the air for a value, £30,000,000? $60,000,000? Who knows, but for those of us out on the back of the circuit at St Mary’s on the opening lap the scene was priceless. Led by Le Mans winner Andy Wallace in the 1963 Lister Jaguar Coupé, the front runners that comprised professional racing drivers like Jochen Mass, Barrie Williams, Gerry Marshall, Richard Attwood, Tony Dron, Rene Arnoux and Frank Sytner were driving as if their lives depended on it. This truly must have been what it was like in the era of Clark, Surtees and Salvadori. Sadly some panel-damage was the result of the opening skirmishes, but drivers of this calibre were giving a masterclass in how to drive powerful cars with not so much grip on a very fast, undulating course. John Young in Jeff Barley’s 1963 Corvette was another worthy of mention, maintaining a top four position until retiring twelve laps before the end. Winner’s laurels went to Hales/Attwood again in the 1963 ISO Bizzarini A3C, comfortably holding off the Shepherd/Bryant Cobra roadster but if one was tempted to pick a ‘Driver of the Race’ it would have to go to Peter Hardman in the 1963 Ferrari 330LMB he shared with Gerry Marshall. The car set an identical fastest lap time to the winner and Hardman’s press-on, drifting style in the latter stages of the race was a joy to watch.
Prior to the TT the crowd had been worked up to a frenzy by the second St Mary’s Trophy Race, the so-popular saloon car event. One of the changes made to the meeting in 2004 was the introduction of a tin-top race on the Saturday as well as the Sunday, and making each one shorter with no driver changes - one driver did Saturday, the other Sunday. Race 1 was a storming success for Justin Law in the green Mk I Jaguar (despite the evergreen Marshall driving the most incongruous 1954 Alvis Grey Lady to second, even taking a look at Law for the lead) while on Sunday everyone expected Grant Williams in ‘Buy 1’, the ex-Coombs Mk I to perform his usual low-level aerobatics and slide away with the trophy. Having off-roaded early in the 12 lap race Williams then had some work to do. Simultaneously, Rae Davis in the red 1957 Austin A35, was making his way up through the grid and unbelievably passed the green Mk I (driven by Andy Wallace) into first place only to have Williams bearing down on him for the last couple of laps. The tremendously popular A35 did it by a whisker but the whole race really brought the house down.
If you were to see only two races from any in 2004, you couldn’t do much better than these.
The event as a whole just builds on previous year’s successes to be probably the best of its kind in the world. The advance ticket policy produced an increase of 9,000 to make it 103,000 for the whole weekend, and with the EXPO area, a highly successful Bonhams Sale now on-site, a new ‘Bikers Café’ and various other tweaks and refinements the Revival is even more of a ‘must-do’ than before. Trying to obtain last minute Bed and Breakfast within a 50 mile radius of the circuit proved a problem - and demonstrates its immense popularity.
 Team formation - Three DBR1s in the paddock |
 Seeing double - the two ex-Walker/Moss Ferrari 250GT SWBs |
Another favourite with the crowds is the Sussex Trophy, held as usual on the Saturday afternoon. A race for World Championship sports cars from 1955 - 1960 we were treated to the sight of three Aston Martin DBR1s on-track (Hardman/Dron/Friedrichs) as well as the usual D-Types, Listers, Testa Rossas and a pair of fantastic 1959 Ferrari Dinos (Barazi/Green) to add to the event’s regular winning car, the 1960 Ferrari Dino 246S. It was a Lister-Chevy benefit but the Ferrari/Aston action was fierce, Peter Hardman doing his usual stirling job while Tony Dron (in a car only recently restored to the track) had Juan Barazi’s very sideways Dino on his tail for much of the race.
A serious accident in the Glover Trophy for 1.5 litre F1 cars from 1961 - 1965 meant the start of the final race, the Whitsun Trophy for ‘big-banger’ sports-racing prototypes and GT cars of the mid-60s, was delayed by over an hour. Another red flag in this event meant eventual winner Frank Sytner had to wait a little time for the champagne, just holding off Ray Bellm’s familiar blue GT40.
Please look at the event’s excellent website for the race-by-race results, as always we can only give you a taste of what it was like to be there on the day. Your correspondent took time off on Sunday to ‘walk the course’. Not only did this provide much-needed exercise, but it also showed what a magnificent viewing platform the grassed bank around the track is. You can really get an impression of the tremendous speed of the circuit from very close to the cars. It is busy, but with a little patience, and perhaps moving on a few hundred yards, a suitable spot usually presents itself. The really fast sweeps like Fordwater are worth the walk alone, you can still hear the commentary, and you can also see the air display from close up.
Can’t wait till 2005.
 The pre-1966 spectator car park |
 A matching pair - 300SL coupe and roadster |
 The winning Bizzarrini goes on to the grid for the TT |
 Willie Green makes a point during practice |
 Suitable paddock transport |
 Sir John Whitmore looks after his hearing |
Results -
Rolex Driver of the Day:
Rae Davis
Goodwood Supporters’ Association Spirit of Goodwood Trophy:
Graham Bryant and Bill Shepherd
Best Presented Team:
Larry Bowman and his Shelby Team
Fastest Lap of the Meeting:
Frank Sytner / Lola Chevrolet T70 Spyder / 1:24.948
Fastest Lap by a Lady Driver:
Desire Wilson / AC Cobra / 1:31.532
Will Hoy Memorial Trophy:
Grant Williams
Goodwood Trophy
1. John URE / ERA B type R9B / 1:31.769
2. Ludovic LINDSAY / ERA B type R5B Remus / 1:31.798
3. Mark GILLIES / Maserati 4CL / 1:32.992
Madgwick Cup
1. Nick WIGLEY / Tojeiro Bristol / 1:39.063
2. Kenneth WHITE / Lotus Bristol MkX / 1:37.908
3. Adrian HALL / Lotus Bristol MkX / 1:38.236
Chichester Cup
1. James HICKS / Caravelle Ford Mk111 / 1:32.198
2. Neil DAWS / Lotus Ford / 1:32.350
3. Derek WALKER / Crossle Ford Mk4 / 1:33.500
Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy Race 3 (First Race)
1. Wayne GARDNER / Manx Norton 500 / 1:31.889
2 Jamie WHITHAM / Manx Norton 500 / 1:32.551
2 Malcolm CLARK / Matchless G50 500 / 1:32.503
Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy Race 9 (Second Race)
1. Jamie WHITHAM / Manx Norton 500 / 1:31.334
2. Wayne GARDNER / Manx Norton 500 / 1:31.141
3. Duncan FITCHETT / Manx Norton 500 / 1:32.194
Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy Overall Winner
1. Wayne GARDNER / Manx Norton 500 / 1:31.141
2. Jamie WHITHAM / Manx Norton 500 / 1:31.334
3. Duncan FITCHETT / Manx Norton 500 / 1:32.194
St. Mary’s Trophy (Part 1)
1. Justin LAW - Jaguar Mk1 - 1:40.687
2. Gerry MARSHALL - Alvis Grey Lady - 1:43.059
3. Tony JARDINE - Austin - 1:43.200
St. Mary’s Trophy (Part 2)
1. Rae DAVIS – Austin A35 – 1:42.379
2. Grant WILLIAMS – Jaguar Mk 1 – 1:40.669
3. Jim WOODLEY – Austin Westminster A105 – 1:45.612
St. Mary’s Trophy - RESULT
1. JARDINE/DAVIS / Austin A35 / 1.42:379
2. MARSHALL/DUTTON / Alvis Grey Lady / 1:44.085
3. MCCARTHY/MILLER / Austin A40 / 1:44.086
Brooklands Trophy
1. Duncan RICKETTS / 1 Riley Dixon Special / 1:38.539
2. Thomas BSCHER / Alfa Romeo Tipo B monoposto / 1:39.654
3. Robert FINK / Alfa Romeo Tipo B monoposto / 1:42.973
Sussex Trophy
1. Julian BRONSON / Lister Jaguar Knobbly / 1:30.060
2. Stuart GRAHAM / Lister Chevrolet Knobbly / 1:29.714
3. Tiff NEEDELL / Lister Jaguar Knobbly / 1:30.162
Freddie March Memorial Trophy
1. Michael STEELE / HWM Jaguar / 1:35.772
2. Carlos MONTEVERDE / Ferrari 750 Monza / 1:36.612
3. Gerry MARSHALL / Austin Healey 100S / 1:38.648
The Richmond & Gordon Trophies
1. Mark GILLIES / Cooper Climax T53 lowline / 11:26.223
2. Gary PEARSON / Cooper Climax T53 lowline / 1:26.998
3. Duncan DAYTON / Lotux Climax 16 / 1:26.329
The Royal Automobile Club TT Celebration
1. Richard ATTWOOD/Mark HALES / ISO Bizarrini A3C
2. Grahame BRYANT/Bill SHEPHERD / AC Cobra
3. Justin LAW/Andy WALLACE / Lister Jaguar Coupe
Glover Trophy
1. Frank SYTNER / Brabham-Climax BT4 / 1:26.925
2. Duncan DAYTON / Brabham-Climax BT11 / 1:27.460
3. Robs LAMPLOUGH / Lotus Climax 33 / 1:29.927
Whitsun Trophy
1. Frank SYTNER / Lola Chevrolet T70 Spyder / 1:24.948
2. Ray BELLM / Ford GT40 / 1:25.305
3. Colin BLOWER / Lola Chevrolet T70 Spyder / 1:26.367
Words - Steve Wakefield. Photos - Classic Driver
